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Are You a Breeder?
No, I don’t mean of dogs. I’ve encountered the curious word “breeders” a couple of times in the past week from lefties. As near as I can tell, it’s the way they combine their two most compelling (to them) religious beliefs: gay rights and environmentalism. “Breeders” are those who have the audacity to have a baby, thereby unkindly reminding same-sex couples that they have no such ability and at the same time increasing the surplus population that will consume stuff and destroy the earth. The term and its implications are so distasteful that I suspect it is one that has been used among lefties for a long time, but that they have kept out of their conversation with the larger world for fear it would hurt their cause. After all, there is definitely a misanthropic, Scrooge-like quality to the term. I speculate that now they are feeling confident in their ascendancy and are allowing it to slip out.
Let’s examine the term for a moment. It manages, in one fell swoop, to denigrate the ability to produce children, the people who do it and the children themselves — all with canine or bovine overtones. I have great hope that this will backfire, but who can tell in this upside-down and backwards age?
Has anyone else encountered this word in casual conversation or unfortunate Facebook discussions? I believe it originated in that dreadful and ridiculous 80s novel, A Handmaid’s Tale.
Published in General
“Breeder.” I have only ever heard it used as a pejorative referring to someone with more children than the observer deems “necessary.” Not sure if more than 3 kids is when people become “breeders.” I’ve also heard it used to denote a welfare mother, with multiple children by different men.
The “breeder” slur ranks right up there with the rude response anytime I reveal that I am one of 9 siblings, “Are you Catholic?” My answer, “Um, no. Should I be?” Shuts them right up.
Being part of a large family, within the privacy of our own family, we joke about “being breeders.” All my siblings have at least two children, and most are looking for more than two.
One of my sibs has a goal of 6 children. Darn breeder? No. The good news is that she is raising her brood to be contributors to society, not takers.
Merina,
This is the kind of thing to keep a watch on. By now I have too often used the joke “I think they made heterosexuality illegal last week. Homosexuality is legal and encouraged.” Usually I wait a couple of beats and there is a burst of laughter.
It ain’t funny that this society has descended to this level decadence. Don’t forget to check the weather report. I think they are predicting salt raining from the sky again.
Regards,
Jim
My version is “He/she’s straight. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
But yes, we live in a rather messed up time for this kind of humor to even be funny.
Here is my take. It is an essay I wrote several years back: The Plague.
I have heard the term before. Doesn’t bother me. Why? Because those deriding me with it really don’t matter in the long run.
Seawriter
In a sweeping generalization, conservatives have children while the left tends not to breed. We make more, while they tend not to was my point.
First son has six boys.
First daughter has a girl and four boys, but she had to take an enforced break.
Second son is expecting #2.
Third son is not yet married.
Second daughter, married but not started yet.
Fourth son is just turning eighteen. Give him a chance.
Does that answer your question?
I learned it from a movie I think was made in the 80s set in a dystopian future with a vicious one child only policy that included miscarriages.
I haven’t encountered it IRL but while growing up my parents were the subject of much derision for daring to have 4 children. 4! From people in their church. Those people were the minority but they were loud and rude and not above telling us kids that our parents were irresponsible to have had “so many”. My parents finished off with 8 kids, tho one died in infancy, and I’m very happy my parents ignored those people.
For example… ?
Why yes, I believe I am. We’re expecting our second, and they will be 21 months apart. We don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
I come from a six-child family, but we never got any weird comments; we live in Lancaster County and are surrounded by Amish and Mennonites, who tend to go for 8+. :)
I’ve seen the term written, but not often spoken out loud. I agree it is an economical way for progressives to promote abortion, gay rights, and environmental extremism all in one swipe. A bit ironic since progressives aren’t usually very economical…
Update: I forgot to answer the question. Yes. We have a wonderful boy and girl.
I come from a long line of breeders; one of 12 with 4 kids. Both sides of my family came to CA in the gold rush and stayed to ranch and farm. Children were (and are) an asset. I prefer to think that we are, generation by generation, improving the species.
Strangely enough, the gay couples that I know are working very hard to have children. Meaning spending lots of $ on in-vitro, surrogates, donors, etc. I take from this it that this is not at all a gay thing, but much more an irresponsible thing. e.g. I can live my life anyway I choose since I do not need to worry about future generations.
New name for the Redskins! Goooo Breeders! Yay!!
It’s such an unattractive aspect of leftism. We only have two, so are unlikely to encounter the pejorative. For those who do, I’d suggest asking them why they’re so hostile to family. I’d ask it seriously and listen intently to their answer. Because they are hostile, and it’d be interesting to find out if they know it and can explain it.
You’re a moderate, Tom, but there are many things that help families that libertarians don’t like–zoning for example. Families don’t want to live near strip clubs or porn shops and the like. Most parents don’t want to legalize drugs or prostitution for fear their children will get sucked in. Most parents want laws to assist them in their parenting by helping to create a more wholesome environment for their children. I for example, think parietals in colleges are a really good idea. And for heavens sake, who came up with the stupid idea to have co-ed dorms? Good grief.
Sunlight is the best way to fight. We smile and let the other side show their pettiness.
Heard the term in the late 80s or early 90s, like many others. I have five (5) children and have been asked numerous times if I know what contraception is . . . it is small people that ask. You can feel the left’s hate for all that is not them in the term.
We have three offspring (too old to be called “kids” anymore). Since I was third of five, it was the least I could do without seeming ungrateful.
I heard the term ‘breeder’ casually used somewhere in the 10-20 year ago range. I just assumed it was sour grapes from a childless couple, but then, I am known for being excessively gracious….
My very good friend and his wife have 3 children all not necessarily planned (they use the calendar methods and they aren’t very good at it). Only with him would I even thing of making a joke like that. To a stranger or someone who isn’t a very close friend and asking it is any way but completely facetious manner? Those truly are small people.
That’s an interesting subject that deserves it’s own thread. I’m open to changing my mind but my general feeling is that I’d rather see such conflicts — which are real — resolved without force of law and with the presumption that people have the right to do as they please with their property.
I think we can agree on a problem without necessarily agreeing on the solution. Again, we could do a whole thread on this, but there are costs to prohibition as well as legalization. Saying that — on the whole — society is better-served by the state legalizing something is not the same as social approval.
Back on topic, my wife and I are planning to have three kids, starting in a couple of years.
And calling people with large families “breeders” is gross. I confess I don’t get the idea of wanting more than five kids, but the word betrays the worst of Lefty contempt.
Yes, I am a proud breeder and my eldest daughter and her male husband have also produced a child. With luck, they will produce more and then our grandchildren will have children. Maybe our other children with have children! How novel!
As I understand it, that’s the way we get new humans and keep the species going. Personally I happen to think it is a good thing…even though some of the grandkids might end up being Progressives.
I, too, am a breeder, and proud of it. I remember seeing the term used a a pejorative against Sarah Palin in 2008. Lefties can’t conceive ( pardon the pun) of anyone having more than two children.
What a sweet little angel! I miss those days!
That reminds me on an aphorism:
Sex is inherited.
If your parents never had it, chances are you won’t either.
Proud breeder here, and even prouder that my brood are breeding.
I love these remarks! The comeback lines are SO much fun!
ContraWHAT?
Is that one o’dem water balloon thingies?
I worship Mother Nature. She decides how many I should have.
Ever since the Reagan administration, I have never supported anything with the word “Contra” in it.
Confession: I used the expression myself in ’85. A neighbour called to commiserate on the birth of our third child. She worked for planned parenthood BTW. Then she had the cheek to ask if one of my boys could come over to play with her, adopted child, who was bored. I said she wouldn’t have that problem if she was a breeder. Mea culpa.
I heard the term back in the 80s. I am not a breeder, I love reminding my leftist friends with children about their breeder hypocrisy and pointing out that as a good leftist they need to do a late term abortion and off their children to save the planet. Since they like all people love their children and as good leftist like laws that control other people but not themselves they refuse my reasonable argument. This allows me to take the high ground and dismiss anything they say as hypocrisy and them as not serious people since they lack conviction of their principles. :)
I’ve only seen it written. I always just assumed it was a pejorative homosexuals used about heteros.
I hope you have the good fortune to have many descendants, PS, but I hope you are spared the misfortune of having Prog descendants! Hoping that for myself too….