The Big Kids Question pt II: fertility, pop culture parenthood and unspeakable truths

Straight Up

Male infertility accounts for half of all IVF cases, so why does society so often consider it a ‘women’s issue’? We get into the taboo around fertility and masculinity, as well as the thorny topics of egg freezing, the 'queer tax' and the commodification of reproduction in this second part of our exploration of why more and more people are putting off having children. We also dive into plenty of other unspeakable truths, from 'unnatural' parents, the fantasy mother vs monster mother tropes in Hollywood, and loss of identity. Plus, we discuss some of the most joyous things about being a parent, how social media is shaping parenthood norms, and much more.

Reccos discussed

• Stand Up to Infertility, BBC
• 'Elizabeth Day: At 45 I will never be a mother. I’ve made peace with it', The Times
• Magpie by Elizabeth Day
• The Birth of My Daughter, The Death of My Marriage by Leslie Jamison, New Yorker
• Laura Jackson on Grace Beverley's podcast
• Why Must We Pay Queer Tax? the Guardian
• 'I’m a sexual and single but wanted to become a mum’, Stylist
• Straight Up with Tove Lo, and Straight Up with BabyQueen
• Diary of a CEO: No.1 Neuroscientist: "Kids will make you unhappier"
• I chose my marriage over having kids by Ruby Warrington, The Times
• The School for Bad Mothers, Jessamine Chan
• Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel
• The false escapism of soft girls and trad wives, Time
• How Long Can You Wait To Have A Baby? The Atlantic

Thanks so much to our partners:

@flareaudio makes the best earplugs for light sleepers: tiny, unobtrusive, with memory foam balls that perfectly moulds to your ear, and they don't fall out! Grab a pair at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠flareaudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ambl, the incredible app that's like a personal pocket concierge. Perfect for our spontaneous huns who need a last minute dinner reservation in London, Ambl matches you with the restaurants with real-time availability, all the while letting you fine-tune your choice with filters from vibe to price range.⁠⁠ Search Ambl in the app store, or visit https://www.ambl.co