In a 2021 interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, then-Senate-candidate JD Vance grumbled that the U.S. was being run by Democrats, corporate oligarchs and "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too."
This would be the last time that the now Ohio Senator and Republican nominee for vice president would weigh in that a woman’s worth is based on her willingness or ability to bear children.
He also publicly suggested that parents should get more votes than childless individuals: “When you go to the polls in this country as a parent, you should have more power — you should have more of an ability to speak your voice in our democratic republic — than people who don’t have kids.”
He also argued that parents that don’t have children should pay higher taxes. On the Charlie Kirk Show in July 2024 he said “We should punish the things that we think are bad,” and in Vance’s argument not having children is a bad thing because he believes the falling birthrate is causing a “civilization crisis.”
Many of the criticisms of being childless has been directed at Vance’s political rival, Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris.
In September Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders took a swipe at Harris' family life, saying the presidential candidate "doesn't have anything keeping her humble."
The governor said during a rally for former President Donald Trump that her children are a "permanent reminder of what’s important" and they "keep me humble."
Harris returned fire at Sanders' comments saying, "I don't think she understands that there are a whole lot of women out here who, one, are not aspiring to be humble."
Harris added while being interviewed on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast with host Alex Cooper, there are "a whole lot of women out here who have a lot of love in their life, family in their life and children in their life, and I think it's really important for women to lift each other up."
Harris, who is a stepmother to her husband Doug Emhoff’s two children, told Cooper, “I consider it to be a real blessing.”
The societal view of women who choose not to become mothers is multifaceted and often steeped in historical, cultural, and personal dimensions. Traditionally, motherhood has been seen as a central aspect of womanhood, with societal norms reinforcing the belief that fulfillment and identity for women are largely tied to motherhood. This expectation can create a complex web of stigma and misunderstanding for those who opt out of this role.
On one hand, women without children may face criticism and judgment, often labeled as selfish or incomplete. Such perspectives are rooted in traditional values that prioritize familial roles and view child-rearing as an essential duty. This stigma can manifest in social interactions, workplace dynamics, and even within family structures, where childless women may feel marginalized or pressured to conform to conventional expectations.
Conversely, there is a growing recognition and acceptance of diverse life choices among women, especially in contemporary society. Many women find empowerment in prioritizing their careers, personal growth, or lifestyle choices over motherhood. This shift reflects broader changes in gender roles, where the definitions of success and fulfillment are evolving. Women without children are increasingly celebrated for their contributions to society outside of motherhood, whether in professional fields, creative endeavors, or community service.
However, the societal discourse remains polarized. While some advocate for the acknowledgment of women’s autonomy, others cling to traditional narratives that idealize motherhood. The lack of nuanced discussions around the complexities of choice, infertility, or personal circumstances often leaves women feeling isolated.
Drawing on deep research and her own experience as a woman without children, historian Peggy O’Donnell Heffington shows that many of the reasons women are not having children today are ones they share with women in the past: a lack of support, their jobs or finances, environmental concerns, infertility, and the desire to live different kinds of lives. Understanding this history—how normal it has always been to not have children, and how hard society has worked to make it seem abnormal—is key, she writes, to rebuilding kinship between mothers and non-mothers, and to building a better world for us all.
Guest:
Peggy O’Donnell Heffington is an instructional professor of history at the University of Chicago and teaches subjects ranging from feminism to human rights. Her writing can be found in Jezebel, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. She received her PhD in history from the University of California, Berkeley.
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This interview will be recorded on Monday, October 21, 2024.
