Population and Climate Change
Choosing how many children you want to have is a personal choice. As part of Gen Z, my friends and I still feel very young, and as of yet we haven’t started talking about motherhood often. I only have one peer who went o middle school with me who has a child. In a few years, I’m sure the topic of children will be talked about more. At the moment, we spend more time talking about our studies and careers.
Climate change is an impact on how many people think about planning families. I remember watching a play called “Lungs” where a couple decides whether they want to have a child and bring them into a world where the future is so unknown surrounding climate. These kinds of thoughts and concerns do impact some but not all people’s choices.
When I found out that having one fewer child is 73 times more impactful for the climate than being vegan, I was surprised. In general, I don’t think this topic is discussed as much as being vegan is talked about in helping the environment.
With all of these conversations surrounding how you can help the climate, whether it is dietary or family related, I believe it is important to be educated but also to know that it is your own personal choice. And we can make choices by thinking about the greater good of the planet, while also taking into consideration our own feelings and beliefs. When Pope Francis said that people who don’t have children are selfish, it was completely wrong and insensitive. There are many reasons why people may choose to not have children or aren’t able to have children. I strongly believe people’s choices around their bodies and their families are their own to make.
Men’s opinions are widespread on the news, but they are often not based in truth and definitely not experience, they are not the people who carry babies and give birth. For example, Musk’s statement that the population is decreasing is not based on true research and facts. In terms of population and fertility, I believe we should be listening to women’s voices. There are many women talking about motherhood, fertility, and families and I hope the media will highlight them more.
The public following celebrities generally get excited over baby news. When YouTubers have babies, their content of baby announcements, gender reveals, baby showers, and even birth videos often trend and get more views than any of their other videos. And when celebrities like Rihanna and Gigi Hadid post about their babies on Instagram, the photos are talked about a lot. While many people get excited to see celebrity baby news, I don’t feel it puts pressure on others to have children. As I said, each individual and family’s choice to have a child is personal and private, whether they are a celebrity or not. And while there is the world of influencer’s I think that a choice as big as having a child and adding to your family is too big to be influenced by celebrities and social media.
Women should have complete agency over their fertility decisions. Men in positions of power should not have any control over a woman’s choices and her body. In school, education around menstruation and fertility is often so basic and antiquated. I think girls should be equipped with far more knowledge at a young age about their bodies and their choices so they can be empowered in their decisions as they grow up. Motherhood is a big transition and role for many women and there should be more support for mothers. I hope to see more conversation lead by women that women of all ages can also be involved in.
Rihanna baby announcement, photo by Miles Diggs