A mother is an asset, not a burden, to society. When will Hong Kong realise this?
- Alice Wu says when Hong Kong penalises women for becoming mothers, we shouldn’t be surprised when an increasing number say they don’t want to have a family. The government must do more to change attitudes in society
More worrying, though, is that only 15.3 per cent of female respondents said they were interested in raising kids. In fact, 67 per cent are determined not to have a child or another baby. This naturally fuels concern about Hong Kong’s population level. But, while it’s true that only women can bear children, the burden shouldn’t be theirs alone.
If women are being penalised professionally for being mothers – on top of the physical demands of the 40 weeks of being self-sustaining incubators for other human beings – then it makes perfect sense that an increasing number are determined not to have a child or, if they are already mothers, not to have any more children.
The truth is that while there are plenty of surveys conducted, most have arrived at unsurprising conclusions. It’s the same story: the financial burdens and cramped living conditions are factors that affect women’s willingness to become mothers. These conclusions skirt the real issues – and we’re not just talking about the city’s lack of family-friendly policies.
This is how we treat our women and mothers. We are expecting — even demanding — that they to give up their financial security and future for motherhood.
We’ve essentially been abandoning women for being mothers. Yet, now we’re surprised that fewer women are willing to leave themselves vulnerable, not only to the insulting abuse Cheung advocates, but in their financial future.
A woman’s ability to give birth can be a contribution to society, but it’s by no means a women’s-only contribution. A woman’s choice in becoming a mother is not a burden to society and should not be treated as such.
Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA