Rex Kerr
2 min readMar 18, 2023

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I'm having trouble envisioning a realistic scenario where you're likely to gain more benefit from your unwillingness to communicate with your doctor than you might be harmed by it.

Millions of women enter perimenopause every year in the United States. Do you think politicians will go after all of them? Or will go after them at random? Or will target specific, politically-troublesome ones?

If they're willing to do that--hmmm, very suspicious timing!---why wouldn't they be willing to do the same thing with decline-to-state? ("Hmmm, she used to be willing to state when her last period was and now she's not...very suspicious.")

So really, how would the lack of information really help? You'll be one of millions with this sort of information in their record. Why pick out you?

Furthermore, it's your doctor's job to help you navigate the hormonal changes surrounding menopause. I don't know what tests etc. if any are indicated by onset of irregular menstrual cycles, but unless you do, and you're sure that nothing applies, it seems like you might be putting yourself at elevated risk.

I sympathize with the concern over the anti-abortion folks etc.. Both the laws and the actual actions (lawsuits etc.) are legitimately horrifying. But I don't see in this case how your actions would either protect you or help anyone else even if your medical records end up in the wrong hands.

I advise you to reconsider. Don't risk your health as a result of the right's terrorist-like actions. They are scary, but when faced with terrorism, it works better to resist than to capitulate, and you have safety in numbers on your side.

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Rex Kerr
Rex Kerr

Written by Rex Kerr

One who rejoices when everything is made as simple as possible, but no simpler. Sayer of things that may be wrong, but not so bad that they're not even wrong.

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