Who else saw this headline a few weeks ago and was completely taken back?
Kirstie Allsopp tells young women: ditch university and have a baby by 27
Allsopp told the Telegraph that if she had a daughter, her advice would be: "Darling, do you know what? Don't go to university. Start work straight after school, stay at home, save up your deposit – I'll help you, let's get you into a flat. And then we can find you a nice boyfriend and you can have a baby by the time you're 27."
Before beginning university the average teenager is 17/18, At 18 I remember being in my last year of 6th form, studying and attending house parties! Having a boyfriend to build a family with was the last thing on my mind! As an ambitious young woman I was preparing to go to university had a part time job at a call centre and was studying for exams. I know, I know people have different priorities, but a statement like this alienates women who are pursuing higher education which we are all entitled to. After thinking ‘She said what?!’ I thought more rationally… what happened to self-development? What happened to educating yourself? What happened to being financially stable – I don’t want to struggle! Having a child is a big commitment!
More to the point ‘Don’t go to university’ Is Kirstie alright? Women should ditch university, get a flat and have a baby. Huh. Don’t get me wrong I’m not anti-family or pro-university as I don’t hold a degree myself, but I questioned why should young women put their education or career on hold to pursue a family so early in life? I’m sure that can be done later on. Haven’t the times changed at all, this statement was outdated in my opinion.
My mother had her 3rd child at 40 years old it wasn’t the smoothest pregnancy, and she doesn’t have as much energy as she used to, in comparison to when she gave birth to me at 19 (yes I know wide age gap) she was full of energy and although quite young managed to bounce back and complete college, university and is now in a great career. In saying that the journey was and continues to be a hard one for my mother and she reminds me that no matter what age you have a child you are still have the responsibility of looking after another human being which is stressful in itself.
At the end of the day, I guess its each to their own! You will find a lot of young women who have had children or families earlier on in life and have succeeded and you also have women who have children later on in life when they are more established. But who’s to say, which way is better?
Regardless of what statistics suggest women are standing by their choices, and will do as they please, as a young woman I do want to have children, just later on in life probably 30, I want to accomplish certain things before I have a child, I want to travel more, I want to experience more in life, I’m focusing on self-development, some may call it selfish – and yes it is! But I believe that I’m allowed to be selfish I’m in my 20s and I’m focusing on achieving my dreams.
Which means baby is coming, but baby will come later.
P.S. Kirstie did make it clear via Twitter “I am NOT questioning anyone's choices, all I'm saying is women must have this debate & include young men in it, nature is not a feminist.”
What were your thoughts on this article? Comment below.
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Kirstie Allsopp tells young women: ditch university and have a baby by 27
Location, Location, Location presenter calls for frank discussion about female fertility and shaking up 'order of things'
My initial reaction was ‘She said what?!’ This article caused a big debate and stir amongst many women all over social networks. I even remember sending this article to my friends, and to work colleagues asking their thoughts all of which varied from “that b**** don’t know nothing” to “she’s right, women need to remember the reason that they were put on earth”.
Before beginning university the average teenager is 17/18, At 18 I remember being in my last year of 6th form, studying and attending house parties! Having a boyfriend to build a family with was the last thing on my mind! As an ambitious young woman I was preparing to go to university had a part time job at a call centre and was studying for exams. I know, I know people have different priorities, but a statement like this alienates women who are pursuing higher education which we are all entitled to. After thinking ‘She said what?!’ I thought more rationally… what happened to self-development? What happened to educating yourself? What happened to being financially stable – I don’t want to struggle! Having a child is a big commitment!
Read the full article here http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jun/02/kirstie-allsop-young-women-ditch-university-baby-by-27
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After reading this article I tried to understand where exactly this VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER DRIVEN WOMAN is coming from and to be honest.....I don't.
ReplyDeleteShe is re-introducing the house wife stereo-type that she herself has proven to NOT be the only path.
She claims that she would help her daughter buy a house, like most parents would but the question here is why? you are not helping your child to buy a house to start off on the property ladder to gain independence. You are help her buy a house to depend on man.
I would agree with you, I do believe that Kirstie's statement was very outdated!
DeleteBut I do understand where she is coming from in regards to women not leaving it 'too late' before having a child (biological clock) that's the only part I would say I agree on throughout the entire article!