Single Women, Single Children

Jill at Feministe has some data:

The birth rate among single women has gone up — which some consider a bad thing, and make ridiculous statements about. Example A: Bridget Maher, from the Family Research Council, who “said another possible reason for the higher birth rate among single women is that they depend too much on contraception instead of abstinence to prevent pregnancy. Maher added, ‘Behavioral change — and not pharmaceuticals — will solve this problem.”

Many single women are now choosing to have children without being married. Is that necessarily a bad thing? The ideal situation for a lot of women may be the husband and the baby, but a lot of others either may not have the husband or may not want one (and there are certainly a lot who have a same-sex partner instead). I don’t think telling women in their 20s and 30s that they should toss out their pills and be abstinent will be very successful.

Here is a comment I made on their blog:

I’m kind of of two minds about this...but I admit I’m biased because of my personal experience. I grew up without a father or father figure, and while it wasn’t the only thing that “twisted” me, it sure as hell didn’t straighten me out.

I think I agree with Chris Rock, who said on one of his specials that sure, a woman can raise a kid alone…but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the father, or even a man, but I believe in my heart that some sort of family structure larger than just a mother and child is better for kids.

Now, none of this means I think the goverment has any place getting near legislating the issue. And it seems obvious to me that contraception is better than abstinence…for a number of reasons…but it’s just how I feel.