01 March 2009

Too many babies . . .


Although I can't say I'm a fan of our cultural obsession with reproduction, isn't it interesting that the MSM seems to adore families with multiples such as the Duggars and the Gosselins, but yet they are having a big old fun time harrassing the woman in California who had eight children at once?

Why the disparity? Why is she "octomom" and Jon and Kate are media stars? (Well, stars to some--here's an intriguing critical article about the Gosselins) Why are the Duggars "Eighteen Kids and Counting" and have a fucking TV show? The Duggars are members of the Quiverfull movement which advocates as many children as "God" wants you to have. I guess God also wants women to die young from wearing the body out after carrying so many pregnancies.

As much as I enjoy the machinations of the media I think their treatment of the woman in California is hateful, misogynist, and deserves a bit more scrutiny. What is it? Why do we celebrate certain overblown families and vilify others?

I think it's in part because she is single, has done what she wants with her own body, and resists our heteronormative fantasy of the traditional, patriarchal family. Maybe it's because she didn't conceive from intercourse--but then neither did Jon and Kate. Anyway, ideally we should all stop having children altogether--our planet can't take any more humans.

By the way--is his name really Jim Bob? Come on.

1 comment:

SuzanneDeAZ said...

There is a difference between Octumom and the others. It is not so much her being single as much she is not responsible. She has NO plan to raise and take care of her children without having the public pick up the tab. Clear and simple.