Lucy Ellmann, author of the one-sentence, 1,000-page novel Ducks, Newburyport, is raising eyebrows with her three-sentence, 62-word take on parenthood.
In an interview with the Guardian, Ellmann discussed relationships between mothers and daughters, noting that her own experience as a mother was both “enraging” and “delightful,” and that she admired women who forgo having children due to environmental concerns.
Then she added this: “You watch people get pregnant and know they’ll be emotionally and intellectually absent for 20 years. Thought, knowledge, adult conversation, and vital political action are all put on hold while this needless perpetuation of the species is prioritized. Having babies is a strong impulse, a forgivable one, but it’s also just a habit, a tradition, like weddings or putting butter on popcorn.”
Her comments seemed tailor-made to ignite an explosion on social media, and Twitter did not disappoint, with reactions ranging from measured support to unbridled anger.
I'm so furious that people are taking this out of context. If you think Lucy Ellmann hates mothers, you haven't read her. Here is the full answer she gave. Read it all. pic.twitter.com/sVxnSFIGO2
— Sian Cain (@siancain) December 10, 2019
In addition to how much everyone is taking Lucy Ellmann's quote out of context, dear god, is it really so bad for writers to say some wild shit?
— Lincoln Michel (@TheLincoln) December 10, 2019
You really want all your artists to just start speaking like media trained sports stars mumbling anodyne cliches in interviews?
Lucy Ellmann can say what she wants about motherhood because she's got kids AND has written a book that's 1087 pages long. Give her a fucking cigar and the keys to the city. (Any city)
— lucy sweet (@lucytweet1) December 10, 2019
This Lucy Ellmann interview is like a master class on elitist faux-feminism.
— Nat My President (@NatPurser) December 10, 2019
How incredibly patronizing and cruel to declare that mothers can’t be mentally present, that the rest of life simply falls off, that although SHE has kids it’s not “sensible” for other women to. Stop. pic.twitter.com/0bYNddEO5t
It’s embarrassing how small-minded this makes Lucy Ellmann appear. https://t.co/tLNjPiXTee
— Colin J. Smothers (@colinsmo) December 10, 2019
I know Lucy Ellmann is just being tediously provocative in her @guardian interview, but how can you call yourself a feminist when you're saying that all mothers are "intellectually absent for 20 years"?
— Hannah Beckerman (@hannahbeckerman) December 10, 2019
Does she say the same about fathers? No, she does not.🤦♀️ pic.twitter.com/bFKqBoTKe9
Michael Schaub is an Austin, Texas–based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.