As a proud father of none, who considers himself servant to all, I categorically condemn violence in the promotion of any natal viewpoint. This statement is issued following the disgusting and preposterous bombing of a fertility clinic that has been characterized as motivated by a particular natal ideology, but this statement is, again, a categorical condemnation. Because there may be confusion concerning natal viewpoints, I present the following definitions for terms as I use them.
Natal neutrality is the opinion that people should be influenced as little as possible in their decisions about having children or having more children.
Pronatalism is the opinion that people should be encouraged to have children.
Antinatalism is the opinion that people should be discouraged from having children.
Extreme versions of these opinions exist, as well as ideologies built around them. In the course of promoting natal neutrality, I style myself as proud father of none because I find meaning and purpose in remaining childfree and because I see important, even urgent, reasons to tamp down traditional messages encouraging people to have children, especially at this moment in history. I present my ideas on these topics at www.proudfatherofnone.org. However, I understand and respect some of the reasons other people possess pronatalist or antinatalist viewpoints.
I encourage journalists to be careful, lest they leave anyone with the impression that the only alternative to pronatalism is antinatalism or that any natal opinion is necessarily extreme.
posted on 2025/05/19
updated on 2025/05/19 with the addition of "In the course of promoting natal neutrality," to the second sentence of the fifth paragraph