Jameela Jamil Gets Candid About Why She's "Afraid Of Having Children"

Jameela Jamil is not only a talented actress, who's starred on popular TV shows like The Good Place, but she's also an impassioned body positivity activist who often challenges society to reexamine how womanhood and traditional femininity are defined. And she's not afraid to use her platform to tackle what some may consider to be taboo topics. Most recently, in an interview with Bustle for its second annual Rule Breakers issue, Jameela Jamil admitted she's "afraid of having children" and her honesty and openness on the topic serve as an important reminder that it's OK to question whether or not you really want to have kids.

As far as taboos are concerned, Jamil is here to shift the cultural narratives about women — women's bodies, beauty, and yes, marriage and reproduction. While speaking with Bustle, Jamil opened up about why specifically she might not want to have children with her partner, English singer-songwriter James Blake.

"The sh*tty deal that young people have makes me so sad, and so frustrated, and so afraid of having children myself," the actress said. "It just seems crazy to bring children into this world right now and it's getting scarier. I am not going to take that leap until I feel like things are changing for the better. I guess that's why I'm being so aggressive."

Jamil is not the first to share her concerns about bringing more children into a world that is already struggling. Recently, Prince Harry revealed during an interview with Vogue that he only wants to have "two [kids], maximum" with his wife Meghan Markle due to concerns about climate change: "Surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation." Additionally, there's an entire movement of women part of movement called Birth Strike who've committed to not having children unless serious and quantifiable action is taken against environmental damage.

Beyond being open about her thoughts on whether to start a family one day, Jamil has also been candid about her decision to have an abortion when she was younger. After Georgia's "heartbeat ban" was passed, as The Washington Post reported at the time, the activist penned on Twitter: "I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn’t want, and wasn’t ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially."

Jamil is fiercely outspoken about many other issues that affect women today. In her interview with Bustle, she also addressed everything from Photoshop to why she doesn't hate the Kardashians. "I’m not trying to cancel anyone," she said. "The [Kardashians] have a huge amount of influence. I just want them to use that for more good. I think what Kim does with the prison system is really cool. Stop selling laxatives and I’ll get off your d*ck."

Jamil is absolutely fearless in speaking up for what she believes in, whether be it reproductive health, body image, or overall personal wellness. It's encouraging to hear more women openly dissect the complexities of childrearing and the multitude of reasons why some may choose other life paths.