The first two articles in this section are the voices of two women who talk of choosing to be, or not to be, mothers. The first, Lynne Breslawski, was taken from New Women's Times (804 Me/gs St., Rochester NY 14620, USA) and describes her decision not to bear children in the face of societal sanctions. The second, Kathy West from the book Why Children ? (published by Women's Press, 124 Shoreditch High Street, London El 6JE ENGLAND), herself a mother, calls into question the concept of a clear "choice".
Expectation or Choice?
Like many cultural operations such as love, relationships, language, etc., the institution of motherhood and the class status of children frequently "get-skipped-over" in terms of analysis from a radical feminist perspective. To be sure, issues of mothering and childhood are very politicized, for example : abortion rights, issues of single parenthood, economic rights, incest, child abuse, sex education, birth control information and many, many more. Yet the institutions themselves, and their deep cultural ties, are seldom addressed on the whole.
In most societies, the foundations upon which motherhood is built are the physical, physiological, economic and cultural domination of women. Tantamount to this domination is a woman's right to control her own body and her own sexuality. Statements made concerning motherhood and mothering in the context of "being natural" or " going against the natural order of repopulation of the human race", or "the natural yearnings of women to bear children be a nurturer", more than likely have little to do with the laws of nature or a woman's choice. What is threatened are the various aspects of male control.
The right to control our bodies is fundamental to women of all race, class, ethnic and age groups. However how this right applies to different groups varies. For example, the issue of control for white women may be viewed from an economic standpoint, but the issue for women of colour may be viewed in terms of sterilization abuse or race genocide. Likewise, economically disadvantaged women do not have the same choices, privileges, or access to certain solutions.
Men learn they have t he right to demand, control and dominate. This "right" is consistently reinforced in a series of complex cultural and institutional arrangements. Within the context of choice, the possibility that women may not choose the role of bearer and/or nurturer, is a powerful assertion, a threat that
needs to be squashed
The " Big Three " of patriarchal order — The Church, The State, and Big Business — all have a vested interest in keeping the institution of motherhood at the status-quo. All use propaganda and lies, be it the threat of damnation, the threat of taxable income, the threat of loss of custody or the threat of economic deprevation.
Society uses guilt, embarrassment, failure and self-defacement as some of the threats to mold women into the role of " ideal" motherhood. It works hand-in-hand with the institutions of patriarchy to keep women from their right of choice, or to punish women who make an " unacceptable " choice
The alternatives to " ideal" fulltime motherhood — spinster, unwed mother, single parent, working mother— are titles which carry a host of social stigmata. What kind of cuture do we live in that " rewards" women outside of the ideal with " pariha" status, welfare, low-paying jobs and isolation for their choice?
I choose not to bear children... I choose not to be a mother. I choose not to acknowledge that my actions are sins against God, Nature or the State. I choose to see the blame, guilt and social backlash for my choice as lies and patriarchal control. I stand firm in my choice, and choose to fight for the right of choice for myself and other women as well.