English Composition 1157

Prof. Dr. Werner

July 30^th, 2020

In today’s society, women are predestined to have children, and they are meant to wish for one. The role of women in a patriarchal society is to reproduce. However, the choice of motherhood is for her to decide. As women gain more space and voice in society, there are more possible options on how to conduct one’s life. Voluntarily being childfree is becoming popular. Bureaucratic obstacles and moral outrage are frequently used to prevent women from controlling their lives and bodies. To illustrate, as of today, women still encounter refusal from Hospitals when seeking to receive sterilization, according to Hastings Center Report in an article written by Christina Richie (36). This paper will address the growing childfree women’s movement, along with its difficulties when looking for sterilization as a contraceptive method, due to moral outrage. Moreover, it will reflect on how to overcome the stigma that women’s role in society is mostly about maternity, and the duty to serve its paternal social traditions.

As the world progresses, more women are self-sufficient and free to choose what’s best for their lives. The childfree women’s movement is on the rise, and as G. Livingston and D. Cohn point out,  “2010 Pew Research Report estimates that 1 in 5 women in the United States will remain childfree” (qtd in Ashburn-Nardo 393).  Professional career, climate change issues, religion, or medical conditions are common reasons why some women opt not to have a child.(Cain 15; Richie 37).   Some health issues, which make a biological child unwanted by women, are, but not limited to, severe diabetes, heart conditions, together with inability to tolerate other contraceptive methods, and “fear of passing along a genetic abnormality, hereditary condition”(Richie 37). In another situation, if a woman chooses to be a charity sister, in many cases, she shall commit to a social cause or dogma, not being allowed to have a child.  (Cain 29).  Furthermore, some women consider their career a priority in life, having no time to raise a kid.  (Richie 38). Economic reasons also play a role in their decision to avoid parenthood; raising a child to adulthood can cost $233,610 dollars, according toThe United States Department of Agriculture Expenditures on Children by Families, 2015 (Lino et al. 22; Richie 38). Several women just don’t want another human on earth because of population growth(Cain 31; Richie 38),along with climate change and its preliminaries. Childfree women with green thought inclination believe not having a kid is an environmentally friendly act (Cain 36; Richie 38).  Ultimately, some women just don’t want to be mothers, and this is when they come across cultural moral outrage, since none of the motives make it into the social narrative.

When women unexpectedly face maternity, pregnancy becomes a burden. They decide to get their tubes tied as a better option to maintain their lifestyle, and this is when childfree women see themselves fighting for their freedom over the control of their bodies and choices.  Childfree women look for alternative choices of contraceptives to avoid maternity or abortion (Richie 38). Often, once they commit to the decision of notchildbearing, they opt for tubal ligation. (38).  They find the hospital’s resistance to executing the procedure.  Even when the right for intentional sterilization for any capable person twenty-one years or older is guaranteed under the Voluntary Sterilization Act of 1974 (36), doctors repeatedly deny it to women. It is essential to mention and give notorious importance, taking all females into consideration, whether they are childfree or not, that sterilization rules apply differently to distinct communities. Before 1974, for Black, Hispanic, and other minority groups of women, sterilization without their consent was customary, due to eugenics and medical abuse (41).

Focusing on childfree women of any race, ethnicity, or class, doctors habitually question the legitimacy of sterilization requests by undermining their patients’ choice. It is very challenging to find a physician who does the procedure, using medical paternalism as a pretext. Frequent reasons women are denied sterilization are regret, being the main justification, or for young adults, and for those who did not undergo motherhood (Richie 40). Not to mention, the most common Hospital request is spouse consent. They ask married women for their husbands’ signatures in order to get sterilized (40). In those situations, women run into patriarchy, its judgment, along with its authoritative evaluation over their decisions. Doctors use personal moral concerns over medical reasons to decide if women should undergo sterilization. Physicians impose some “sort of person restriction” (39).

 A research published in The British Medical Journal (Winston) where women were interviewed once they requested reversal of sterilization at the Hammersmith Hospital, found that, in general, around 1.5% to 15% of women regretted tubal ligation (306). However, most likely, none of those women are nulliparous, as shown by a study at The American Fertility and Sterility (Benjamin et al A 119). Although it is important to report that young women are more likely to express regret after tubal ligation. Yet among childfree women, age did not seem to be a probable factor for repentance (Richie 40). Nevertheless, it is essential to have a well-structured pre-counseling program for a successful pos- operation result regarding women’s personal positions before and after the procedure, as suggested in The American Fertility and Sterility (119).

On the other side of the spectrum, men do not seem to face much resistance to undergoing a vasectomy procedure. To exemplify, Ms. Richiecited an anecdote in her report from an interview given by Rebecca Kluc at the Rewire. News (Madie Van Deven), where it was alleged  “when a New Jersey woman, denied tubal ligation by Riverview Hospital in 1971, asked an administrator why vasectomy was not regulated like tubal ligation, he replied, ‘It’s nobody’s business what a man does’” (40).  For society, it is understood that men have fewer restrictions under cultural norms of parenthood, and have more competence to validate their decisions on having a child or not (40). In theory, we all have equal rights, but sexism still shapes our society.

            It is essential to understand the nature of the prejudice women endure once they choose differently from what society imposes. Hence, the struggles women go through in life can have an end. Certain behaviors are standardized as stigma, once it deviates pre-established traditions, which are recognized by social groups that have the power to set those conventions (qtd. in Banna & Murphy 138).  Norms imposed by a patriarchal society compel women to play certain roles, and two of those functions are to be a mother and a good wife. This line of thought, culturally rooted, considers most childless women unhappy, selfish, or incomplete (Ashburn-Nardo 400). The stigma that childfree women have broken the role of family-hood and ideal adult life destiny, it is challenging. Christian beliefs disregard all women’s struggle for freedom of choice and feed moral indignation over who decides to live differently, as Pope Francis declares, “The choice not to have children is selfish. Life rejuvenates and acquires energy when it multiplies: It is enriched, not impoverished.” (Stephanie Kirchgaessner).  However, women are more than just an instrument ofproduction and reproduction. Many women choose not to endure maternity, but instead, they bring to life poetry, music, scientific discoveries, new thoughts, and dreams. If it is true that part of society is engaged in reversing stigma, it is by dialogue and acquired knowledge on the subject contemplated to adjust, that equality will be found (Cain 141).

The problematization of women facing difficulties in receiving voluntary sterilization confirms how contemporary paternal society still predominates. As women become more independent in choosing their life path, motherhood is not a priority.  At the same time, society still cannot cope with women’s liberation, without stigmatizing it and considering it a moral outrage. Patriarchy fabricates cultural stigma to continually have control and power over everything regarding its interests (Costa 4). Maneuvered by Capitalism, gender inequality gives men more power over women, so a paternal social structure resists. The naturalization of a society dictated by men reproduces a patriarchal power, which exists when violence against women takes place. (4).

The capitalist patriarchal culture generates childfree women’s moral outrage, yet the choice of maternity is up to her. Until a humanistic view of society, where all beings are equal and free from misery, regarding their choices, is not a reality, women will still resist and fight their patriarchal cruelty (Costa 6). A more comprehensive and democratic society must compromise to embrace diversity and start to recognize women as intelligent and respectful beings who possess qualities to add to humankind’s evolution. The female role in society is changing, and together with it, cultural norms and morals ought to adjust to it. 

Bibliography

Ashburn-Nardo, Leslie. “Parenthood as a Moral Imperative? Moral Outrage and

The Stigmatization of Voluntarily Childfree Women and Men.” Springer Science+Business Media, 2016, New York, pp 10.

Banna, Alia El, Steven A. Murphy. “Identity Stigmatization”. The International. Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations. Vol. 9, no. 1, 2009. pp 135-146.

Benjamin Lloyd, Lidia M Rubinstein , Vicki Keleinkopf. “Elective Sterilization in Childless Women”. The American Fertility and Sterility. Vol. 34, No.2, August 1980 Printed in the USA, pp 116-120

Cain, Madelyn. The Child Revolution. What it means to be Childless Today. Kindle Ed. DMLA, 2013, pp 174.

Costa, Marta Rios Alves Nunes da. “Patriarchy, Violence, Injustice: on the (Im)possibilities of Democracy.” Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Género. 2017. pp 1-16

Kirchgaessner, Stephanie. “Pope Francis: Not Having Children is Selfish”. The Guardian, 11 Feb. 2015,

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/11/pope-francis-the-choice-to-not-have-children-is-selfish. Accessed 30^th July. 2020.

Lino, Mark. Kevin Kuczynski, Nestor Rodrigues, TusaRebecca Schap. “Expenditures on Children by Families, 2015”. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Miscellaneous Publication No. 1528-2015.  March. 2017. pp 1-30

Richie, Cristina.  “Voluntary Sterilization for Childfree Women: Understanding Patient Profiles, Evaluating Accessibility, Examining Legislation,” Hastings Center Report, vol. 43, no. 6., 2013. pp 36-44.

Van Deven, Mandy. “Demanding the Right to Reproduce: Voluntary and Forced Sterilization in America”. Rewire.News, August 5. 2009 https://rewire.news/article/2009/08/05/demanding-right-reproduce-voluntary-and-forced-sterilization-america/ Acceded  30^th July. 2020.

Winston, R M L. “Why 103 women asked for reversal of sterilization”. British Medical Journal, no.2. 30^th July. 1977. pp 305-307