"To the surprise of no one with internet access, surely, we're still in a birthrate crisis. What with ecological collapse, incipient fascism, geopolitical instability, the lack of support for new parents, childcare costs and more, bringing new life into the world requires a radical act of hope. And who's feeling that these days? Plus, even if you do want children, pregnancy feels kind of risky at the moment."
"In parts of the US and beyond, pregnant people are being viewed, and treated, as functional vessels, valued only as a sort of Le Creuset for precious life delivery. Even popping a paracetamol when you're pregnant is out now; just tough it out or you'll make your kid autistic, Trump claims. Yet the oblivious bro-ocracy (Vance, Musk, various Silicon Valley types and podcasting alphas) remain deeply troubled by plummeting birthrates."
"Pronatalist projects are so unambitious, mostly revolving around offering parents derisory sums of money. Polish tycoon Wadysaw Grochowski recently announced a vaguely innovative scheme that offered to throw a party for guests who have conceived in one of his hotels. But, the thought of having to prove you've had sex to a mustachioed hotelier feels pretty creepy. Instead, it falls to me to suggest genuinely innovative ways to boost birthrates ranked from eminently manageable to moonshot."
Birthrates are declining because of ecological collapse, rising authoritarianism, geopolitical instability, insufficient support for new parents, and high childcare costs. Pregnancy often feels risky and pregnant people are sometimes treated merely as vessels for fetal delivery, with medical autonomy and care undermined. Contemporary pronatalist proposals tend to be unambitious and focus on minimal financial incentives, while some schemes verge on intrusive or creepy requirements. More creative and substantial policy responses are necessary, ranging from immediate, practical supports for postpartum parents to more ambitious social and cultural changes that make parenting feasible, safe, and valued.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]