Journal Article — Questioning Motherhood: A Sociological Awakening — by Keilah Billings

The idea of having a child is one that seems to go against my nature. Forming families seem to be the reigning desire for most women and men as they grow older and more mature, and the need to procreate seems to grow more and more prevalent. This need for procreation rips through a woman as a freight train through its rails. Having a child is a natural process that many people feel is a major part of their lives’ design. To me, the idea of having a child is more of a threat; an end to the independence I have worked so hard to achieve. I am afraid that it would mean the end of who I am today, and I fear that being a mother would turn me into someone I do not want to be. Because of all this, I feel that making the decision to have a child would mean sacrificing my very being. So when I choose not to have children, I am going against the social norms I have been taught my whole life.