I'm grateful that Michelle Barlow noticed the SmallFamilies billboards with the "It's OK to Plan" tagline ("Small Families billboard," Aug. 25). Our tagline is intended to affirm and endorse each couple's right to plan their family. I'm sorry that she found it "insulting" or "condescending."

Often a dominant view can drown out other voices and choices. In designing our campaign, Utah Population and Environment Coalition talked with young people who told us they had not heard that it was OK to plan a small family. It's one thing to know that birth control tools are available; it's another thing to feel accepted for using them to limit one's family size. This campaign was created to validate that decision.

Far from wanting to eliminate human population, we want everyone to have the resources they need for a good life. Having smaller families is an option that's not generally discussed, and we want to change this.

I'm the oldest of eight, all born and raised in Salt Lake City. I love my large family. Yet my seven siblings have all grown up and each birthed just one child, while I had three. Those billboards speak up for the choices that couples have made, or will make, similar to my siblings and me.

Susan Soleil, UPEC board

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