Pop singer Chappell Roan has been transparent over the years about being diagnosed with severe depression, being chronically unhappy, and being a childfree feminist.
It's ironic in a way that she's now facing backlash for her claim on the Call Her Daddy podcast that no parents are happy, especially those with younger children.
The singer recently sat for an interview on the podcast, sharing where she's at with her music, things in life that influence her work, and her thoughts on societal norms, like relationships and families.
But what surprised listeners was the sweeping hot take that she made about all parents, starting with her friends.
Across from Alex Cooper, the singer shared her observation:
"All of my friends who have kids are in h**l. I don't know anyone who's happy and has children at this age."
"I literally have not met anyone who's happy, anyone who has any light in their eyes, anyone who has slept."
You can watch the segment here:
The podcast episode, particularly this segment, was immediately met with scathing criticism and a heated debate online about parenthood, feminism, and happiness.
It hardly seemed "feminist" to some for a person to assume that no woman could choose to be a mother and still be happy. Others pointed out that it was a limiting mindset, assuming that experiencing struggles or occasionally complaining about parenting were the same as being unhappy.
Some parents came forward, refuting Roan's claims.
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Others who agreed with Roan felt that the parents were only proving her point.
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Some people simply threw up their hands, done with Chappell Roan at this point.
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Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, and should decide whether or not being a parent is right for them, but does that make it okay for them to judge someone else's choices?
Seeing a tired parent or hearing a parent confide about a difficult moment—or day or week or year— and assuming they are eternally unhappy is quite a stretch.
Also, it feels ironic to hear someone who claims to be perpetually unhappy comment on other people's unhappiness.
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