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Childfree
Not childless
And she knows, she knows
And I know she knows, and I know she knows
And deep down, she knows, she knows— J. Cole
The script was prewritten.
By the time your chest shows evidence of maturity, you should be thinking of getting kids. Breast maturity may precede the first menstrual period, which could be hidden from the public. A maturing female chest couldn’t. You were now ripe to have children. That was the script.
In the past, no constitution guided when it was right for a man to sleep with a woman. Sometimes, they were hardly old enough to be called a woman, but these kinds of arguments could have the lady burnt for witchcraft. You never questioned men.
Marriages were arranged. It was strategic. Find a partner who would uplift your status. Better yet, if you’re male, find several ladies. In certain communities, such as the Lele of Kasai, females were tied to different males. Then, make as many babies as you can.
My grandmother had a soccer team for children. It was more unusual if you had fewer kids. It was a sign of wealth and innate endowment. Therein lies the clue.
A man could not consider taking a second wife if he didn’t have the vigour and means…
