As many feminist critics — myself included — have argued, Vance’s relentless talk about children isn’t rooted in a true enthusiasm for the joys of parenthood. Instead, it’s about leveraging childbirth as a weapon against women’s equality, driving them out of the workforce and into dependent relationships with men. That’s why he also opposes affordable childcare and divorce. It’s why he was giddy that his accomplished mother-in-law gave up a year of her career to give him free childcare so he didn’t have to contribute as much to the care of children he sure loves to talk about. And it’s why he’s an adamant opponent of legal abortion, even though most women who have abortions are mothers trying to care for the children they already have.
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