A Short Follow Up On My “Having Kids Is Selfish” Post
To clarify: let’s be for equality and sharing freedom, not against it
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Very Unpopular Strong Opinions Blog by Christyl Rivers
A bundle of joy
Those of us who actively promote equality know that choice is paramount.
That is, a woman’s choice to have a child (or not) should be sacrosanct. Ideally, it is a shared, and even joyous, decision, by a family. But ultimately, a woman’s body is the place where complications from pregnancy kill approximately 830 women per day, worldwide.
Is this higher than the number of men who die in war each day? I was not able to find that specific statistic, but it would not shock me at all.
This statistic does not in any way address other ways a pregnancy can affect the life of a woman.
As I understand it, for most childbirth, a human being arrives that needs a lifetime of love and resources. Parental resources. Planetary resources.
Limited resources.
This is why I believe that a better world is better balanced for biodiversity, and simple human cooperation.
All choices matter
Yet, when I posted a Greener Together story with just a few of the arguments that are reasonable against overpopulation, I was predictably interpreted (by a few) to be saying choice does not matter.
Since I wrote that article, the doomsday clock has taken us even closer to war with Russia, maybe China, too. So much angst about the rise of authoritarianism, domination hierarchy, crisis of climate/extinction/pandemic/ and pollution are also still a thing. Things.
We hear a lot about how we better choose sides, and quick.
Yet, for many passionate people, earth is worth defending, having a voice is worth fighting for, and choice is one of those few areas wherein you must be a bit binary: “Yes”, I am for equality and freedom of choice, or “no, I am not”.
Therefore, let us be clear. Equality, the ultimate end of racism, sexism, classism, and extreme privilege, will never happen without equality of choice, access…
