This week, Coco shares reflections on being a childfree woman in this current moment: at the intersection of far-right pronatalism and declining birthrate panic. We tease out the various stereotypes about women* without children and explore the role they play in our culture. Coco shares some of her favorite childfree representation – from essays to film to people on the internet – and why they are so close to her heart.
While we don’t have any definitive answers, we explore the best-yet hypothesis for the global phenomenon of declining birthrates. And, you guessed it, we take aim at the billionaires and elites who are making it increasingly difficult to envision a stable future. But don’t despair!! We also discuss how, together, we can fight for a better future for all of us.
Oh, and Coco brings up Children of Men, because of course!
*Of course, not only women can get pregnant. On that note, this episode primarily focuses on heterosexual experiences and the cultural expectations placed on cis women in (seemingly) heterosexual relationships. We recognize that people of all identities experience the pressures, fears, hopes, confusion, and joy involved in deciding whether to become parents. If you have great resources that explore this from a queer perspective, we’d love for you to share them with us.
As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode. Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com
