Maxine Trump’s latest documentary, To Kid or Not To Kid, is quite revolutionary. Traditionally, even now that women work as much as men (if not often more), they are expected to revel in the joys of motherhood. But what if the thought of kids makes you want to run for the hills? What if you find your life fulfilling enough without the advent of dirty diapers and postpartum depression? What if you conclude that you want to be and stay child-free? Trump confronts this decision personally in To Kid or Not To Kid. Along with her journey towards the decision, we meet several other women and men who don’t believe kids are in their forecast. It’s a necessary film in a world where having kids seems to make less and less sense. However, it’s not judgy towards anyone who does want to have kids either. It’s a film that I hope anyone who wants or doesn’t want to have children watches just to know why people decide to be child-free or how to come to that conclusion yourself.
One of the most interesting subjects of the film was Megan from Wales who is 25 and has tried to get a sterilization procedure for about four years and still can’t find a doctor who will do it. What do you think about that and why do you think it’s happening?
Maxine Trump: I think we’re still pushing back at some of the eugenics issues, where there were forced sterilizations. I think some doctors have been nervous about that which comes with that legacy which is super unfortunate for so so many women who have side effects from hormones, taking the pill, or the copper from the IUD affecting them negatively. I understand women being questioned at the beginning as they would any surgery. You know every surgery is invasive, etc., but when a woman comes in with statistics and quotes and the reasons for why she needs the surgery, as you hear in the film, for the side effects she suffers from. I just am astounded that they’re not taken seriously when the research they’ve done themselves and how they’re crying in the offices, desperate to be helped. I just don’t understand why it’s so difficult for them to be taken seriously when they could get pregnant at the drop of a hat and then have to deal with the situation of an unwanted child and that’s a whole other problem to be presented. So yes, it’s very frustrating.
