“Pronatalism.”

At first mention, it sounds like an extreme religious cult or a political movement created by corporate media. 

In reality, pronatalism is a cultural or social attitude and policy perspective that encourages and promotes the idea of having children and increasing the birthrate. It’s the belief that procreation and raising children are valuable, desirable, and/or ideal activities. It often comes with the assumption that more children should be born to make a better society.

Just reading that sentence, pronatalism sounds extreme, but it’s actually much more subtle than that. In fact, pronatalist beliefs are so common and normalized that the practice of these beliefs has been rendered almost invisible. 

As someone who’s childfree, your lifestyle goes directly against the grain of this belief. In a world where babies are not only wanted but expected, how are you going to spot and navigate the policies, actions, and language that govern pronatalism?

The first step is to identify ways people practice pronatalism in our modern world. That’s what we’ll be doing in this article: outlining some of the most common ways Western society subtly advocates pronatalist beliefs through policies, rules, and language. 

1. Media and Advertising

• Commercials often show happy families with children, promoting the idea of a happy family as being one involving diapers and minivans.
• Movies often portray the “happily ever after” ending with a couple having children.
• TV shows usually associate true happiness being achieved after someone has children.
• Magazine covers tend to feature celebrities and focus on their children, reinforcing the idea that parenthood is a marker of success.
• Social media feeds filled with #MomLife and #DadLife posts that make you think you’re the only one who hasn’t received the secret parent initiation.
• When looking for creative ideas for crafts, foods, or parties, you’ll often find blogs that are specifically devoted to stay-at-home mom life.

2. Tax Incentives and Benefits

• Governments provide tax credits for families with children or deductions for child-related expenses but don’t give similar advantages to childfree individuals.
• Subsidized childcare services that primarily benefit parents with children, while individuals without children do not receive equivalent support.
• Tax laws that favor married couples with children, potentially penalizing or blocking support for childfree couples or single individuals.

3. Workplace Policies

• There are practically no childfree leave policies, which often leaves childfree employees having to cover the workload when colleagues with children take extended parental leaves.
• A lack of flexible work arrangements that disproportionately affect childfree individuals who may desire a more balanced work-life schedule.
• Workplace cultures that subtly prioritize employees with families, such as allowing parents to leave work early for family commitments but not offering equivalent privileges to childfree employees.
• An environment in which the unspoken expectations that childfree employees should be available and willing to work longer hours or take on additional responsibilities to accommodate colleagues with children.

4. Social Stigmatization and/or Peer Pressure

• Upon learning that you’re childfree, friends, family, colleagues, and even random strangers often question the life choices of childless individuals or hint that you’ll probably change your mind, implying that they are missing out on a significant aspect of life.
• In conversation, it’s often implied that childfree couples are selfish or not contributing to the well-being of society.
• Couples often experience social isolation or judgment for choosing not to have children.
• Single people often experience layered levels of judgment for not being married AND not having kids.

5. Cultural and Religious Beliefs

• Some religious sects promote their belief that having a large family is a form of service to the faith.
• Religious teachings can be so pro-procreation that they make you feel like you’re preparing for a “baby baptism marathon” rather than a religious ceremony.
• Societal norms sometimes suggest your social status is directly proportional to the number of family members you can fit in a holiday card photo.

6. Educational Curriculum and Sex Education

• In some sex education programs, there is an emphasis on teaching students about parenthood and family life, which may subtly suggest it as a default path of having kids.
• History and social studies lessons that often focus on the role of families with children shape societies.
• School counselors often advocate career advice that assumes parenthood is a key or central part of an individual’s future.

7. Medical Care

• GPs often recommend routine health screenings that revolve around family planning. While these discussions are essential for individual health, they can subtly reinforce the idea that parenthood is a standard and important part of life.
• Some GPs offer preconception counseling to help individuals prepare for a healthy pregnancy. This service implies that parenthood is an assumed life stage, even when individuals seek general health guidance.
• Some medical practices and technologies are designed to help individuals or couples overcome infertility and have children. If you don’t have children, these services are often offered to you. While these treatments provide valuable support for those who want to become parents, they can inadvertently reinforce the notion that having children is a normative life goal.
• In some regions and institutions, comprehensive sex education and reproductive health programs may focus solely on family planning and safe childbirth, reinforcing the idea that parenthood is a central component of adulthood. What’s more, these institutions may not educate safe sexual practices or alternate sexual choices, emphasizing that there is only one way to have a healthy reproductive life.

These examples demonstrate how pronatalist beliefs can be subtly reinforced and integrated into various aspects of modern life, often without people realizing the extent to which they are influenced by and negatively impacting others through these societal norms. 

In its own subtle way, pronatalist-fueled expectations can have extremely problematic consequences for childfree people, especially when they lead to unrealistic expectations, discrimination against those who choose not to have children, or policies that don’t account for diverse life choices and circumstances. 

Set boundaries and don’t be afraid to advocate for your baby-free life. The sanity that results will be worth it!

By the way, have you ever heard people claim that being childfree is a trend? Check out this article to learn more.