Childfree Issues

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261035

July 13, 2007 13:29

There have been several articles on workplace issues in the last few months posted to Childfree News, one on a similar issue in South Africa, one from a HR site, and one on the latest Hewlett whine-and-flop. Most notably, California lawmakers are considering a bill that would make parents a protected class for purposes of employment discrimination. This is notable, since such protection is actually rare, and typically reserved for such classifications as race and religion. The general law ...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261036

April 24, 2007 18:37

The New Environmentalism In light of the recent article in the Globe and Mail article, (see commentary on Childfree News) and Kugel's recent blog entry, I thought that it was about time we start talking about this. Perhaps as the new issue. Now I should admit right off, I do not expect any progress on this issue. At least not yet. Instead, I think our next goal should simply to put the issue out there so that people can get used to it. It is uncomfortable for many, on both sides. The ri...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261037

April 23, 2007 14:11

Don't Have Children, Save The World In a society that holds up childbirth and parenting as the moral gold standard, the idea that procreation might be an irresponsible environmental choice is not a popular one -- even among environmentalists. Please see the link; the article is not easily available online, but I except and respond to it extensively in the Childfree News blog. Technorati Tag: childfree

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261038

April 22, 2007 15:42

As if to settle the debate about which party best represents out interests, Democrats in California have proposed a health plan that would exclude the childless. Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan would be more universal. Democrats go their own way on healthcare Technorati Tag: childfree

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261039

April 11, 2007 19:41

Potential parents opt to put the planet before procreation By Jennifer Willis Pamplin Media Group, Apr 10, 2007 COURTESY OF MICHELLE SCHNEIDER http://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=117589671435170700 For Michelle and Kevin Schneider, seen here in fall at Oktoberfest in Munich,Germany, one of the benefits of not having kids is being able to travel.Besides Germany, the couple spent six weeks in Australia in 2005 and isplanning a two-month tour of Europe. We ...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261042

February 08, 2007 15:28

Bush's budget proposal would cut the childless from Medicaid bennies. Hill Democrats Critical Of Bush's Budget Plan So far, all I have is one line buried in a generally critical article of the entire budget proposal: Democrats also panned the president's proposals to stop enrolling childless adults in the program . . . We all know that defending the rights of the childless is not high on the agenda of either party, so this provision is likely to receive little attention. If anyone knows m...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261043

February 05, 2007 03:50

In the Childfree News Blog, I post an article and follow-up letter to the editor about MomsRising: Childfree News: Reader Responds to Bias Against Moms The author the letter to the editor made some very good points. The truth is, the campaign for workplace equality doesn't need to enact change to be successful. We could very well justify our mandate just by combating the powerful forces evidenced by the MomsRising movement. It makes sense that these women would be campaigning for more per...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261044

February 05, 2007 00:29

Podcast: Australian PM race I'm resuming my attempt at podcasting - this time with proper RSS syndication. I will be true to my word of this being a multimedia project by issuing more podcasts in the future. audio file Technorati Tag: childfree

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261045

February 02, 2007 22:59

Action Alert: Has PC Pro-Natalism Caused a PR Disaster? As posted on Childfree News, after a child was so disruptive she had to be removed from a flight, AirTran refunded the family's tickets (yet still flew them home), and offered them three free round-trip tickets. I was worried that all these perks signaled that the company was apologising for their actions, that they were somehow saying their crew acted incorrectly. Should they have delayed the flight another 15 minutes? Indefinitely?...

/podcasts/childfree-issues/episodes/6261046

January 18, 2007 21:47

Legislative Alert- Abortion Opponents Come Together to Promote Birth Control. I read about this in Glamour Magazine - offline. However, it appears to be getting little attention - I retrieved this in the Great Falls Tribune. There's even a chance now that Congress will approve legislation that would expand women's access to birth control and help prevent unwanted pregnancies, Keenan said. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid opposes abortion but supports increasing women's access t...

Child Support - has it gone too far?

January 11, 2007 23:42

There are a handful of cases which highlight potential unfairness in the current child support system. For example, courts have held non-anonymous sperm donors liable for child support, even when the mother explicitly agreed to support the child fully herself. A court in Sweden recently upheld a similar ruling. The law examines child support rights from the perspective of the child, so the acts of the mother, no matter how heinous, will not supersede the right to support. The right to pay...

National Study of the Changing Workplace, Part I

January 10, 2007 17:48

The National Study of the Changing Workplace was done in 2002, but remains one of the more comprehensive studies of its kind. I've been on this 'deduce your own' kick with studies lately, and thought I would take a fresh look at the study from the perspective of the Childfree Issues project. Interestingly, the combined time that spouses with children spend caring for and doing things with their children on workdays has actually increased—from 5.2 hours in 1977 to 6.2 hours today. despite t...

Working Women of Today More Likely to Have Large Families

January 09, 2007 17:57

a related post on this article is also at Childfree News Family Size In America: Are Large Families Back? Professional moms have twice as many kids at home, on average, than their high-powered counterparts did back in 1977, according to a 2002 report from the Families and Work Institute. And in a 2000 study, sociologist Martin found that college-educated women who put off motherhood until their 30s are suddenly having families almost as big as everyone else's. "That's historically unprecede...

Reader Responds to Bias Against Moms

December 16, 2006 19:45

Last week, the SF Weekly posted an article about how MomsRising is fighting the "bias" against mothers: Mother’s Work Some working moms face job discrimination, while others encounter barriers to success. They're all potential activists for the new grass-roots group, MomsRising. MomsRising wants to address the obstacles faced by working mothers up and down the socioeconomic spectrum and push legislation to eliminate them. The barriers vary: Some women struggle to keep their jobs while manag...

Respect the Personal Lives of Employees Without Offspring

December 14, 2006 21:24

Corner Office: Child-Free Workers These situations are at the center of workplace skirmishes that threaten to erupt into full-scale warfare, because most employers will only give this worker the time if Max is her son, and employees without children resent that. “Our company says it wants to help balance the demands of work and personal life,” might say one of your child-free employees, “but they seem to think that personal life is the same as children. I’m tired of watching the parents wal...

Class Discussion

December 05, 2006 19:18

The video of my presentation to the class will be uploaded here. I presented starting at 1:38 Tuesday. Our class uses the question tool - a means by which the stdents in the class submit and vote on questions to the presenter. I didn't get to address all the questions during my presentation, but posted the discussion here. Technorati Tag: childfree

New Podcast on Workplace Benefits Project

December 05, 2006 17:36

Thanks to Chris the Fixed Kitty for her first of two podcasts on the subject. The podcast is this week's edition of her regular podcast Adult Spaces. The podcast will be added to the project website by the end of the day; keep watching the site for updates. An article by Jerry Steinberg, founding "non-father" of No Kidding International has been added. As special thanks to Jerry - he rolled his car this week, and we send him our best wishes for recovery. Lastly, an article by Teri of the...

New Michigan law makes it illegal for men to leave pregnant women

December 03, 2006 17:59

So, essentially, if you're in a relationship with a pregnant woman, you can't leave her, because that would be considered trying to coerce her into having an abortion. If she's physically abusive, or if you think the kid's not yours, or if you've had a vasectomy and know the kid's not yours, you're still on the hook. You can find an Op-Ed piece in the Detroit Times here: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/OPINION01/611300306/1008 Technorati Tag: childfree

Cafeteria Plans Project Launches -

November 29, 2006 22:31

Visit the new website for the first project - workplace equality. Now here is where you come in - what do you think about cafateria plans? Is equality of benefits something the childfree should be working for? Does your company offer them - are you even 'out' as a childfree person at work? Comment on this post to weigh in. As always, the offer below stands - you are welcome to participate in the equal pay project as much as you like in whatever form you see fit. We are also looking for con...

Action Alert: Anti-Birth Control Advocate Appointed Head of Government Family Planning Programs

November 29, 2006 18:07

For those of us who care about choice... The New York Times calls it a "family planning farce." Syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker says it's proof that President Bush is continuing "his dogged resistance to reality." As unbelievable as it sounds, the president has chosen someone who doesn't believe in birth control to be in charge of all the federal government's family planning programs. The New York Times describes Eric Keroack best, saying he's "a doctor affiliated with a group vehement...

Request for Contributions -

November 29, 2006 15:09

If you're reading this, it is probably because I or someone else asked you for your contribution to this project. I welcome any and all views and perspectives - no matter which side of the issue you are on. Post your thoughts here - I would be happy to add you to the list of posters if you want to do more than comment. Better yet - e-mail me your creation - be it an essay, article, podcast, YouTube video, graphic or whatever! The deadline for the project is December 9, so please try to get s...

Episodes