Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach received praise on social media after expressing her view about some people’s choice to go child-free.
In an online show called “#ABTalks,” Emirati entrepreneur Anas Bukhash asked Pia if she wanted to have children in the future.
“Do you wanna have children?” the entrepreneur asked.
Before responding to the question, Pia thanked Anas for how he worded his question if she wants to have kids instead of when she is having them.
“Thanks for asking because you know, people just ask me, ‘When are you going to have kids?” she said.
The beauty queen then told Anas that she did want children in the future, but not right at this point in her life.
“Yes, I do wanna have children one day. Not now, not at this point in my career and in my life and Jeremy is also fine with that but in the future, we would love to have a family,” the beauty queen said.
Jeremy Jauncey is a travel entrepreneur whom she married earlier this year.
Pia then explained her thoughts about a woman’s worth.
“I think your worth as a woman is not measured by you being able to bear a child. There are really so many more things to a woman than just bearing children,” she said.
Pia further stated that there are many reasons why some women chooses to go child-free.
“Some women do not want to have kids. Some women want to be amazing at their careers, they want to put all their effort into that. Maybe they want to take care of their parents all their life. Maybe they want to commit their life to social work. Maybe they just have different plans. That doesn’t mean that a woman is less valuable or less capable or less able,” the 33-year-old model said.
“I really want to stand up for women who choose not to have kids. I respect that, I salute that,” she added.
Pia then shared that she is getting irked by the question of “when” she will be having kids.
“I want to [have kids], eventually, but I’m going to be honest, I’m hating that question lately,” she said with a chuckle.
The full two-hour interview of Pia can be streamed on Anas’ YouTube channel.
How people reacted
Pia quickly gained buzz on social media following her statements in this interview.
Some X (formerly Twitter) users shared a different perspective, saying it has been accustomed to asking married women about their pregnancy plans.
Several Filipinos, meanwhile, approved and supported her views on being child-free in life or in the meantime.
“This is why we don’t reduce women to their ability to reproduce and we don’t reduce marriage to just having children. Women aren’t less of a person if they decide to not have children or if they can’t have children because of underlying health conditions,” an online user said.
“Every woman is empowered whether she chooses to be a mother or a career person,” another Filipino wrote.
“Let people decide what they want to be and to have in the future! I totally agree with you, Pia,” a Facebook user commented.
Other Filipinos also pointed out that being a parent comes with a big responsibility.
“As a human being, WHY do we have to measure one’s value against one’s ability to procreate? Having kids is a lifetime commitment. You cannot bring children into this world and neglect their needs. If you cannot make happy, healthy, and smart children, do not procreate!” an online user said.
Last June, during a question-and-answer segment on Instagram Stories, Pia also expressed how bothered she was by the inquiries about her plans to have a baby.
“Honestly, I find these questions so personal. I wonder why this is considered a normal thing to ask though. First it was ‘Kailan ka mag-aasawa?’ Now, it’s constantly, ‘Kailan kayo magkakaanak?’” she replied to one of her fans on the platform.
READ: ‘Considered normal?’: Pia Wurtzbach’s IG story opens talks about boundaries, family expectations
