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‘Unnatural’, ‘Unwomanly’, ‘Uncreditable’ and ‘Undervalued’: The Significance of Being a Childless Woman in Australian Society

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Abstract

Childlessness is an increasing trend, internationally and in Australia. The few studies exploring the lived experiences of childless women have been conducted in America, Canada and the United Kingdom; predominantly during the 1980s and 1990s. The experiences of childless women in contemporary Australia remain under-researched. This hermeneutic phenomenological study sought to enhance understanding of the lived experience of being a childless woman in contemporary Australia. In-depth interviews with five childless women revealed five key themes as significant facets of the experiences of childless women: notions of ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’; woman = mother; childlessness as a discrediting attribute; feeling undervalued; and the significance of being childless. By privileging the experiences of childless women in a pronatalist society, it is apparent that misconceptions and stereotypes about childlessness continue to pervade. This study contributes to understanding this growing population group; highlighting that while childlessness is increasingly acknowledged, it is still not completely understood.

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Notes

  1. Based on Letherby [40] and Daniluk’s [14], involuntarily childless women are those who desire to have children, but due to infertility (the inability to achieve a viable pregnancy after 1 year of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse) are unable to have biologically related children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Health Through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE), School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia

    Stephanie Rich, Ann Taket, Melissa Graham & Julia Shelley

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  1. Stephanie Rich
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  2. Ann Taket
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Correspondence to Stephanie Rich.

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Rich, S., Taket, A., Graham, M. et al. ‘Unnatural’, ‘Unwomanly’, ‘Uncreditable’ and ‘Undervalued’: The Significance of Being a Childless Woman in Australian Society. Gend. Issues 28, 226–247 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-011-9108-1

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