Are women who don't want children considered selfish? If so why?

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   moneyfairyposted 11 years ago

   Are women who don't want children considered selfish? If so why?
   
   It just makes me sad to see women that are judged simply because they don't want to have children. I think freedom of choice is a very important thing and that if one decides against it, maybe it's better that they don't have children. There are enough problems in the world without adding unwanted births to the mix. right? What are your thoughts on the subject. Do you think women who don't have children are selfish? If so why?

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   bethperryposted 11 years ago

   I do not believe the decision is innately selfish, any more than the decision to have children is. The only time I would consider it to be selfish is when a woman -or man- uses abortion specifically as a means of birth control. If these folks are sincere in the belief the world is overpopulated, they have the choice to either refrain from the activity that leads to procreation or to have themselves sterilized.

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      moneyfairyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed about the abortion issue! but sterilization is a bit harsh ...abstinence is probably best in those cases or protection and if that doesn't work take responsibility for what shows up or give it up for adoption. Don't kill.

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   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   I don't think one can make that kind of judgment for all women who don't want children. There may be many reasons including problems in their own childhood.
   
   I don't see the woman who does not want children as selfish, but rather a person that is in tune with what may be best for them. No one can step into their shoes and know for sure their motivation.  But I don't see it as selfish.

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      moneyfairyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree.  Thank you duffsmom!!! I think judgments like that are really unfair as you said no one knows the reason. Plus it's a woman's freedom of choice.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   It probably depends on who is doing the considering, but I think most of the people that I know think it's selfish for woman who don't have the skills maturity and/or ability to love the way mothers need to love to go ahead and have children anyway; or else for women who don't really want children to go ahead and bring them into the world anyway.
   
   When people don't have children there are no children in the picture for others to be worried about anyway, so who could criticize someone for not doing what could potentially hurt a living child?

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      moneyfairyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly. Thank you Lisa HW.

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   gmwilliamsposted 11 years ago

   
   
   Of course not.  This nonsense have been propagated by this pro-natalist society. It is seen as the ultimate in feminity and selflessness for a woman to be a mother.  Motherhood is seen as the idea state of womanhood.  Women who do not want to have children are deemed to be anti-maternal, anti-woman, anti- feminine or worse. 
   
   Although there is more acceptance of childfree women, there is still an underlying stigma that all women must be mothers.  Well, not all woman are suited to be mothers. Some women are quite happy without children.  Not only are childfree women stigmatized as selfish for not having children, Women who elected to only have 1 child are similarly stigmatized by this pro-natalist culture.

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