Childfree Crones on: Why International Childfree Day?

by Laura Carroll & Marcia Drut-Davis

It’s official – With Marcia in her 70s and Laura in her 50s, we’re childfree elders. Childfree crones. We’ve been working toward societal acceptance of having no children by choice for quite some time now. With Marcia, it goes back to 1974.

Marcia certainly wasn’t celebrated as a childfree woman when she was on 60 Minutes that year. Her first encounter with pronatalism led to losing her job and even facing death threats. It was quite an eye opener to how media and people reacted to the childfree lifestyle at the time.

In 2000, Laura was interviewed on network television and a variety of morning shows about her newly released book, Families of Two: Interviews with Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice, and fortunately the topic featured the childfree in more of a curious way. But on other media? Let’s just say, talking about being childfree on talk radio was challenging. Negative sentiment in the general public definitely existed.

Since then, the expansion of the digital age in particular has helped people better understand the childfree choice, fostered the childfree to find community, and addressed the myths surrounding those who have no children by choice.

Sadly, though, we elder crones feel that while society has made strides, myths and inaccurate perceptions remain about the childfree choice and those who make it. Today, we still get childfree people contacting us saying things like, “I never knew it was OK or normal to not want kids!”

Wouldn’t you think by now childfree people could be accepted for what is just a personal choice? Wouldn’t you think by now people would see the value of that not having kids has on humanity? There’s still a ways to go. As your childfree wise ones, we want you younger ones to keep on keeping on. And we are here to continue to support, enlighten and encourage you to carry on with what matters.

Making International Childfree Day special is a step. Whether it be inviting people to a restaurant, telling friends and family you are childfree, writing a Letter to the Editor, or taking a moment to feel the pride you have in being a non-parent, we encourage you to do something in honor of this Day.

What is something we crones would love for you to do? Nominate someone you know to be considered for a childfree award given each year on International Childfree Day!

This award is about how childfree people live their lives by example, and what they have done for themselves, their family, community, and/or our world. Don’t be shy – you can even nominate yourself! Deadline for nominations is July 22nd!

Your nomination is a wonderful way for you to walk on the road with us as we continue to work toward the full acceptance of the childfree choice in society.

Make these two crones smile, and nominate a special person for this award, one that once a year, puts them in the spotlight for all of us to celebrate on August 1, International Childfree Day!

Laura Carroll, author of Families of Two, The Baby Matrix

Marcia Drut-Davis, author of Confessions of a Childfree Woman: A Life Spent Swimming Against the Mainstream