Why do women use child birth as justification for anything?

Question

For example: Men have it easier because they dont have to go through childbirth.

I notice a lot of this attitude and Id like to know why that is acceptable justification for anything for a couple of reasons:

1. Women's bodies are adapted for childbirth. You are anatomically prepared for it, its not like men just decided we didnt want the responsibility.

2. The most painful experience in life is being born! Giving birth you have soft tissue injuries, but when you are born your bones bend and your head is crushed. So I have experienced more pain than giving birth.

3. Nobody forces you to birth a child. When you decide you want a child, you also agree to deal with everything else that comes with it.

For the stated reasons, I find it ridiculous that giving birth be justification in any intergender discussions.

I didnt suggest that it doesnt hurt. Im sure it does.

Im suggesting that it isnt a trump card the way many women like to use it.

I still have not seen one logical answer that doesnt include a fallacy.

Inordinate amounts of pain seems to be the most common response. Apparently everyone responding is aware of that at this point in time. Yet, it is overlooked at the point of conception. That is to say that nobody seems to want to aknowledge that it was something they knew about ahead of time. Whether planned or unplanned it is a risk that is assumed.

I still have not seen one logical answer that doesnt include a fallacy.

Inordinate amounts of pain seems to be the most common response. Apparently everyone responding is aware of that at this point in time. Yet, it is overlooked at the point of conception. That is to say that nobody seems to want to aknowledge that it was something they knew about ahead of time. Whether planned or unplanned it is a risk that is assumed.

Answer 1

I think there is a legitimate case to be made for child birth, or rather, being of the sex that is pregnant and gives birth, being a disadvantage. I know for a fact that in many cases, women of the "child bearing age" are passed over as job applicants because the prospective employer is afraid they're going to get pregnant and go on leave. I think this is a legitimate fear (although an illegal practice), but certainly for the woman who gets passed over, it seems unfair that the circumstances of her gender preclude her from being treated fairly.

Your point about women's bodies being adapted for childbirth is well made. However, just because I have a uterus doesn't mean I am thrilled about the thought of being pregnant or giving birth. I don't think being born with a uterus makes it any easier to accept the fact that one has to carry a child around inside one's body for nine months.

Last, I would agree with you that child birth does seem to be used for "justification" of a ridiculous number of things. I think there are legitimate arguments that being a woman is a disadvantage, but I think there are also ridiculous ones. Better to be constructive and enjoy the differences between the sexes.

Answer 2

Actually it isn't most. It is heading that way but right now (in the US) it is about 33-35 % nation wide. Some hospitals have a higher than 50% rate of c-sections though. The reason being is not the women but the doctors. I guess you could say it is part the woman's fault because they have lost faith in nature and instead put their trust in doctors. Why do doctors do it? Many do it because of money, many do it because they do not have to sit around and wait for a long labor but MOST do it because of liability. If anything goes wrong with a baby during a vaginal delivery (and I mean anything) then the mother/Father or insurance can cry and say "you didn't do everything you possibly could have. Everything could have been different had you given her a c-section" Now we never know if a c-section would have helped or not but that doesn't matter. But if you deliver a baby by c-section and something goes wrong then a doctor can say "you See...I did everything I possibly could" So who do we really blame? I am not sure. But I am so sick of all the unnecessary pain and suffering women and babies go through unnecessary. Women and babies would actually be better off going into the woods to have their baby. There would be less trauma to both mother and baby. They just need to trust their bodies. Our bodies were meant to have babies just as they were meant to have a bowel movement, just as we were meant to eat food, have sex, grow hair, it is a natural process. Now I am very glad that science and medicine have come along far enough to help those that really do need a c-section but still angry that that same science/medicine is being used on thousands of women that do not need it. If only women that really needed c-sections were given them it would be closer to 5-10% not 33-35%.

Answer 3

Yes you are right in giving birth is something that men cannot do. I do not even see it as any justification of why our gender is better. I do not personally think that either gender is better than the other. I do think that men miss out on some things like childbirth. To never know about that experience is sad in a way. Of course it hurts, but for some the feelings and emotions toward that child afterwards...there are no words. Granted I am sure many men out there say THANK YOU GOD I CANNOT HAVE CHILDREN, and they are entitled to think that way. But since it is an experience that men cannot do, or understand, I do not think men should judge our attitudes about childbirth. Granted anyone that tells their hubby/boyfriend..etc... that "oh yeah well...I had the baby" Might just be saying that because they just had a baby and no man knows the pain and recovery from it can be rather harsh, but to say that as justification of why they are better, is not just wrong but could be a little hurt full to their spouse/boyfriend. Both genders are equal, no matter what anyone says, and we all have something special about us that we do well. Instead of what we identify as superior, we should just concentrate on why we are equal.

Answer 4

In case this isn't just another spam statement about all women being bad and fallacious, women might learn it from their mothers. My mother blames us for her weight gain with pregnancy, yet the day my son was born I was already back to the weight I was before pregnancy. And, although I was stretched so much I couldn't wear the same pants, my hips gradually shrunk back to the same size I was previously. It's a cultural habit from when all women did was carry, bear and raise children. It was their reason and justification for life, being in the conversation, etc. Now, we are attempting to achieve some balance and be taken seriuosly for other endevors, but the language we learned from previous generations is still there. This is true in all areas of life, not just women blaming child birth.

Answer 5

Being a woman I'd have to say I quite agree w/you on this one. Men don't have it any easier if you really think about it, as long as they stick around for the aftermath, actually I think it quite the opposite....Women get the good end of the stick on this one....Yes those few hours are true agony, but lets recap on the previous 9 mos. Some women don't enjoy being prego but ladies you have to admit, there is a huge bonding w/that life inside of you that a man never gets to experience in his lifetime....His bonding w/that baby comes the day the child is born, and there is a closeness there that no man will ever be in tuned with. So personally I'd rather deal w/the few hours of sacrifice & recognize that it is a blessing. PS We do have the right to b**** about the pain, but not to think we've got it harder in any way *this is assuming that he is a stand up guy who doesn't ditch out on it.

Answer 6

you can honestly say you remember being born and how painful it was? Highly doubtful. Some women may use it as an excuse yes. But Some of the times the male is the one wanting the baby when one isnt ready. It takes a high maturity level to be a "good" parent. Giving childbirth is the most near death experience a woman can have. Which is very nerve wracking and scary! or when you have a c-section its a major surgery where your still awake and they take your guts out and set them on your stomach then it takes quite a while to heal. A woman cant just say "i want to be pregnant..riiiight..now" and poof she is? It takes a man to get a woman pregnant and men whine about it just as much if not more!

Answer 7

I'm sorry i didnt catch your age?

In some families having a baby is talked about by both parents, and being a goof wife you want to give your husband a child to carry his name.

I personally feel the only thing a women can say is due to childbirth is weight gain, and here is why;

1) before having children you didnt have to cook 3 meals a day and snacks, with a child you have to because they need to eat and sadly if your going to cook your also going to eat.

2) you have less time to exercise because your taking care of your child who cant walk a treadmill or a mile and surely your not taking a 2 year old to the gym.

3) you have less time to actually go out the way you use to, this means your home more often.

I'm not saying every mother gains the weight, nor am I saying every mother is a good mother who does spend alot of time with their child rather then being out doing what ever.... what I am saying is your right when you make a choice to give birth you accept the pain with it, but it is safe to say that no mother thinks she will remain fat or have issues losing weight after childbirth, so weight gain is something I feel we can complain about, every thing else you bargained for.

Answer 8

Actually it's no big deal, so what I as a woman can give birth. When you look at it logically it doesn't count for anything cause after it's all over it's over. Anyways I heard about some study where it said that a woman giving birth is the equivalent to a man bench pressing over 500 pounds or something to that effect and you're right it's really no biggie, time to move on. I say.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

I'm going to address your points

1. It takes 9 mos for a human being to develop in the womb. A woman's center of gravity changes as does many other things. Before 1920, Childbirth was the number one killer of women. It also takes 2 years for a woman's body to recover from childbirth. It's a significant physiological event. Also, women have monthly periods. We deal with our child bearing abilities from puberty through menopause on a monthly basis. Complications from pregnancy and birth are still major issues for women, as are some issue with reproductive organs. Post-parum depression and uterine fibroids are very unpleasant. Breast, ovarian & cervical cancer still take a significant number of women's lives. Compared to testitular or postrate issues, women have many more issues associated with our ability to birth children.

2. Women are born too. We experienced that pain and more. It's been proven that women do have higher pain tolerance than men. However, that's because women need it -- for pregnancy and childbirth.

3. It takes two to get it all started. It should take two to finish the product from conception to separation which is about 19 years or more. Nobody forces a man to inseminate a woman. When you decide to take the action to do so, you also agree with everything else that comes with it.

The physical anatomy of women is part of how women operate. It's all keyed together, just as the anatomy of men is part of how men operate.