Antinatalism and Being Childfree
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Though not being a mainstream philosophical tradition, antinatalism has had its place in the annals of philosophy. It is a view that is critical of human reproduction – it considers coming into existence as a harm for sentient beings and/or deems procreation as immoral. It thus argues that humans should abstain from having children. This view is now getting more mainstream as more and more women choose to be childfree, which may be for various reasons. However, such women frequently feel the stigma of their choice and rejection by their families, the public, and also, sadly, by their healthcare providers. This presentation makes a case for such women because having a child is a human right, not a duty. This presentation advances the view that non-parenthood is a valid option for all humans. Whatever their reasons, people who want to stay childfree, deserve respect to their choice and autonomy. As such, we should emphasize our support to them instead of stigmatising and/or coercing them into unwanted parenthood. |
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