Earlier this past summer, Republican Vice President nominee JD Vance faced criticism when an old interview of the senator calling Ddemocrat women “childless cat ladies” resurfaced. Although Vance attempted to reduce the comment as a joke, the dig reinforces the disparaging treatment of women who don’t have children.

The cat lady stereotype has been around for some time. In pop culture, a cat lady is typically depicted as a feline-obsessed bitter old woman who is unmarried and without children. For example, Dr. Eleanor Abernathy of the long-running “The Simpsons”  is shown as an unstable recluse. Although the term can have negative connotations, it has also been reclaimed. When pop star Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President via Instagram, the songwriter labeled herself as a childless cat lady. Similarly, rock legend Stevie Nicks encouraged people to register to vote, putting a twist on the term and calling herself a “childless dog lady.”

Like Vance, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders criticized VP Harris for not having biological children, claiming the presidential candidate “has nothing keeping her humble." It is worth noting that Harris is a stepmother and has talked extensively about her blended family. But it is also worth asking, why does it matter if she has children? Both Vance’s and Sanders’ statements insinuate that a woman’s highest value is being a mother and that those who do not have children are less than. 

Politicians aren’t the only ones circulating these sexist notions. In May of this year, football player Harrison Butker made headlines for his commencement speech at Benedictine College. In a direct remark to the women graduates in the audience, Butker said the majority were “most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world” and not career aspirations. While there is nothing wrong with a woman wanting family over a career, Butker’s comments equate womanhood with motherhood, a problematic correlation. 

Perhaps conservative alarm is being raised because birth rates in the U.S. are on the decline. According to the Pew Research Center, the top reason adults under 50 choose not to have children is simply not wanting to, followed by wanting to focus on other things such as a career or being concerned about the state of the world. Many celebrities from Miley Cyrus to Dolly Parton and Ina Garten have spoken out about their decision not to have kids. The acronym DINK - dual income no kids - has also become popular in recent years, with child-free couples sharing their experiences online in the midst of mommy vlogging and tradwife content. 

Choosing to have or not have a kid is a deeply personal decision. In the year 2024, you would think people would have accepted that not every woman wants to be a mother.