Feminism

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The Answer to Falling Birth Rates Isn’t More Pressure on Women (feminist.org)

submitted 1 month ago by velma@sh.itjust.works to c/feminism@lemmy.world

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As the current administration and pro-natalist groups continue to panic about women delaying motherhood, we must reject the “alarming fertility statistics.” If women choose to have children, that decision should be guided by their own goals, circumstances, and desires, not by pressures to solve a manufactured problem.

At the end of the day, supporting families means creating conditions in which people can make reproductive decisions freely. The solution to declining birth rates is not limiting women’s choices, but ensuring they have the resources and support needed to build the lives and families they want.

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[–] Elting@piefed.social 17 points 1 month ago (3 children)

At this point 90% of the time someone starts on about demographics and birthrates, it’s just fascist dog whistling. I can’t be convinced declining birth rates are a real problem, our labor has long since stopped being the limiting factor on productivity. The evidence is in how many pointless jobs there are.

[–] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 month ago

I was shocked to discover just how many people think bullshit jobs are a myth.

[–] velma@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Same, I can’t be bothered to be worried about something that isn’t actually a problem.

Oh no, women are more in control of their life choices?! Yeah I’m not opposed to that.

[–] Elting@piefed.social 8 points 1 month ago

That is what they are actually scared of lol.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It’s a tough issue to talk about- I see it as a real problem. However it’s been so captured by regressive that most people jump right to arguing that rather than actually thinking.

The birth rate is getting low enough to be a serious problem and some of the reasons are side effects of good changes. However the solution is NOT a reversion to more oppression for women. The solution is NOT walking back education or opportunities for women. The solution is never to reject those good changes.

So what is the answer? Having children is challenging, expensive, and our society does very little to support it. It’s society that needs more children, not individuals what is society offering for that? How is it helping? How is it making children easier, less expensive, more rewarding?

Some countries have been trying without much luck. That tells us we’ll have to put more effort into it, more time. This is an urgent problem both because of the long lifetime of people and that we don’t have much positive leverage