The Huffington Post helpfully aggregated some common assertions and questions people make against childfree people (in their case, it was women they focused on). Anyway, I wrote a response to each one on Big Think. I added some snark.
Let me know if they’re questions or assertions you’ve got. And, also, how often do you get them, in comparison to men/women companions/friends/lovers.
Update: Love the responses and comments. Please do keep them coming. Fascinating.
I wrote a piece replying to another South African writer regarding the tired assertion linking selfishness and child-free.
I’ve been trying to tease out a proper justification for why someone would claim you’re selfish for not wanting children, but it’s never really held firmly. At the very least, I can “understand” what my opponents in various discussions mean when they oppose me on, say, euthanasia or sex work; there’s something firm that they’re trying to beat me with.
But this is one of those discussions that feels like I’m grappling eels.
I thought I wasn’t harsh in my response here. After all, that would’ve been selfish (and also unhelpful to discussion).