The Societal Taboos of Child-Free Lives, Parental Regret and Eschewing Motherhood

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 3 June 2021

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A growing number of adults are choosing to not become parents, a lifestyle described as “child-free.” Yet many people, especially women, say they feel judged by their families, friends — and even their own doctors — when they vocalize not wanting children. By the same token, some parents say that to express regret — for the age at which they had kids, for their partner choice or for becoming a parent at all — is entirely taboo. As birth rates decline in the U.S. and globally, we’ll talk about the societal taboos around parenthood, why they’re so pervasive and how the conversation may be shifting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for KGBD Podcasts comes from Landmark College, offering a fully online graduate-level
0:06.1	certificate in learning differences in neurodiversity program. Visit landmark.edu slash certificate to learn more.
0:13.9	Support for Forum comes from Broadway SF, presenting Parade, the musical revival based on a true story.
0:21.4	From three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown comes the story of Leo and Lucille Frank,
0:27.7	a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in Georgia.
0:31.7	When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and
0:40.2	devotion. The riveting and gloriously hopeful parade plays the Orpheum Theater for three weeks only,
0:47.2	May 20th through June 8th. Tickets on sale now at Broadway, sF.com.
0:54.7	From KQED.
0:56.1	From KQED.
1:09.3	From KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, this is Forum.
1:12.5	Feminist author Mona Elthahawi wrote last Mother's Day
1:15.5	that when she started saying in public lectures that she was child-free by choice,
1:20.2	women would, quote,
1:21.8	track her down in a corridor, backstage or in the bathroom to whisper,
1:26.0	Thank you, I have never heard another woman say that out loud before.
1:31.0	We'll discuss why some people choose not to have kids
1:33.9	and even why some who do may regret aspects of parenthood
1:37.9	and why in 2021 those conversations are still so fraught.
1:43.8	Join me, see Ma Yasmin, after this news.
1:58.4	Welcome to Forum.
1:59.9	I'm Seema Yasmin, a public health doctor and journalist, in Famina Kim.
	...

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