Beyond motherhood: A qualitative study of childlfree women's experience of childfreeness

This Qualitative study explores the experience of childfree women and their perceptionof their childlessness as part of their identity. Drawing upon Goffman’s Stigma andConnell and Pearse’s Gender theory, the study reveals how the societal norm thatassociates womanhood with motherhood creates stigma and pressure for childfreewomen to defend their decision to remain childfree. The study also identifies theimportance of forming a sense of community among childfree women, often throughsocial media, to reduce the negative impact of societal norms on their identity.Through semi-structured interviews with eight childfree women, the study finds that therespondents viewed their childlessness as a significant part of their identity, rather thanjust a decision. Furthermore, the study finds that childfree women face negative attitudesand are often met with skepticism from others who question their decision. Moreover,the study also finds that childfree women also experience some negative attitudes frominstitutions such as health care.