Pronatalism, explained
I started this piece before it was as, uh, zeitgeisty as it is today. (I did not have on my bingo card that attacking childless people would become a big chapter of the 2024 presidential election, yet here we are.)
I wanted to understand the movement of individuals concerned about falling birth rates, the stakes of declining population, and the stakes of worrying about declining population.
As someone who has spent a lot of time covering reproductive rights (attacks on abortion, birth control, IVF) I definitely went into this piece with a lot of questions and concerns. I finished the reporting with my questions essentially answered, but with some new concerns.
I worked hard to boil down the best arguments, stakes, and evidence in the debate, and I learned a lot reporting this piece.
And here’s a Q&A with me about the story, which appeared this morning in Vox’s daily newsletter .
Let me know if you have more questions about this topic! It’s a big one. Thanks for reading.
Thank you for this article, which thoroughly covers what I would call the Pronatalist Movement/Agenda/Activists.
However, I would say the word “pronatalism,” more generally describes the belief that people with kids are better than those without. That view is central to, but extends well beyond, the Pronatalist Movement. It’s more akin to sexism or racism - something that’s in the water we drink and the air we breathe and permeates most of society, even those of us who would never support the Pronatalist Movement’s policy agenda.
We see it in the credence given to any statement starting with “as a mother.” We see it in political messaging that is 99% about “families with children,” and treats adults without children as afterthoughts. We see it in the pushback against building apartments: “this is a *family* neighborhood,” - as in, if you can’t fill a three bedroom house, we don’t want you here, and the assumption that anyone who can’t is a “transient” who doesn’t care about the community. It’s in the assumption that adults without children don’t really know love, aren’t responsible, aren’t actually grown up. That they are less worthy. While most people won’t go full JD Vance and say they’re not fit to govern and should have fewer votes, he’s saying the quiet part out loud - some hint of the underlying sentiment is there in most people and institutions.
This type of systemic pronatalism sucks when you’re childfree by choice, and it is really really hurtful when you want kids but haven’t been able to have them.
The quote in the article about making motherhood a desirable status symbol - as if it’s not already?? If you want to understand the status afforded to motherhood in our society, don’t look to what the twentysomethings are posting on TikTok - look to what fortysomething women experience if they don’t have kids.
Jody Day and Katy Seppi are childless not by choice people who write about these topics very eloquently.