Gina Rushton


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THE PARENTHOOD DILEMMA is available from Indigo Press in the UK here and from Astra Publishing House in the US here.


Should we become parents?

This question forces us to reckon with what we love and fear most in ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world.

When Gina Rushton considered this decision, the choice was less straightforward than she had assumed. Her search for an answer only uncovered more complexity. How do race, gender and class affect our experiences of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood? How do we address the paradox of creating new life on a planet facing catastrophic climate change? How do we navigate uncompromising workplace cultures and the pitfalls of excessive emotional labour? How does our own childhood impact how we choose to parent, if we do so at all?

Drawing on a depth of knowledge gained through her extraordinary work as an award-winning journalist, as well as her personal experiences, Rushton wrote the book she and others needed to transform the discourse around the parenthood dilemma.

Press for THE PARENTHOOD DILEMMA 


Praise for THE PARENTHOOD DILEMMA

"Moving" - The New Yorker

"Rushton writes with exquisite poetry about the ambiguities and conundrums young women face. She's unafraid of tackling the scariest questions" - The Irish Independent

"Rushton's work is generous, thoughtful and honest" - Booklist 

"Thoughtful, skilled and heartbreaking" - Our Culture 

"Unapologetic and fearlessly candid" - Lunate

‘Gina Rushton brings her forensic journalistic eye to the question of whether we choose to be a mother or not. This is an honest, compelling, well-researched book that makes a valuable contribution to the contemporary discussion about reproductive choices and rights in a nuanced and thoughtful way.’
— Dr Pragya Agarwal, author of (M)otherhood and Hysterical

‘A fiercely intelligent meditation on the decision to have a child, and an interrogation of all that modern motherhood entails.’
— Leah Hazard, author of Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began and Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story

‘A vigorous interrogation of one of the most significant decisions of our lives. Exceptionally clever, unfearing, and tender. An important addition to a growing body of contemporary literature that examines the intersection between our personal lives and global justice.’
— Alice Kinsella, author of Milk: On Motherhood and Madness

‘A smart and insightful exploration of parenthood – both personal and political – that’s sure to move, stir and inspire.’
— Chloë Ashby, author of Second Self and Wet Paint

‘The Parenthood Dilemma changed the way I view my life, myself, and the way I relate to the world. This is a vital, necessary read not just for those considering parenthood but for anyone who wants to live a more conscious, compassionate life and to more deeply understand the relation between individual and community, human and climate, and between our present lives and the past and future.’
— Emma Bolden, author of The Tiger and the Cage: A Memoir of a Body in Crisis

‘A passionate and punchy exploration of modern parenthood, mixing memoir with journalism, the personal and the political. A propulsive and powerful read.’
— Sam Mills, author of The Fragments of my Father and Chauvo-Feminism

‘Gina Rushton rips back the sentimental gauze of motherhood to confront a question as urgent as it is unmentionable: Should I – should anyone – bring a child into a world on fire? For parents and non-parents alike, this book is a call to arms to build a fairer, freer, more sustainable, and more truly feminist future.’
— Joanna Scutts, author of Hotbed: Bohemian Greenwich Village and the Secret Club that Sparked Modern Feminism

‘As a woman who struggled with whether or not to have a child, I appreciated Gina Rushton’s The Parenthood Dilemma immensely. I loved the beautifully written introspection and the meticulous reporting around considerations like climate change, fertility, genes, and reproductive rights — even as Rushton comes to understand that ‘no one is going to write the ending for me.’ I hate the term ‘must-read,’ but damn it, everyone considering having kids in this chaotic era should read this book.’
— Amber Sparks, author of And I Do Not Forgive You