Voluntary Childlessness: A Societal Perspective

In New Zealand, the number of childless couples has increased (Statistics New Zealand, 2013). More women are choosing not to have children. Does this mean that voluntary childlessness is becoming something that is normalised? Are women really free to make this decision? What are the societal implications of a decision of this nature? When it comes to what is expected from women in the Western society ‘woman’ and ‘mother’ are often connected. In this essay, I will argue, through the lens of Foucauldian theory and then from a feminist anthropological perspective that women have less freedom than it seems when it comes to decisions about their own reproduction. Utilising some aspects of Foucault 's theoretical framework, I will briefly outline

All my life I have admired my parents’ strong work ethic and workplace competency and achievement. My expectations were that if I wanted to sacrifice myself to a career, it would not raise an eyebrow. As a child I was told that I could be whatever I dreamed of; in my dreams I never envisioned myself as a mother. I began suggesting my decision of childlessness to my parents in subtle ways but it was not until a family dinner with both mine and my partners family that I was asked bluntly by my mother if I was serious about not wanting children. At that point I openly declared that I had no plan or desire to have kids. The conversation that followed took away any shred of confidence I had about my chosen childlessness and left me with a feeling of unexpected

My mother then softly asked me to tell her why? She needed me to justify why I did not want children.

I tried to understand why all the comments and questions were directed at me even though the decision was mutually made. It was just as much Josh’s decision yet I was being viewed as the resistant party. After it had all simmered down my mother told me that when she was my age she did not want children either. She only insisted that I rethink childlessness because her mother had convinced her to have children. She reinforced that she would accept my decision whatever it may be. I could not help but feeling that even though biologically it was my choice, in reality I would not be normal if I chose to not to have children. The underlying expectations of motherhood, a part of the Western society I was brought up in, meant that I did not have the freedom of choice I thought I