From the feminist blogosphere to my favorite Chicago site, people are NOT afraid of stating "I hate kids." Why the hating?

This topic has touched my third rail even before Ella came into this world, so it was a joyous occasion to see that Feministe has finally added a non-hater to their line-up. Not that all of them are haters, but some of them did roll in that mud once in awhile.

Calling children “radically disempowered” is almost an understatement. Pretty much from the moment they’re born, children are subject to a world that treats them as much like property as like people. Children grow up in a world with no voice. There are countless rules and regulations controlling their daily lives, and they have absolutely no say in any of those rules. They are subject to the whims of the people around them- people who may or may not have their best interests in mind. Children have no privacy and no right to a fair trial when an adult (parent) accuses the child of wrong doing. Their entire lives are at the whims of people who control what clothes they wear, whether they have a roof over their heads, whether they even eat.

Being a child isn’t easy. Very little in your life is under your own control, and you’re also subject to your body’s whims. Children are still growing and developing, and they don’t always even understand how or why they feel certain ways. They may not know why they’re tired or cranky at any particular moment. And, as someone else pointed out, even if they do know, they’re still subject to other people’s whims. An adult who isn’t feeling well can call in sick and avoid interacting with other people, in many cases. Children don’t have that option.

And this is the group that some people have decided that they hate?

Some excuse the hating as just hyperbole. Well if we all excused our 'hates' as hyperbole then we'd be nowhere. "That [insert race here] cashier jipped me $5! I hate them!" "One time my sister dated a [insert religion here] guy and he totally tried to run her life. Stay away from them!"

In 2004, there were about 10,000 children in foster care in Illinois.

A study that took place in November 2005 found that, “Children living in homes occupied by their mother’s boyfriends or other non-relatives are up to 48 times more likely to die from
child abuse.” Mothers can't even date without the possibility that she'll invite her children's murderer home.

In 2006:

• 110,235 children were reported as abused or neglected;
• As a whole, Illinois' child abuse rate was 7.6 per 1,000 - Central & Southern Illinois were almost twice that;
• 250,000 children are without health care in Illinois.

I could go on and on. I don't expect everyone to love kids, believe me I don't love 'em all either. But the lack of outrage that happens on a daily basis when someone states that they hate kids is outrageous.

So here's to Roy and hoping that this guest blogger thing turns into a permanent situation. Because all this hating isn't getting us anywhere.

Labels: blogging, feminism