Redditer: Are Singaporean men scared of a vasectomy

[Flibbertigibbet]

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Are Singaporean men scared of a vasectomy​

Tourist/non-local Question

I’m from a western country and have never lived in Singapore. I did marry a Singaporean woman and we’ve been together for about 4yrs in total. I think SG is great and frankly envy much of the SG system and way of life, considering it many ways better than my own country.

A while ago we went to SG to see friends & family. We had an interesting conversation with one of her close friends. I’m interested to know if this is a common or predominant feeling.

So… She has 4 kids with her husband and whilst he stepped out briefly, the topic of children came up, she said she’ll be getting her tubes tied in the not too distant future as they’re both very happy with 4 kids.

This peaked my curiosity a bit, where I’m from (and to the best of my knowledge everywhere else) it’s very uncommon and unusual for a woman to do this unless her husband has some sort of medical issue that complicates getting any type of surgery. Following my curiosity I asked why her husband getting a vasectomy. She suggested it’s not common in SG and men don’t like it. Without being abrasive I explained that where I’m from if you go to a surgeon’s office with this request he’s ask what is wrong with your husband, and you’ll be told tubal ligation is measurably more complex, riskier, expensive, longer recovery, and typical less effective then vasectomy. Also in my country most husbands consider getting a vasectomy a sort of chivalrous “passing the torch” act, whereby husbands shoulder the last remaining physical burden in the reproductive journey.

Our friend found this interesting, but she was mostly amused because she wanted to tease her husband. She explained Singaporean’s don’t see it like that a men feel too squeamish or unsettled by it. She said you tell my husband all this when he returns, seeming excited to stir him up a bit. Cautiously, as I didn’t want to “get in the middle of something” I repeated myself when he returned and indeed his reaction was less then enthusiastic and said that having someone tamper with his manhood was too unsettling, granted he was intrigued by things I’d raised.

Is this a common mindset amongst Singaporean’s. Is there indeed a stigma against vasectomies or is this a minority view?

Disclaimer: this conversation was a fun cultural exchange. At no point meant to be belittling or shame inducing. Title whilst a little provocative was clickbait.