'Eunuch or brave?': Man's choice to sterilise himself sparks contraception debate in China

NEW DELHI: Netizens in China are divided over a 22-year-old man who chose to

sterilise himself

in order to protect the health of his wife, a kindergarten teacher, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).
A post by

Liu

, a resident of Shanghai, sparked a debate on the Chinese social media platform Douyin after he shared his post-sterilisation experiences.
While some praised him for being "

brave

", others called him "

eunuch

" for taking the step.
“He is no different from a eunuch; the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1912) has already fallen!,” a user wrote on the post as per SCMP.

“Eunuchs are known for their femininity, and with reduced male hormone secretion, their appearance naturally improves, and they don’t even lose their hair!” said another in an attempt at humour.
Users in support of Liu asked why contraception should only be a woman's responsibility.
“He is a very brave man. This is much better than other men who risk their partner’s health with the possibility of an unexpected pregnancy,” wrote a user.

“What era is this? Do some people still think contraception is only a woman’s responsibility? Moreover, sterilisation is not castration and it can be reversed. Do these people have any common sense?” another said.
“My narration is objective and rational, and I am not encouraging anyone to undergo this surgery. I hope everyone can consider sterilisation after a thorough understanding and preparation,” Liu told Jiupai News.
A medical professional also came in support of Liu, saying: “Why did they insult him? This neither affects his sexual nor fertility capability.
“The male sterilisation site is very superficial and the incision is small. You can leave the hospital right away and go back to work immediately,” the medical professional was quoted as saying by SCMP.
“However, for women using an IUD, it can result in displacement, uterine perforation and inflammation over 10 or 20 years. It poses significant hidden dangers. We can only say that society is progressing, but there is still much room for improvement,” she added.