Dispelling Community Stereotypes: Childfree Doesn’t Mean Carefree

In this episode we are going to address some prevalent social stereotypes most often, projected onto people without children, in general, and specifically from the perspective of Kimberly Martinez Phillips, who is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Sociology Department at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her research and dissertation are focused on single, never-married, childfree women of color. Many of the women interviewed are childfree, but that does not mean their lives are carefree. Her analysis utilizes the perspectives of feminist standpoint theory and decolonial feminism through an intersectional lens. In alignment with many of the key focus areas of New Legacy Institute, we will discuss the many presumptions of a childfree life being equated to a carefree or responsibility free life. We will delve into the expectations and realities of people without children becoming caretakers for parents or other family members, and the social and economic realities of being single and not having children. We will also address the gross misconceptions that human characteristics such as being nurturing and having empathy, among others, are exclusive trait of mothers and parents. Join us live for this conversation addressing some of the poignant issues for our community, and for the opportunity to learn from the rich dissertation research outcomes Kimberly Martinez Phillips will share with us in this special follow up episode.