In the usual weird way in which my brain works it occurred to me that many of the women astronauts are without children. I can think of Kalpana Chawla, Sunita Williams, and Sally Ride. I am inclined to look at the facts as they are rather than putting them through any loaded prisms such as women's rights, etc. Fact of the matter is technology is not yet so advanced that men can give birth to babies. Giving birth still remains the exclusive preserve (and may be a 'privilege' too -- but that's an assessment for ladies themselves to make about themselves) of women. Post natal care also involves (or needs) significant contributions from the mother. The late pregnancy period also is a time of many physical changes to the expectant mother. The father is at an advantage in all these respects. He can afford to be essentially a pure bystander in all of these. The maximum is whatever level of emotional investment he chooses to make in the dangers involved in the ...
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