Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Warmlight1 · 16/02/2026 07:49

Ihatethistimeline · 13/02/2026 11:45

I also think it’s strange this thread is only 2 pages long. If it had a trans angle it would be 20 pages within hours. Is trans the only feminist issue currently?

Yes I noticed that. There was a long thread about the election which was derailed as soon as Goodwin's views started to be examined. But then it went on for ages and only interrogated the green candidate when arguably Labour may well remain a viable option there.
The intersection between politics and feminism is interesting. A candidate with his views shouldn't be getting to first base.
I think that women and transpeople have often been used as diversions by the political.faright.
Let's talk about the posters point.

Warmlight1 · 15/02/2026 23:23

AppropriateAdult · 12/02/2026 17:39

I don’t agree with Reform’s agenda here, but it’s hard to see how you could legitimately describe this as “discussing young girls sexually”.

Because he is suggesting they should Have kids earlier? As an interaction that suggests he's urging them to have sex. Because that's how they'd have kids normally.

OP posts:
WaryCrow · 13/02/2026 17:15

News flash, men as a group preparing to betray women as a group and treat them like cattle. Nothing new. Look up ‘Normal Women’ by Philippa Gregory and reflect on how women get written out of history by men (Ed - Jen ?!?) again and again.

When men can get pregnant and have to put up with being the obviously mentally-superior sex dealing with the obviously inferior but more violent hormone-driven males, then they can have opinions I might listen to!

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 17:06

Naunet · 13/02/2026 17:04

Women dont get themselves pregnant, so no that doesnt make sense.

Edited

It makes sense if your starting point is men are in charge. Then what women think doesn't really matter does it ?

Hence the focus on women as the problem here.

That's my take leastways.

OP posts:
JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 17:05

JHound · 13/02/2026 16:51

Not quite:

In the video, Mr Goodwin – who is standing for Reform UK in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election – argued: “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis.
“We need to also explain to young girls and women the biological reality of this crisis. Many women in Britain are having children much too late in life, and they would prefer to have children much earlier on.”

I know he's talking about both educating children and explaining to young girls and women.

I should have written 'He's not just talking about women of child bearing age. He also wants to education/indoctrinate children.'

Naunet · 13/02/2026 17:04

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 14:30

Would you tell your boss how to run the business ?

I think that is the same thought process here.

Women dont get themselves pregnant, so no that doesnt make sense.

TheIceBear · 13/02/2026 16:53

LightningMode · 12/02/2026 17:15

I'm not seeing the problem? There is no harm in ointing out to girls and young women that their fertility rates change with age. I was of a generation who were constantly told not to get pregnant, that it would ruin our lives, and then we did start trying, in our thirties, our fertility rates had lessened.

I think it’s a bit silly to assume women don’t know this. I’ve been aware that women’s fertility changes as they age since my late teens but wasn’t in a position to have a baby until my mid 30s for various reasons. I think most women are aware unless they have been living under a rock

JHound · 13/02/2026 16:51

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 16:15

The article quotes Goodwin with saying “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis."

He's not talking about women of child bearing age there.

Not quite:

In the video, Mr Goodwin – who is standing for Reform UK in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election – argued: “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis.
“We need to also explain to young girls and women the biological reality of this crisis. Many women in Britain are having children much too late in life, and they would prefer to have children much earlier on.”

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 16:24

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 16:18

Indeed.

Although I may stand corrected, I'm not sure I stand comforted.

Quite.

Bertiebiscuit · 13/02/2026 16:22

As ever, blokes talking about women as if we are not human, just baby makers, who need to be told what to do, when to do it, where do they get off? None of their damned business what women decide to do with their own own bodies. I am so sick of men, especially male politicians.

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 16:18

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 16:15

The article quotes Goodwin with saying “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis."

He's not talking about women of child bearing age there.

Indeed.

Although I may stand corrected, I'm not sure I stand comforted.

OP posts:
JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 16:15

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 16:10

Well, following others interpretation of the article, you can only presume of child bearing age. Why would he be suggesting otherwise ?

The article quotes Goodwin with saying “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis."

He's not talking about women of child bearing age there.

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 16:10

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 15:57

What age 'young children' and 'young women' does he mean?

Well, following others interpretation of the article, you can only presume of child bearing age. Why would he be suggesting otherwise ?

OP posts:
JHound · 13/02/2026 16:06

UncannyFanny · 13/02/2026 12:15

Well the way most people on here carry on yes women do make decisions in a vacuum. Every other post is about your body your choice and who cares what men think.

When deciding on unwanted pregnancies yes. But how does a woman get pregnant alone?

JHound · 13/02/2026 16:04

JoyOfSpecs · 12/02/2026 21:11

Matt Goodwin didn't have his first and only child until he was 40.

He's 44 and divorced now. He's not even replaced himself

I wonder if his wife / previous female partners would have been ready far earlier.

Wemustbetherebynow · 13/02/2026 16:00

I’m just fed up with this narrative. We have all been told about our ‘ticking biological clock’ for 30-odd years. It’s summarised well in Bridget Jones Diary. I’m in my 50s and had my DC in my mid to late 30s. Before meeting my DH in my early 30s I had 2 long term relationships both with men in their mid 30s either that I would have been happy to settle down and have children with but neither of them felt they were ‘old enough to get tied down’ by having children yet. I’m glad now because my DH is the best, but its the extended length of man-child mindset that often makes women have children later, especially if you don’t want to have children with a man 20 years older than you (ie when they finally feel old enough). And do it on your own when you are younger or in an unstable relationship and they call you a feckless scrounger. And in their idea of accepting earning less you get left on a poverty income if you end up divorced, and somehow that’s your fault too. It’s pure misogyny and a template for men to retain power and control.

JHound · 13/02/2026 15:58

ObsessiveGoogler · 12/02/2026 17:30

Well for a start it's assuming women make decisions about fertility in a vacuum. What about men? What about discussing how they can become supportive and respectful partners so women might want to have children with them earlier? And what about exploring why financially women find it difficult to have children younger due to the cost of housing and childcare and the hit to our careers. Nope - we just need to accept our primary purpose is to breed. And I think everyone knows now that fertility declines with age.

Exactly this!

It’s tiring that they continue to assume women’s reproductive choices are made in a vacuum.

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 15:57

What age 'young children' and 'young women' does he mean?

JHound · 13/02/2026 15:55

LightningMode · 12/02/2026 17:15

I'm not seeing the problem? There is no harm in ointing out to girls and young women that their fertility rates change with age. I was of a generation who were constantly told not to get pregnant, that it would ruin our lives, and then we did start trying, in our thirties, our fertility rates had lessened.

And how does this help when their male partners aren’t ready for children / insist on having fewer children.

I am mid 40s and have been beaten over my head with fertility my entire life like most women. Maybe falling birth rates aren’t simply down to silly ignorant women leaving it too late.

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 15:54

rainandshine38 · 13/02/2026 15:51

Maybe young incel men don’t appeal to women and that’s the problem!

Edited

As the article reports, that's not the problem though.

It's women. And "young girls".

OP posts:
JHound · 13/02/2026 15:53

“Her research noted that the introduction of safe spaces and trigger warnings on university campuses, as well as growing concerns about censorship and free speech at universities, “share a common theme: they reflect the priorities of women”.

The male dominated MAGA movement created a whole separate Superbowl half time show as a safe space from having to listen to songs in Spanish.

But sure trigger warnings and safe spaces are a “female temperament”.

These people HATE women. I hope the birth rate continues to plummet.

rainandshine38 · 13/02/2026 15:51

Maybe young incel men don’t appeal to women and that’s the problem!

JoyOfSpecs · 13/02/2026 15:48

SerendipityJane · 13/02/2026 15:44

The article seemed aimed at addressing women (and young girls) shortcomings.

That's Farage and Reform for you.

JHound · 13/02/2026 15:48

And why do they always frame it in this manner - as if young women impregnate themselves and have children alone.

Unless similar discussions are had with young men it’s a pointless discussion.