I'm educated and highly financially successful earning about 100k per year and I think I may be pregnant but Im not married. I am questioning whether there is still a stigma to being pregnant without marriage in society even when you ARE successful. I have a supportive boyfriend, but we are not married.. we are both around 30 and he is also professional. What are your thoughts?
The reason I ask is because I came from a poor background where my mother had me when she was 16 and my sister had her first child at 17. I went to school and did what my family encouraged me to do, but it seems that just getting pregnant at all has a stigma if you are not married..
2007-02-18 11:19:36 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I applaude you for having the baby.
As long as you love the baby and care for the needs of the baby- who cares what others think? It's not as important how babies enter the world, as to how we love and care for them. There will ALWAYS be "those" types that will ALWAYS find something to harp, complain or snub their noses at. That attitude is found regardless or the income of educational level of people.
You are both adults...you're not 17...don't be afraid to be assertive and stand up for yourself in given situations. Sometimes you need to show people how to treat you...
Stigmas come in many forms. They are all awful. It is interesting that people still wonder or question women that are pregnant when a ring isn't on their finger. We can't always control what people say to us, but we can control our reaction. :)
2007-02-18 11:22:16 · answer #1 · answered by beverleekumar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it anyone's business whether you're married or not? So you may be pregnant. In this day and age (more so than in our parents'), there is more freedom, I think, to say, "That's not really any of your business" when people ask uncomfortable questions. I have known a few families where the parents are not married, but they have kids, and the kids turned out happy and healthy. The only people that would have a problem with it will either be older people or the fundamentally religious people, and those two groups will find ways to have problems with other things you do, also. (Like the fact that you're a successful working woman instead of a stay-at-home-mom, or that you make more than many of THEIR husbands, etc)
2007-02-18 11:27:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is 2007!! I am on my second child and am not married. I have been with the same guy for 7 years, and we are happy and plan on getting married but just have not done so. You have made it this far, and noone else has the right to judge you. I know you make four times the amount of money, and even though kids do costs a lot, I wouldn't trade one minute on my child or my unborn child.
2007-02-18 11:25:16 · answer #3 · answered by Tammy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think there is a stimga about single moms no matter how successful they are. But don't let that stop you. You seem to be at a good time in your life to have this baby. If you can love and provide for the child there's no reason why you should let the stuck up society stop you. Congrats!
2007-02-18 11:30:00 · answer #4 · answered by diaryofadonor 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a lot of different stigmas associated with being a single parent. You won't suffer from the welfare stigma. But yes, there is a stigma associated with getting pregnant when you're not married. It's a lot less than it once was, but its still there.
2007-02-18 11:26:10 · answer #5 · answered by Heather Y 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think a lot of Americans, especially fundamentally relilgious ones, frown on this. The important thing is how you feel about it and if you would welcome and cherish the child.
2007-02-18 11:54:33 · answer #6 · answered by beez 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There will always be people that will judge, or assume. Screw them!! You know th e truth, and that's all that matters.
2007-02-18 11:24:25 · answer #7 · answered by naenae0011 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋