One night at dinner, our friend admitted she hadn’t been happy for a long time. She was the breadwinner, the homeowner, the manager of all domestic tasks despite being in a relationship. She’d hoped it would even out, but it hadn’t.
Her boyfriend was desperate for children, but she wasn’t so sure. She would have to carry and look after the baby, hold the majority of the responsibility to keep the child alive, and pay the rent.
What he brought to the relationship didn’t seem like enough in exchange. A few weeks later, they broke up.
Her story is part of a wider trend: among childless 18-34-year-olds who want children (and don’t already have them), there are about 5 million more men than women. But men in this demographic are also struggling to attain economic stability,
English (US)