Creating the next generation : whose responsibility? women’s bodies and the Singapore state.

Abstract

As women are often identified through their reproductive features – maternal bodies as potentially fertile, women’s bodies are restricted by gendered expectations of fertility. The patriarchal Singapore State disproportionately problematizes fertility to be a women’s problem and through fertility policies reduces fertility decisions to one that is calculated on an economic basis and consequently compensated through monetary incentives. This regulation of fertility through fertility policies limits women’s bodily autonomy and impairs gender equality in Singapore. Research findings highlight that the persistent low fertility rates are a signal to the State that patriarchal and economic emphasises need to be relooked as women seek better conditions for childbearing in Singapore. To achieve gender equality in Singapore, all women must have bodily autonomy to consciously decide on fertility decisions without oppressive intervention from the State and discriminatory fertility policies. An inclusive society where all mothers are embraced will ensure sustainable fertility rates in Singapore.