Re:NPM creator: “Not having children is a form of privilege”
by wcerfgba on Friday June 26, 2020 @04:45PM
(#23656824)
I think it's important to point out that unlike other forms of social privilege which are usually discussed -- white privilege, male privilege, cis privilege, ... -- childless privilege is not usually an element of one's facticity, i.e. one does not choose to be black, female, or trans, but for many people, having children is a choice.
Of course, not all people are able to conceive children, and not everyone who bears children does so consensually. And of course, just because someone's choice imposes a burden on their lives and relationships with other people, it doesn't mean that others should not be compassionate towards that person. I do not have children but one of my colleagues does, and I am very happy to make concessions for that as needed, I just consider that an issue of being flexible and treating other people decently, not an issue of privilege per se.
Side note: almost everyone I talk to who want kids defaults to wanting to conceive their own children, instead of adopting. I would argue that adoption is a greater net positive that conceiving new children because it does not increase the population count (which has net negative effects ecologically) and it is providing parents to a child which would otherwise have none. I think I would also find adopting more personally rewarding as well, for those reasons. I wonder why other people do not seem to consider the option as well: is it not heavily promoted enough, or is the appeal of propagating one's genes just so appealing?
Of course, not all people are able to conceive children, and not everyone who bears children does so consensually. And of course, just because someone's choice imposes a burden on their lives and relationships with other people, it doesn't mean that others should not be compassionate towards that person. I do not have children but one of my colleagues does, and I am very happy to make concessions for that as needed, I just consider that an issue of being flexible and treating other people decently, not an issue of privilege per se.
Side note: almost everyone I talk to who want kids defaults to wanting to conceive their own children, instead of adopting. I would argue that adoption is a greater net positive that conceiving new children because it does not increase the population count (which has net negative effects ecologically) and it is providing parents to a child which would otherwise have none. I think I would also find adopting more personally rewarding as well, for those reasons. I wonder why other people do not seem to consider the option as well: is it not heavily promoted enough, or is the appeal of propagating one's genes just so appealing?