‘I feel unbelievably betrayed by feminism because I chose to not have children’

A 38-year-old woman said she feels like the feminist movement has let her down because she changed her mind about wanting children.

Melissa Persling, from Idaho, US, spent her 20s and early 30s focusing on her career and swearing off kids. But at her current age, she changed her mind and regrets not having any children.

She revealed to Business Insider last month that she fears she may have ‘missed the opportunity’ to start a family.

Speaking to Fox News in a follow-up interview, she said she felt “selfish” and “betrayed by feminism” as she doesn’t have children.

She said: “For me, it’s definitely started to feel hollow and meaningless. It’s taken me to this point in my life to realise that that’s not a life that’s going to bring you happiness,’ she told the news channel.

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“I feel unbelievably betrayed by feminism. I don’t want to put it on the movement [entirely] because I believe you make your own choices, and everything I’ve done up until this point in my life has been my choice, and that’s on me.

“But I was constantly fed this idea that women can do everything. We don’t really need men. 

“I kind of want to go back to some of those teachers and coaches and say, ‘What did you mean by that? Because we can’t do it all.'”

In response to Melissa’s statement, many took to X, formally known as Twitter, to counter her.

One user said: “You’re only in your 30s. Feminism isn’t the problem. Lack of basic biology awareness is.”

Another added: “She can adopt and be a single mum if not wanting to get married.”

While a third questioned the fact that she blamed feminism for not having children, they said: “You can have kids and be a feminist. The two are not mutually exclusive.”

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