We are Childfree
We are Childfree celebrates childfree lives, one story at a time. Through honest conversations about human experiences, Zoë Noble and James Glazebrook spotlight the diversity of our global community and offer advice, support and hope for like-minded folks. The podcast explores what it means to live a fulfilling life without children, sharing personal stories and practical insights. Find out how to live your best childfree life at https://wearechildfree.com/.
Episodes
Should I Break up with My Friend over Her Baby Shower? Ask WAC!
Should you break up with your friend when they won’t forgive you for missing their baby shower? That’s the question from someone who had to stay home to look after their sick dog - and is now being given the silent treatment - that we put to the We are Childfree community for this episode of Ask WAC!How do you reconcile with a friend who expects you to celebrate all their milestones but never retu
Sandy, 62 - "I Always Felt Real Women Were Over There, and I Was Over Here."
Sandy is living proof that there’s more than one way to be childfree! She used to struggle with ambivalence about having children, always feeling different to the other girls, but still feeling the same pressure to become a mother one day. After a lot of time and money spent on trying to get pregnant, it was in her late 30s that Sandy accepted and started to embrace a life without children.That’s
Are Childfree Women the New Witches?
Hag. Spinster. Crone. Childless cat lady 🐈⬛ The words have barely changed - and neither has the patriarchal playbook.In this episode, we trace the threads between the women burned as witches and the childfree women demonised today: fear of females outside of men’s control, the suspicion of our time and money, the medical misogyny that came after midwives and still shows up in doctor’s offices to
Karen, 67 - “I Won’t Let Fear Stop Me”
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wearechildfree.substack.com“Feel the fear and do it anyway” could be the motto of 67-year-old aussie legend Karen. She’s skydived despite her fear of heights, dived with sharks even though she didn't quite trusting the cowboys running the operation, and tried stand-up comedy - because of her terror of public speaking 💪For Karen, being c
The Motherhood Scam And Trad Wife Training
The alt right media is asking, "Why do the 'child-free' want EVERYBODY to devalue motherhood?", and warning women that "The Childfree Dream Is A Scam"... But who's selling who, and what are they peddling?In this ep, we meet the two genders of modern conservative media, Blaze and Evie, and dive deep into their grift: tricking you into giving up on feminism and becoming a trad-wife-in-training. Thei
Rae, 72 - “Be Your Own Best Friend”
Rae is a legend! From birth, she’s always been very sure of who she is and what she wants, feeling a powerful sense of inner strength - an absolutely no maternal instinct 🙅♀️Now 72, she was the baby of her family, but always treated like an adult, especially by her pharmacist father, who supplied her with the contraceptive pill among his other support. Rae seized the opportunity to create a life
Birth Rate Panic! Not our problem.
Another week, another birth rate panic!We recorded this ep before Dr Oz starting shrieking out about “under-babied” Americans, when the UK was freaking out about the death rate possibly exceeding the birth rate…But guess what bro, the birth rate’s been falling for 50 years! It might be time to accept that and adapt - unless what you’re really worried about is being “replaced” by people who don’t l
Judi, 68 - “I Feel Joyful Every Day”
Get curious with Judi, 68, who’s truly made the most of her freedom. Born an only child in a time and place when that was rare, she grew up in Los Angeles and spent summers with her countless cousins in Tennessee, having her eyes opened to different lifestyles and different choices from a young age.Determined to make the most of opportunities her grandmothers never had, Judi started her own busine
Does Having Kids Make You Happy?
We’re always warned we’ll end up unhappy if we don’t have children, but a recent study’s shown that parents are no happier than non-parents - and that’s SCIENCE! Cue the pronatalist backlash from self-proclaimed experts, including a bunch of dumb dads, claiming that what we’re really missing out on is meaning. But what’s the purpose of “Purpose” if it doesn’t make you, or anyone else, happy? Liste
Esther, 67 - "Every decade gets better!"
Meet Esther, 67, based in New Zealand. She's dedicated her life to teaching kids how to be curious and independent, and thinks of her students as her "lights in the world", her living legacy.Esther's come a long way from being adopted in Germany, and raised by neglectful parents who sought - unsuccessfully - to control her. She's travelled the world, campaigned for Greenpeace, championed underpriv
Gen Z Men are Not OK
A third of Gen Z men believe that a wife should always obey her husband. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! James takes us on a deep dive into young men’s attitudes about women, themselves and - most worryingly - gender equality. A survey that dropped on International Women’s Day shows how badly patriarchy drives men to hurt themselves, other men, and especially women. Listen in to hear Zoë g
"You'd Be a Great Mom!" - Reacting to Love Is Blind
Spoiler alert for Love Is Blind Season 10! And yes, we know he’s called Mike - but sometimes it’s hard to tell these guys apart 😅 Zoë dives deep into the toxic reality TV trope of “You’d be a great mom!” and reveals to James - and all of y’all - just how deep the pronatalist rabbit hole goes. You’re welcome? Seriously, we loved dissecting one of our guilty pleasures - if you enjoyed this too, let
No Regrets: Childfree Elders Share a Message of Hope
The podcast is back! Zoë and James check in from the Canary Islands, taking a break from our Childfree Elders Project to share some inspiration and hope from older icons 🙌 If you've ever wondered, "Will I regret not having children?", then this ep is for you!Watch the video of this episode here.Check out our Childfree Elders Project - share your story and help spread the word!Learn how to look at
Finding peace after childlessness with "apprentice crone" Jody Day
Meet Jody Day, an icon, an inspiration, and a pioneer in creating community for non-parents 💝From the episode:- how Jody worked through her childless grief to feel as childfree as if she’d chosen it- why everyone along the non-parent spectrum needs to unite to fight against the powers of pronatalism- Alterkin, Jody’s innovative, in-person, intergenerational community of non-parents who vow to supp
What to expect when your friends are expecting
We spill the childfree tea on the complicated feelings that come up when we find out our friends are pregnant. It’s something almost all of us will face at some point - so we surveyed the childfree community to get the truth about the topic!Then, in a re-released Ask WAC chat, we rally round a couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is
Life is a risk, with 73-year-old world traveller Maria Coffey
Maria Coffey has lived A LIFE. She started travelling in her teens, desparate to escape safe, settled life in the UK and see the world. From Morocco to Malawi to the remote Solomon Islands, Maria’s adventures have taken her to places and people she never would have experienced had she had children. Now 73, Maria looks back on a life full of love and loss, of risks and rewards - but no regrets!Foll
Ask WAC: How do you tell kids you’re childfree?
A listener asks: what do you say when a child asks, do you have kids?This one goes out to all the cool aunts, childcare professionals, and our wonderful childfree community who offered such great advice!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue
Ask WAC: External pressures or authentic desires?
OK this one’s a doozy! Even if you’re sure you want kids, society’s going to try and pressure you to doubt yourself and change your mind. And when that happens, how do you separate those external influences from your true heart’s desire. We offer some guidance, with the help of our wonderful childfree community!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.
Ask WAC: Help! I’m losing my friends to parenthood
We rally round a childfree couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is such a tricky problem that we’ve all either faced or one day will, so we tapped the We are Childfree community hive mind for some stellar support and amazing advice!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask W
Ask WAC: He doesn't want me to get a tubal ligation
“Now I wish I'd never brought it up but mostly I'm sad and feel quite alone.”We help out a childfree woman whose partner is pushing back against her decision to get permanent birth control surgery. There’s tons of great advice from the childfree community here, about negotiating this tricky subject with your partner, what to do if they seem to be sitting on the fence, and owning what is ultimately
Living with Less: Getting Intentional and Essential
Ever wondered how van life or any kind of long term travel really works? Like, practically speaking? In this episode we answer a great question from a day one supporter about how to downsize for a life of adventure. Listen in to hear...💪 Our brutal Marie-Kondo-on-steroids approach to shedding stuff🗺️ The logistics of long term travel without a home base🔮 How Essentialism (not Minimalism) helped us
AWA (Ask WAC Anything) Part 2: How To Live Your Best Childfree Life
Welcome to a very special episode, part 2 of our AWA - Ask WAC Anything 🙌We welcome your questions about how to live your best childfree life and this vital project. Listen in to hear...💝 How to navigate friendships and dating when you're childfree😱 What to do if you fear aging alone🦸♀️ The We are Childfree origin story🧌 The worst trolls and how they'll never stop us!If you're worried about facin
AWA (Ask WAC Anything) Part 1: A Childfree Love Story
Welcome to a very special episode, part 1 of our AWA - Ask WAC Anything 🙌We welcome your questions about us, our relationship, our childfree choices! Listen in to hear...🍻 How Zoë and James met🤪 How we've handled being "different"💸 Who we're leaving our money to in our wills🚐 And what it's REALLY like living in a van!If you're worried about facing unwelcome questions this festive season, check out
Don’t fear regret, with Orna Donath
This is a very special episode of the podcast! I interviewed Orna Donath, the author of Regretting Motherhood, for an exclusive We are Childfree member event, and our conversation was so full of inspiration and insight that I had to share a preview with you all.Listen in to hear how…🔥 Regret often comes from societal pressures, not from our own choices🔥 Choosing not to have children can be a radic
Finding fulfilment, with 53-year-old childfree trailblazer Lydia
Meet Lydia, a 53-year-old childfree trailblazer who welcomed us into her wonderful home in Athens, Greece, and opened up about her two decade journey to fulfilment. Her story has so much to teach us, especially that it’s never too late to embrace who you are and create the life that’s right for you 💖This podcast was brought to you by the generous support of the We are Childfree member community. T
How do you decide to be childfree?
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally published as a bonus episode on August 28, 2023)How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out!If you have a problem yo
How do I tell my partner I'm childfree? (Re-release)
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally released as bonus episode on July 28, 2023)How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out!If you have a problem you'd l
Will I regret being childfree? (Re-release)
Do childfree people ever regret their decision? That's the burning question we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally released as a bonus episode on June 14, 2023)How many childfree people experience regret? Where does that regret come from? What does it feel like? Listen to find out!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email h
How do you create your childfree future?
“How do you pave the way for your childfree future?”We help out a childfree woman who’s facing down 40 and wondering what it means for her future that she didn’t have kids? There’s tons of great advice from the childfree community here, about finding role models who inspire you, defining your own purpose and living life on your own terms!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with,
We both wanted kids but I’ve changed my mind!
“We both wanted kids but I’ve changed my mind - how do we talk about this?”The childfree community shares their advice and experiences with someone who’s found herself on the other side of the “kids fence” as her husband. Find out what men think about fatherhood, how to help your partner understand your side of things, and how to work to create a life that’s right for the both of you 🫶If you have
How do you steer the conversation away from kids?
“How do you steer the conversation away from kids?”Listen in as the childfree community rallies around someone whose friends have kids going off to college, and can’t talk about anything else! Find out how to support the mothers in your life and foster reciprocal relationships, even if it sometimes means boring them to tears about your dog 🐾If you have a problem you'd like the community's help wit
Help! My coworkers keep asking if I have kids!
“My new coworkers keep asking me if I have kids. What should I do?”That’s the burning question we answer with the help of the childfree community, for someone who’s started a new job where the watercooler conversations are… not cool.If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.Questions from We are Childfree members g
Putting my life first, with Natasha den Dekker
Natasha is a British-Asian woman who was born with a bicornate uterus, who found out at 21 that carrying a child to term would be very difficult and dangerous.This helped Natasha make a careful, considered choice about being childfree, but it was the final disappointment for her traditional Hindu parents who she’s now cut out of her life.This was an eye-opening conversation about growing up in Eng
Life done differently, with Lisa Jansen
We are Childfree community member Lisa Jansen is really living up to her idea of a “life done differently”.Based in New Zealand, Lisa left her cosy corporate life behind to live in a van for a summer - which turned into 5 years on the road! She’s just published a memoir called Life Done Differently, in which she shares the ups, downs and all the life-changing experiences of full-time van life.We’l
Bonus Podcast: Ask WAC - How do you decide to be childfree?
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this episode of Ask WAC!How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out!To get the full episode, join We are Childfree today 🤗And if you have a question or problem y
Bonus Podcast: Ask WAC - Will I regret being childfree?
Do childfree people ever regret their decision? That's the burning question we put to the We are Childfree community for the very first episode of Ask WAC!How many childfree people experience regret? Where does that regret come from? What does it feel like? Listen to find out!Sources for this episode:The incredible We are Childfree community. Join us!MSU study confirms: 1 in 5 adults don’t want ch
Childfree was chosen for me, with Sari Botton
Author Sari Botton calls her hysterectomy the best thing that ever happened to her, a true blessing. An older Gen Xer, she never felt entitled to choose not to be a mother, and at 40, found herself in a fertility clinic getting a diagnosis that gave her “permission” to live a happily childfree life. Sari has such a unique perspective, and it was amazing getting to talk about embracing a choice tha
Getting vulnerable, with Xander Marin
The first man we’ve ever had on the pod! We’ve had a lot of requests to hear from couples about how they navigate the childfree choice together, so we reached out to Xander, husband and business partner of sex therapist Vanessa Marin. The couple opened up on their Pillow Talks podcast about their decision not to have children, in what proved to be their most popular episode ever!Xander told us how
Bonus Podcast: Introducing The Childfree Tea!
Here's your first sip of Childfree Tea, the brand new bonus podcast from We are Childfree! Join founders Zoë and James for an emotional update on the ups and downs of running a global childfree community. Get the latest on our beautiful fur baby Olive, our wonderful coverage in The Guardian, meeting childfree icon Cindy Gallop and our plans to hit the road. To get more Childfree Tea, exclusive com
Life just gets better and better, with Cindy Gallop
Cindy Gallop is the older childfree role model we all need! She calls herself the “Michael Bay of business” because she likes to blow s**t up - most famously as the founder of the revolutionary social sex platform MakeLoveNotPorn.Cindy never wanted children, adores being single, dates younger men casually and recreationally for sex, and doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks! She’s become an
Classic We are Childfree! Navigating ambivalence, with clarity coach Keltie Maguire
Enjoy some classic We are Childfree! My conversation with clarity coach Keltie Maguire is one of our all-time most popular episodes - we still hear from people who say this conversation has helped them either work out whether they want kids or not, or to accept their ambivalence and move forward with their lives.If you’d like more help navigating your ambivalence, check out the online workshop we’
Dreaming of utopia, with Laura Zalenga
Like a lot of artists, portrait photographer Laura Zalenga is a dreamer. She imagines a future when generations live together, so the older people she met during her "Beauty of Age" project feel useful, and younger folks can benefit from their experience and wisdom. In this utopia, childfree people and parents support each other, and everyone has access to the education and choices that allow them
Create a life together, with Melanie Hunter
It can be hard trying to decide if you want children or not, and it can be doubly difficult when there are two people involved in the decision. That’s why I wanted to speak to today’s guest, Melanie Hunter, who went with her husband to couple’s therapy, specifically to unpack the question: should they have kids? It was fascinating to hear about how they made an intentional choice to be childfree,
Life on your own terms, with Eva zu Beck
Eva zu Beck knows more than most about finding the courage to put yourself out there as a strong, childfree woman. She’s a solo adventure traveller with millions of YouTube subscribers who - like the rest of us -struggles with being real, instead of trying to be perfect. In this super candid chat we shared about trying not to minimise ourselves, about setting boundaries and taking the freedom to f
We're just humans with hormones, with Emma Hollen
I invited Emma Hollen onto the pod because of a super-entertaining Twitter thread about her struggle to get a tubal ligation, and her eventual success, at age 30. As a pansexual, non-binary person, Emma doesn't feel that she fits the narrow definition of "woman" that society would force her into. And, as a science journalist, she taught me a lot about the diversity of the natural world, our place
Unfertilized eggs, with Jerra Latrice Mitchell
Jerra Latrice Mitchell is such an inspiration! She knew she was a teenager that she didn’t want kids, but later when she was diagnosed with fibroids and learned she couldn’t get pregnant, that brought up some big emotions that she needed to work through. Recognising that black women face different expectations around motherhood, and different experiences of infertility, Jerra created a space for o
Finding Acceptance, with Anna Brooke
Anna Brooke was born with a health issue which means that pregnancy and childbirth could be very dangerous for both herself and the child. Over time, she came to accept that she wouldn’t be able to have biological kids of her own. So instead of becoming a mother to the teen daughter she used to write to in her diary, Anna now works as a high school teacher. She’s showing her students that there ar
Go for your dreams, with Jenny Castano
For Jenny Castano, being childfree is so much more than a lifestyle choice - it’s meant having the freedom to create the life she’d always dreamed about. When she moved from Colombia to Queens, New York, as a teenager, Jenny already knew that she wanted to learn English, go to college, find a profession and travel the world. Check, check, check - she’s done all that! Even though she’s too modest t
Totally Tubular with Caitlin Durante
We are Childfree is back for season 2 with one of my dream guests! Caitlin Durante is an LA-based comedian and co-host of the Bechdel Cast, which takes a look at movies through an intersectional feminist lens. I spoke to Caitlin a year after her tubal ligation, in the run up to what she’s calling “raw dog summer part 2”! We shared our experiences getting permanent birth control, the hoops we had t
Best of the pod! Navigating ambivalence, with clarity coach Keltie Maguire (repost)
Keltie Maguire is a clarity coach who's originally from Canada and now lives in Germany. It's only in the last six months, as she nears her 40th birthday, that Keltie's reached a 95% confidence in her choice to embrace a life without children. That last 5% is super important, because Keltie isn't someone to fully close the door on any possibility, preferring to live the most dynamic life possible.
Best of the pod! Taking the road less-travelled, with 65-year-old clinical psychologist Shelley (repost)
Shelley is a clinical psychologist and second-wave feminist who's been fighting for our rights since the 70s. She was an early beneficiary of Roe vs Wade, which legalised abortion in the US, and chose to be sterilised at 21. Now that she's 65, it was a pleasure to look back with her over an action-packed life, to see how far we've come in the struggle for gender equality and bodily autonomy... and
Best of the pod! What if...? with novelist Donna Freitas (repost)
In Donna Freitas' new novel, The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, the eponymous heroine faces a dilemma. Before she got married, her husband promised her he didn't want children - but now he's changed his mind. Could happily childfree Rose will herself to become a mother in order to save her relationship, and if so, what might her life look like? Author Freitas found herself in this very scenario in
Best of the pod! Spread your wings, with feminist wellness advocate Doreen Caven (repost)
Doreen Caven was raised in a Catholic household in Nigeria, and she was a baby feminist even before she knew what the F-word meant. At an early age, she saw the role she was expected to fill, as a wife, a mother, submissive to men, and she wasn’t having any of it. Doreen and her younger sister, also childfree, now live in Los Angeles and run The Girls Like Me, a wonderful platform which amplifies
Best of the pod! Escaping cultural expectations, with Mohita Solanki, an Indian in Australia (repost)
Mohita Solanki was born in India, where pronatalism is everywhere. Her parents hoped their daughters would have children one day, but also insisted they get an education - and it’s this education that Mohita credits with opening her eyes to different options, other ways of living. Determined to live the life they wanted, Mohita and her husband left for Melbourne, Australia, where she works as a da
Best of the pod! No regrets, with 78 year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-Davis (repost)
In 1974, Marcia Drut-Davis appeared on TV news show 60 Minutes, explaining to her in-laws and the American public watching that she’d decided not to have children. The backlash was swift and severe: Marcia lost her job as a teacher, had her life threatened (and her dog’s!) and faced judgment from pro-natalists and even some in the childfree community. For 46 years, she’s been fighting to show the
Best of the pod! You are enough, with Dr Kate Tomas (repost)
For 20 years, Dr Kate Tomas has worked with badass women and non-binary people to radically improve every element of their lives. In this open and empowering conversation, Kate shares professional insights and her own journey, from trying to get pregnant to living her best, ethically non-monogamous, childfree life.Content warning: brief discussions of childhood abuse, infertility and abortion.Foll
Best of Season 1!
Celebrating an amazing year for We are Childfree, and an amazing first season of the podcast! 🥳 I was lucky enough to speak with 20 inspiring women and gender diverse people from all over the world, of all ages, from twenty-somethings up to role models in their 60s and 70s. Join me as I share my top 5 moments of season one, from my conversations with a women's spiritual empowerment mentor to a tra
Navigating ambivalence, with clarity coach Keltie Maguire
Keltie Maguire is a clarity coach who's originally from Canada and now lives in Germany. It's only in the last six months, as she nears her 40th birthday, that Keltie's reached a 95% confidence in her choice to embrace a life without children. That last 5% is super important, because Keltie isn't someone to fully close the door on any possibility, preferring to live the most dynamic life possible.
Taking the road less-travelled, with 65-year-old clinical psychologist Shelley
Shelley is a clinical psychologist and second-wave feminist who's been fighting for our rights since the 70s. She was an early beneficiary of Roe vs Wade, which legalised abortion in the US, and chose to be sterilised at 21. Now that she's 65, it was a pleasure to look back with her over an action-packed life, to see how far we've come in the struggle for gender equality and bodily autonomy... and
Being our full, true selves, with actor and doula Elizabeth Ho
Elizabeth Ho is an actor who you might have seen on the Netflix stoner sitcom Disjointed featuring an up-and-coming star called *checks notes* Kathy Bates. She's also a postpartum doula, which has given her a close-up view of motherhood, and the mom role that Hollywood may soon expect her to play. Elizabeth knows "bone deep" that she doesn't want kids, and she's content to support her community, h
What if...? with novelist Donna Freitas
In Donna Freitas' new novel, The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, the eponymous heroine faces a dilemma. Before she got married, her husband promised her he didn't want children - but now he's changed his mind. Could happily childfree Rose will herself to become a mother in order to save her relationship, and if so, what might her life look like? Author Freitas found herself in this very scenario in
Overcoming childhood trauma, with Dana (part 2)
This is part two of my conversation with the incredible Dana, who came through childhood abuse and infertility to create a fulfilling and rewarding life. Listen to part one for Dana's childfree journey, which brings us to the story of how she and her husband became guardians and role models for the young people in their life. They volunteered to train military cadets, earning their trust so that t
Overcoming childhood trauma, with Dana (part 1)
Enjoy part one of my conversation with the incredible Dana, a Filipino immigrant to the US who overcame childhood trauma to make sure that the kids in her life were looked after. She went through so much as a child, but that hasn't stopped her from living her life to the fullest, becoming a guardian to her godchildren and a role model for many other young people who look to her for support. When s
"Normal" doesn't exist, with non-binary, neurodivergent Daze
Daze used to think they had two options: become a homeschool mother on a farm in the valley where they grew up, or become a nun. Instead, they left their tiny fundamentalist Catholic community and went to college, where they learned about the outside world and their inner self. In recent years, Daze has found the language to describe who they really are: non-binary, autistic and childfree. It was
Smashing the patriarchy, with queer feminist sex writer Imungu Kalevera
Imungu Kalevera defies the expectations for Kenyan women in a few ways. She's queer, childfree and a self-proclaimed career feminist, all of which make her a real rarity in majority Christian, sub-Saharan Africa. On a personal level, she's challenged her family's beliefs about all these parts of her identity, showing them that she can still create community, contribute to society and love the chil
Creating a chosen family, with Barbara Krulik
Barbara Krulik has lived a life! An independent curator and cultural manager, she came of age in New York, where like-minded creatives formed the core of a chosen family that has been there for her through to her 60s, and now spans four generations. In her early 20s, she decided she didn't want children, and has pursued a life of "solo polyamory" ever since, living alone but loving to spoil and nu
The personal is political, with Chinese feminist Siyu
Siyu is an only child of China's one-child policy, born in a very traditional part of the country. Yet, her parents never pushed her towards motherhood, and she's been able to lead a modern, international life, staying in three countries and six cities in the last five years. As the host of a Mandarin feminist podcast, Siyu was the perfect person to speak to about how her country is now trying to
Tubal ligation at 23, with Daniela Echeverry
Daniela Echeverry is a 23 year old Colombian woman who recently received permanent birth control. I spoke to her six months after her tubal ligation, and she sounded so happy and healthy, with no regrets about her decision. It was really interesting to hear from someone in a majority Catholic, South American country, where access to reproductive healthcare is really restricted - even though Daniel
Spread your wings, with feminist wellness advocate Doreen Caven
Doreen Caven was raised in a Catholic household in Nigeria, and she was a baby feminist even before she knew what the F-word meant. At an early age, she saw the role she was expected to fill, as a wife, a mother, submissive to men, and she wasn’t having any of it. Doreen and her younger sister, also childfree, now live in Los Angeles and run The Girls Like Me, a wonderful platform which amplifies
Escaping cultural expectations, with Mohita Solanki, an Indian in Australia
Mohita Solanki was born in India, where pronatalism is everywhere. Her parents hoped their daughters would have children one day, but also insisted they get an education - and it’s this education that Mohita credits with opening her eyes to different options, other ways of living. Determined to live the life they wanted, Mohita and her husband left for Melbourne, Australia, where she works as a da
No doubts, with journalist Sarah Chebaro
Sarah Chebaro has already done a lot with her life! An avid traveller, Sarah was born in Kuwait, and has lived in England, Spain and the Netherlands. Having trained as an architect, Sarah’s now switched careers to journalism, driven by a desire to tackle sensitive subjects and speak the truth. Sarah attributes her energy to her ADHD diagnosis, and she’s aware that she couldn’t have done half the t
Finding your life purpose, with singer-songwriter LiLi Roquelin
Singer-songwriter LiLi Roquelin is living her best creative life. Back in France, teenage LiLi was discovering her passion for making and performing music, and daydreaming about one day moving to America. Now based in New York, she works as an award-winning indie composer and producer, something that’s more than a career - it’s LiLi’s life purpose. LiLi wants to inspire her young fans to follow th
Choosing your path, with opera singer and life coach Fiona Finsbury
Fiona Finsbury is an opera singer, yoga teacher, life coach - and a big believer in the power of intention. One day, she sat down to plan her goals for the next 5, 10 years, and children just didn’t appear in that future. Realising that motherhood was only one of the many paths open to her changed Fiona’s whole outlook on life. Join us as we talk about embracing your choices, supporting others as
No regrets, with 78 year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-Davis
In 1974, Marcia Drut-Davis appeared on TV news show 60 Minutes, explaining to her in-laws and the American public watching that she’d decided not to have children. The backlash was swift and severe: Marcia lost her job as a teacher, had her life threatened (and her dog’s!) and faced judgment from pro-natalists and even some in the childfree community. For 46 years, she’s been fighting to show the
Cool aunt energy, with environmentalist, atheist and big, blended family member Marie Fisher
Marie Fisher comes from a big, blended family, and is one of 12 siblings! She’s an aunt to 13 nieces and nephews, and tries to be a role model for the younger girls, to show them they have choices, and that being childfree is a real, and rewarding, option. Marie is focused on limiting her environmental footprint and volunteers for various non-profits, an inspiring example of someone without kids o
There’s nothing holding me back, with 22 year old Rubi Chauhan
Rubi Chauhan calls herself “the most uncommon Indian you will ever encounter”. She was born in a small village in Austria, and moved to Vienna to create the kind of life she wants to live. Rubi values her freedom more than anything, and doesn’t want children or a relationship holding her back. She won’t even commit to a hair colour for too long! At just 22 years old, Rubi knows and says what she w
Another way to mother, with traveller, teacher and artist Vicky Harris
Vicky Harris has travelled to 45 countries in the last 20 years, teaching English and soaking up inspiration for her vibrant feminist art. Along the way she’s been a role model for women born with fewer freedoms, and sponsored children through their education. In our honest and inspiring conversation, Vix reflects on where her choices have taken her, the privilege that made those decisions possibl
You are enough, with Dr Kate Tomas
For 20 years, Dr Kate Tomas has worked with badass women and non-binary people to radically improve every element of their lives. In this open and empowering conversation, Kate shares professional insights and her own journey, from trying to get pregnant to living her best, ethically non-monogamous, childfree life.Content warning: brief discussions of childhood abuse, infertility and abortion.Foll
We are Childfree Trailer
Welcome to We are Childfree, a podcast about childfree people and the lives we lead. Meet your host, Zoë, a proud childfree woman, as she lifts up the voices of folks who have decided not to have children, shares our experiences, tells our stories and celebrates our lives. We are Childfree drops early 2021. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and sign
