Anastasia Berg and Rachel Wiseman's “What Are Children For? On Ambivalence and Choice," helps us ask the questions we're afraid to ask about becoming parents — or not
Thanks for this Emily - I've read a review of this book (in The New Statesman) and it does sound fascinating. I'm heartened that younger women (not meaning to be patronising - just that I'm in my 50s!) are noticing the ambivalence about motherhood that exists across a lot of conversations around feminism. I was really struck by this line: 'the feminist challenge of whether or not motherhood is compatible with female empowerment and gender equality'. I'd say part of the feminist challenge is to *ensure that* motherhood is compatible with female empowerment and gender equality - which means making some big structural changes, particularly in how we work and the things we choose to value. We would never allow ourselves to question whether menstruation, or female sports, or female sexuality are compatible with female empowerment. It should be no different with our reproductive capacity!
I couldn't agree more! It's a great, thoughtful book and I hope you'll give it a read. I was also really struck by the authors' (rightful) insistence that this is a human question, not a women's question, and the frustration of how often parenting gets equated solely with motherhood.
Yep, absolutely. Millennials are giving me a lot of hope in this regard. I’m so struck by how many 30-something dads I see pushing prams or standing outside school gates at pick-up time - even 20 years ago it was a much rarer sight.
Thanks for this Emily - I've read a review of this book (in The New Statesman) and it does sound fascinating. I'm heartened that younger women (not meaning to be patronising - just that I'm in my 50s!) are noticing the ambivalence about motherhood that exists across a lot of conversations around feminism. I was really struck by this line: 'the feminist challenge of whether or not motherhood is compatible with female empowerment and gender equality'. I'd say part of the feminist challenge is to *ensure that* motherhood is compatible with female empowerment and gender equality - which means making some big structural changes, particularly in how we work and the things we choose to value. We would never allow ourselves to question whether menstruation, or female sports, or female sexuality are compatible with female empowerment. It should be no different with our reproductive capacity!
I couldn't agree more! It's a great, thoughtful book and I hope you'll give it a read. I was also really struck by the authors' (rightful) insistence that this is a human question, not a women's question, and the frustration of how often parenting gets equated solely with motherhood.
Yep, absolutely. Millennials are giving me a lot of hope in this regard. I’m so struck by how many 30-something dads I see pushing prams or standing outside school gates at pick-up time - even 20 years ago it was a much rarer sight.