"Child-Free" Internet Groups Popping Up to Challenge Parents

Not everyone wants to have children. Since as far back as human consciousness goes, reproduction and child-rearing have been considered the backbone of civilization. Once serving a very real necessity for labor and continuation of the family unit and name, children now, have become THE thing to have. Hollywood Moms are seen everywhere with babies on their backs, heading to the gym to keep those rock-hard abs. The super-sexy Mommy is everywhere, and it's also become very chic to see the career Daddy taking time out for his children. It's easy to see the appeal in this notion, and cultures across the world have great respect for the wholesomeness of the family unit.

Couples have been encouraged since they found each other by every one around them to "be fruitful and multiply", as it even says in the Bible. Some get to a certain age and "everybody's doing it." For many people, it just seems like a natural progression.

But, there have been a host of websites springing up lately that support people who make the choice to not have children. I visited the site ChildfreeByChoice.com, and found their viewpoint interesting. They had several statistics supporting the claim that people are having fewer children, later in life, and that more and more individuals are choosing not to have kids at all. They also had a listing of famous childless individuals, which, interestingly, were mostly artists and musicians and scientists and other free-thinkers. Did you know that Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, and Louis Armstrong never had children? How about Dr. Robert C. Atkins, Ludwig Von Beethoven, or Margaret Cho? There were many others, and quotes by some of them as to why they had made their choice. They challenge traditional roles they feel were thrust upon them by a baby hungry society, and claim they have a right not to be chastised for their opinion.

There were many other sites like these, with message boards and chat rooms and even t-shirts and bumper stickers. Some were more on the fringe, bordering disrespect for parents, calling them names like "moos", and "breeders", and having photos of pregnant women smoking outside their filthy trailer park to prove their point. I guess that's what the Internet is for. Is has a niche for everybody.

This brings up a powerful point. Going Childfree IS a choice, and there is nothing wrong with not having kids. On the other hand, it goes to say that there's nothing wrong WITH having kids. It's just more ingrained in global culture to have them. With the continuation of free speech and reproductive choice, those who do not will receive more acceptance.