Tubal ligation is a surgery that stops a woman from getting pregnant. Female sterilization has also been called “getting your tubes tied” or “getting your tubes tied.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that it is morally okay to sterilize women who have never had children and young women who do not want to have children. In a reproductive justice framework, permanent sterilization means that doctors agree that all women have the right to get pregnant and to not get pregnant.

Unfortunately, many doctors still act like parents when young women ask them to sterilize them. This is what happened to Olivia, who is 22 years old and posted on TikTok about a conversation she had with a gynecologist.

Olivia acted out the time when a gynecologist said “no” and “it’s permanent” to her request to be sterilized. The video has been watched over 2 million times. Here is the full video that Olivia posted on her channel and that started a very important conversation about women’s rights to choose what’s best for them, especially when it comes to their bodies and reproduction systems.

This 22-year-old woman talked about how a gynecologist turned her down for sterilization even though she said she didn’t want children.

Image credits: lvdwns

“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral

Image credits: lvdwns

Image credits: lvdwns

Olivia got a lot of support online from other women who said it is their legal right to decide whether or not they want to have children. She told the press, “I’ve learned that a lot of women have been in the same situation, being denied tubal surgery and other similar procedures.”

Olivia’s video got 2 million views and started a much-needed conversation about women’s rights and their choice not to have children.

The woman whose TikTok video went viral says, “I’m only 22, I’m not married, and I don’t have any kids, so I wasn’t surprised by my doctor’s answer.” However, a lot of women who already have several kids are being turned down for the procedure because they might want more, or because they might remarry and their new husband might want a child of their own. “

Olivia made more videos to explain her points after the media picked up on her story and more women joined the conversation.

Image credits: lvdwns

@lvdwns

Reply to @faith_acosta132 part 2! Jokes aside this is a deeper issue than just “not wanting kids” #greenscreen #childfree #gynecologist #healthcare #scotus #reproductiverights #womensrights

♬ Music For a Sushi Restaurant – Harry Styles
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral

Olivia thinks that, in a hypothetical divorce/man, a woman shouldn’t be turned away from care because of a choice she made about her own body. “I’m upset about my own situation, but I can’t imagine how upset and hurt these women must be.”

So she shared her observations of how other people react to her.

@lvdwns

Reply to @carolinelfranco they throw a boomer tantrum as soon as the words leave your lips. Like this concept is so outdated #childfree #womenshealth #birthcontrol #womensrights

♬ original sound – Olivia Downs

The talk about women’s rights to sterilization and doctors’ overprotectiveness sparked a much-needed discussion about something that many people still don’t understand: not all women want children, and that’s fine. Olivia said that other women who don’t want children also helped her out.

She specifically addressed all the men who kept commenting about her decision

@lvdwns

Reply to @cameron_ehringer693 call me selfish but I’m not doing that to my body lol #womenshealth #reproductiverights #birthcontrol #tuballigation

♬ original sound – Olivia Downs

“A lot of women said they were glad to see someone else who felt the same way about not having children. She said, “I guess in the past it was pretty taboo for a woman to not want children, let alone talk about them.” I’m glad to be a voice for all the women who feel alone in that belief, and now that social norms are changing, it’s easier to talk about things like this, even though there is still a lot of pushback. “

More women joined the conversation and talked about similar things that had happened to them.

“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral

Here’s how people reacted to her video

“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral
“No, It’s Permanent”: TikToker Shares How A Gynecologist Refused To Sterilize Her And Goes Viral