Women are constantly fighting against a ticking clock, whether this be represented by society, their family or friends, there is always some voice in the back of their head reminding them of their time slowly running out. Think about almost every single woman at the age of 30, they’re constantly talking about how they need to get married and start having children, or how freaked out they are about waiting too long and not being able to have children. Women are constantly reminded how little time they have to start their lives compared to men. Men’s narratives are completely different, they are always told to just figure out what they want first, and reassured about how young they are, how much time they have. Society doesn’t shove parenthood down men’s throats starting in the early 20s like they do with women. Why do we put so much pressure on women to grow up so quickly? Just because women mature faster, does not mean they want to grow up faster too. 

Biologically and hormonally, men have more time. According to babycentre.co.uk(https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a564598/dads-to-be-how-your-age-can-affect-your-fertility-and-your-babys-health#:~:text=Although%20most%20men%20are%20able,tends%20to%20decrease%20with%20age ,) men can have children well into their 50s and beyond; and although the ability to reproduce increases in difficulty with age, men are still capable of it later in life. Women stop being able to get pregnant after menopause, which is a decline in reproductive hormones that women reach around their mid-to-late 40s. Men don’t have a set cut-off when they are no longer able to reproduce. Unless there is something wrong with their reproductive organs, men can have children for a full decade more than women. This allows for men to be given more time to focus on their career, or anything else they would rather focus on than having children. Society allows and encourages this as well, yet when women want to focus on something other than children they are shamed or discouraged. 

The sad reality is that when women choose not to have children or even get married, they are seen as if something is wrong with them. They are often asked if they cannot physically have children, or if they haven’t met the right guy yet. When a man in his 20s-30s is not married he’s cheered on for not settling down too quickly and just enjoying being young; women do not get this privilege, instead they get hectored on what they are waiting for and why they aren’t starting their lives. This double standard needs to stop, otherwise women will continue to see themselves as objects, nothing but this thing to make babies and be housewives. As mentioned before, just because women mature quicker does not mean they want to grow up before they reach their 30s.