2026 Theses Doctoral

She Defined Her Own Happiness: Uncovering the Envisioned Reproductive Futures of Sikh Young Women in the United States

Singh, Pavita

Every human being faces the decision of if, when, and how to become a parent. This decision powerfully shapes how people view themselves and are viewed by others. While these dimensions of reproductive decision-making have been explored in diverse populations worldwide, they have not been sufficiently examined in the Sikh population.

The present narrative inquiry uncovered how a sample of Sikh young women in the United States envisioned their reproductive futures and the factors they considered as they did so. Eligible participants were cisgender and heterosexual Sikh women between the ages of 18 and 24 who had at least one Sikh parent and grew up in the US since age 5 or younger.

Participants were purposively recruited through the Instagram pages of Sikh student associations on college campuses, the Manhattan Sikh Association public WhatsApp group, the newsletter of the Sikh human rights organization SALDEF, and the principal investigator’s personal social media. The secondary recruitment method was snowball sampling. Semi-structured, audio-recorded Zoom interviews were conducted with 30 participants and analyzed through thematic analysis and poetic inquiry. Twenty-four out of the 30 participants wanted to have children.

Most wanted to wait until they were established in their careers and wanted to have them naturally. Reasons for wanting or potentially wanting children included an enjoyment of caregiving, maternal instinct, positive family dynamics, the chance not to repeat negative family interactions, and preservation of Sikhism. However, those who wanted children were not without fears and doubts, including work-life balance and health concerns. Reasons for not wanting or potentially not wanting children included preference for pet parenthood, prioritization of career, lack of maternal instinct or fondness for children, wanting to break intergenerational trauma cycles, the responsibility of raising children, and the state of the world.

Tentative hypotheses drawn from the study include that envisioning reproductive futures starts early, ambivalence and uncertainty are common but strategic, the current generation exhibits autonomy in reproductive decision-making, Sikh young women appear inclined towards having children, family relationships are more important than romantic relationships to childbearing intentions, misinformation about reproductive processes is present among Sikh young women, the state of the world has Sikh young women questioning their envisioned reproductive futures, and different pathways to parenthood are normalized among Sikh young women.

The study revealed the need for safe spaces for emerging adults to reflect on their reproductive identities without judgement, including healthcare and community settings, and to engage entire communities in supporting Sikh young women’s reproductive autonomy. Discrimination against Sikh youth must also be addressed in order for Sikh young women to feel they are raising their potential children in a safe environment.

Future research could take a longitudinal approach; recruit an equal number of participants who want and do not want or have and do not have children; include young men, LGBTQ+ Sikhs, and Sikh young women of different ages and geographies; compare Sikh young women with young women of different religions; allow for participant co-creation of narratives; and include observations in addition to interviews. Overall, the narratives in the present study convey to current and future generations of Sikh young women that they have the power to imagine, to create their own paths, and to define their own happiness.

Keywords: reproductive decision-making, reproductive identity, Sikh, childbearing intentions, reproductive futures, reproductive health, narrative inquiry, poetic inquiry