In Chicago, service providers have also documented increased demand for very basic services, such as emergency food. And welfare reform is just beginning to reach the hard cases of impoverished urban areas or isolated rural ones. Like my friend, half of all welfare recipients are married and, on average, welfare recipients have fewer children than the average American woman. Therefore, it is not surprising that, as previously reported in The American Feminist , the impact of welfare reform on childbearing decisions is mixed. Supporters of welfare reform see it as presenting opportunities for women trapped in a cycle of poverty.
Critics see it as putting more women and children at economic risk.
While it is too early to determine which viewpoint is accurate, pro-life feminists can advocate against coercive measures such as the family cap on benefits in states while working for supportive measures such as increased child support enforcement. This will help women as they struggle with the new transition from welfare to work.