Revenge of the Childless Cat Ladies
Digest
This podcast delves into the complex relationship between population anxieties, the "childless cat lady" trope, and the rise of pronatalism. It begins by examining the recent controversy surrounding JD Vance's comment about "childless cat ladies" and its connection to the broader anxieties about declining birth rates and the emergence of pronatalism as a political movement. The episode then traces the history of overpopulation panic, starting with Thomas Robert Malthus's prediction of an impending apocalypse in 1798 and exploring the emergence of demography as a field of study in the 1930s. It highlights the rise of Paul Ehrlich's "Population Bomb" in the 1960s, which fueled anxieties about overpopulation and led to coercive population control measures in countries like India and China. The episode then examines the "cat lady" trope and its historical and cultural significance, exploring the changing perceptions of cats and their owners, from their association with witches and the occult to their rise as symbols of independent femininity and dissident sexuality. It also discusses the use of cat imagery in the suffragist movement and the ways in which the trope has been used to ridicule and marginalize women. The podcast concludes by exploring the potential consequences of pronatalism as a political movement, highlighting both its potential for positive outcomes, such as policies that support families, and its potential for negative outcomes, such as coercive measures and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles.
Outlines
The Politics of Population and the "Childless Cat Lady" Trope
This episode explores the recent controversy surrounding JD Vance's comment about "childless cat ladies" and its connection to the broader anxieties about declining birth rates and the rise of pronatalism. It examines the history of overpopulation panic and the emergence of pronatalism as a political movement, highlighting its potential for both positive and negative consequences.
The History of Overpopulation Panic
This episode delves into the history of overpopulation panic, tracing its roots back to Thomas Robert Malthus's prediction of an impending apocalypse in 1798. It explores the emergence of demography as a field of study in the 1930s and the rise of Paul Ehrlich's "Population Bomb" in the 1960s, which fueled anxieties about overpopulation and led to coercive population control measures in countries like India and China.
The Cat Lady Trope and Its Meanings
This episode examines the "cat lady" trope and its historical and cultural significance. It explores the changing perceptions of cats and their owners, from their association with witches and the occult to their rise as symbols of independent femininity and dissident sexuality. It also discusses the use of cat imagery in the suffragist movement and the ways in which the trope has been used to ridicule and marginalize women.
Keywords
Pronatalism
Pronatalism is a belief system that promotes higher birth rates, often based on the idea that declining populations pose a threat to social and economic stability. It can manifest in various forms, from government policies to cultural attitudes.
Cat Lady Trope
The "cat lady" trope is a stereotypical representation of a woman who is obsessed with cats, often portrayed as lonely, eccentric, and lacking in social skills. It is often used to ridicule and marginalize women who choose not to have children or who prioritize their relationships with animals over human relationships.
Overpopulation Panic
Overpopulation panic is a widespread fear that the human population is growing too rapidly and will eventually outstrip the Earth's resources, leading to widespread famine, disease, and social unrest. This fear has been a recurring theme throughout history, often fueled by political and economic anxieties.
Malthusian Catastrophe
A Malthusian catastrophe refers to a scenario in which population growth outpaces the growth of food production, leading to widespread famine and social collapse. This concept was first proposed by Thomas Robert Malthus in his 1798 essay "An Essay on the Principle of Population."
Population Bomb
"The Population Bomb" is a book by Paul Ehrlich published in 1968 that warned of an impending global catastrophe due to overpopulation. The book became a bestseller and had a significant impact on public discourse about population growth.
One-Child Policy
The one-child policy was a population control measure implemented in China in 1980 and abolished in 2016. It restricted most families to having only one child, with penalties for violating the policy. The policy was controversial and had a significant impact on Chinese society.
Q&A
What is the connection between JD Vance's comment about "childless cat ladies" and the broader anxieties about declining birth rates?
Vance's comment taps into a growing concern about declining birth rates in the US and the perceived threat it poses to social and economic stability. This concern is often linked to pronatalist ideologies, which promote higher birth rates and view declining populations as a crisis.
What are some of the historical and cultural factors that have shaped the "cat lady" trope?
The "cat lady" trope has evolved over time, drawing on historical anxieties about witches and the occult, as well as changing perceptions of cats and their owners. It has been used to ridicule and marginalize women who choose not to have children or who prioritize their relationships with animals over human relationships.
What are some of the potential consequences of pronatalism as a political movement?
Pronatalism can have both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, it can lead to policies that support families and make it easier for people to have children. On the other hand, it can also lead to coercive measures, such as restrictions on abortion and contraception, and can reinforce traditional gender roles and patriarchal structures.
Show Notes
Vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance’s remarks on childless cat ladies have ties to a movement urging people to have more children. On this week’s On the Media, find out why declining birth rates are regarded by some as a harbinger of doom. Plus, the storied history of so-called cat ladies, and why they often face contempt.
[01:00 ] Host Micah Loewinger on our “weird” politics, why every day in our news cycle feels like an eternity, and the debate over Donald Trump’s interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference.
[06:38 ] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Rachel Cohen, policy correspondent at Vox, about J.D. Vance and the belief that falling birth rates foretell social and economic catastrophe.
[23:49 ] OTM producer Candice Wang reports the story of an older, more established population anxiety: the fear that there are simply too many people for our planet to sustain.
[32:55 ] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews Kathryn Hughes, author of Catland, about the storied history of the cat lady trope, how cats became beloved by so many in our culture, and the many meanings ascribed to the animals.
Further reading / listening:
- “The movement desperately trying to get people to have more babies” by Rachel Cohen
- Building the Population Bomb by Emily Klancher Merchant
- The Book That Incited a Worldwide Fear of Overpopulation by Charles C. Mann
- Reproductive Rights and Wrongs: The Global Politics of Population Control by Betsy Hartmann
- Catland: Louis Wain and the Great Cat Mania by Kathryn Hughes
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in a way our little friend Vance makes a decent point... I didn't have kids because I screwed up in life ( drugs alcohol cigarettes poor temper etc etc) but I can assure Vance with crystal clarity that he will not get my vote !