How about we stop pitting women with children against those without?

Because that would be too rational and doesn't it generate as many page views.

Every time I read a new article on how women without children (and it's always women without children -- men without children are never asked to defend their choices) are unfair, or trying to lord their superior feminism over those with, I have to roll my eyes hard.

Within the feminist blog world, which is overwhelmingly young and childfree, at least relative to the general population, mothers feel unwelcome. However, as someone who doesn't have children, I absolutely see the need to have a space free from criticism. I also don't think it's unreasonable to expect a certain level of decorum from children in public. Most children are fairly well-behaved, and I shouldn't have to defend myself for not wanting one to shove a saliva-covered toy in my face. I use that specific example because the discussion always comes down to whether it's fair to ask for childfree spaces. Fellow childfree ladies: sorry, you lost this one. Not everyone has access to childcare and some people simply like having their kids around. But too often I see parents becoming defiant when someone implies that theirs probably isn't a perfect angel.

Yeah, I get it. I don't have one Motherhood is the hardest job in the world (I don't necessarily agree that it is, but I pretty sure I'm outnumbered) and I should shut up about it. But I don't live a perfectly childfree existence: there are kids in my neighborhood, in my building, when I'm in the library trying to get work done, and dodging between the feminine hygiene products and canned corn at Target. Asking that they behave within acceptable parameters is a pretty sensible request.