Christen Reighter: I don't want children -- stop telling me I'll change my mind
Крыстэн Рэйтэр: Я не хачу дзяцей – годзе казаць, што я перадумаю
Christen Reighter writes and performs as a poet and essayist, focusing primarily on social justice issues. Full bio
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that were placed on me very early.
што на мяне ўскладаюць пэўныя ролі.
supposed to have children,
мусяць нараджаць дзяцей,
that adults spoke to me
in the context of "when."
were always presented to me
падаваліся мне
like someone else's dream.
always understood about myself
to explain this,
their roles and my values,
і ўласных каштоўнасцей,
at the absurdities of children.
things like that to me my whole life.
can turn intrusive fast.
рабіліся дакучлівымі.
when discussing childlessness,
пры абмеркаванні бяздзетнасці:
a woman may have
станавіцца маці,
not self-prioritizing.
to publicly vilify women as such,
ганьбіць жанчыну за такі выбар,
have made it into the social narrative.
не надаецца дастаткова ўвагі.
about the inevitability of maternity,
пра непазбежнасць мацярынства,
that women consider,
hereditary illness,
life-saving medication
415,000 children
in the United States at any given time.
на сённяшні дзень.
things of this magnitude to chance,
такія сур’ёзныя рэчы на волю лёсу,
with undergoing a tubal ligation,
пасля лігацыі маткавых труб,
for getting your tubes tied.
як пераносіцца аперацыя,
has always been taught to me,
who didn't want children were so rare,
гэта такая рэдкасць,
one in five American women
амерыканскіх жанчын
the more disheartened I became.
тым хутчэй расчароўвалася.
for women to exhaust their finances
ўсе фінансавыя запасы,
over many years,
напрацягу гадоў
that they just gave up.
што яны здаваліся.
were often condescending
with a child."
дзіця ад мужа”.
who went to go get this procedure,
калі яны звярталіся па аперацыю,
for getting this kind of surgery were,
для дадзенай працэдуры
acting of your own accord,"
дзейнічаць самастойна”
all of these legal requirements
што я падыходжу па ўсіх крытэрах,
in the exam room
ў аглядным кабінеце
to that first appointment.
сапраўды прафесійна.
every piece of evidence
of birth in that file.
у файліку з датай нараджэння.
to these doctoral programs,
has this kind of business,"
"вось такі бізнэс",
on this for months.
about it, all the risks."
that this was not a whim,
looking to go out and party
якая баіцца,
integral to who I was.
on how it all worked, but ...
перавыхоўваць і казаць, што да чаго...
given to me started to feel agenda'd,
была падобнай да прапаганды,
and inflated statistics.
і надуманай статыстыкай.
my situation better,
asking questions to try to trip me up.
каб проста збіць мяне з панталыку.
being cross-examined.
на перакрыжаваным допыце.
feel about all of this?"
the same man for five years,
I make for my body."
што тычацца майго цела".
what happens in the future,
wants children?"
how to react to that,
to disregard everything I believe
ува што я веру,
has always been first date conversation.
наконт дзяцей на першым спатканні.
come to regret this" ...
пашкадаваць пра гэта,
decision back then,
a single path to parenthood.
толькі адзін шлях да бацькоўства.
to form family anyway."
deal with that any day
or was prepared to care for.
і не была гатовая даглядаць.
are not to be gambled with.
was going to approve this procedure,
чаму ніхто не адобрыць гэтай аперацыі,
called medical paternalism,
as my well-informed provider,
як дасведчанаму пастаўніку паслуг,
of my best interest,
as the patient, want or believe.
with my potential surgeon,
describe me as a little girl.
“малое дзяўчо”.
to each one of these providers
недапушчальнае,
questions and statements.
і сцверджанні.
for objectivity and support
зняважанай і незразуметай.
disrespect me repeatedly.
ставіцца да мяне з непавагай.
that I had to go to.
яшчэ безліч кансультацый.
medical professionals in the same hour.
пяць або шэсць спецыялістаў.
felt more like the door to a clown car.
ў парад працаўнікоў.
to infect me with smallpox
obtain birth control.
to allow the procedure.
дазволіць правядзенне аперацыі.
signing the consent forms
падпісваю дакументы,
and tying up loose ends ...
робяць неабходныя працэдуры,
his head in disapproval.
clings to this role
чапляецца за гэтыя ролі,
неаднаразова пераканалася,
to separate me being a woman
мой вобраз як жанчыны
that having children
not the definition.
але не вызначальны фактар.
by whether or not she has a child,
of her entire identity
to create life,
ствараць новае жыццё,
is a means to an end.
як да сродку дасягнення мэты.
that society places on us
што вызначаныя грамадствам ролі,
that comes with them,
to these standards ...
cast aside to accept them?
каб прыняць гэтыя ролі.
to happiness and fulfillment.
да шчасця і самарэалізацыі.
to self-determination.
на самавызначэнне.
to embrace or forego motherhood
нарадзіць дзіця або ўстрымацца
to your worthiness or identity
на вашу вартасць або ідэнтычнасць
a choice behind maternity,
гэта цалкам справа выбару,
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Christen Reighter - Poet, essayistChristen Reighter writes and performs as a poet and essayist, focusing primarily on social justice issues.
Why you should listen
Christen Reighter's primary advocacy platform is for the childfree-choice. She often writes and speaks out about her experience obtaining elective sterilization at age 22, including how she encountered and confronted harassing societal prejudice, condescending medical paternalism, and civil rights violations. Her other writing and advocacy work includes LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality, sex-positivity, women's issues (including sexual assault) and mental health issues and recovery.
Reighter is also an award-winning spoken word artist. she has competed and performed across the country and in international competitions such "Brave New Voices" on on HBO.
Originally born and raised in Texas, Reighter now lives happily in beautiful Colorado with her partner and their three rambunctious cats, and she currently is finishing her MA in clinical mental health counseling.
Christen Reighter | Speaker | TED.com