The involuntarily childless are forming a new movement (original) (raw)

‘Point number one in your bloody PhD’: The experiences of involuntarily childless men as they age

"The global trend of an increasingly ageing population and a declining fertility rate has been widely accepted. Moreover, as men’s mortality rates are predicted to soon equal women’s, the gender profile of the UK’s ageing population is predicted to change. Childless men are, compared to women, missing from gerontological, sociological, infertility, and psychological research. These fields have all mainly focussed on family and women, with the fertility intentions, history and experience of older men being overlooked. Involuntary childlessness may be seen as a complex bereavement formed by multiple losses with distress levels in both men and women in this population have been found to be as high those with grave medical conditions This paper aims to provide some insight in to the experiences of involuntarily childless (older men. Drawing on 27 in-depth biographical interviews (lasting 1-5 hours) conducted with 14 men aged between 49 and 82 from across the country. This paper highlights the complex intersections between men’s experience of involuntary childlessness and agency, structure, and relationships. It was found there are diverse routes of entering involuntary childlessness of which interpersonal skills, partner selection, timing of relationships, and the assumption of fertility are important factors. The accounts also demonstrated the importance of relationships: the centrality of it to those in them and the desire for one for those not. Grand fatherhood was referenced through four routes: Latent, Adopted, Surrogate, and Proxy. This paper demonstrates how men’s involuntary childlessness affects their life course. "

[Blog] ‘There’s something missing in my life’: non-fatherhood on ‘Fathers Day’

2018

Almost every country in the world holds some form of national celebration to acknowledge the roles that Mothers, Fathers, and Grandparents play in the lives of their loved ones. In the United Kingdom, ‘Father’s Day’ is on Sunday 17th June and on this day many men who perform the role of ‘father’ will receive cards and presents in thanks and celebration for their fathering activities. For a significant minority of men however, Father’s Day has a different meaning. Unlike women, a man’s fertility history is not recorded at the registration of a birth, as a result it is difficult to access precise figures about the rate of male childlessness in the UK.

CHILDLESSNESS; A LIFE AFFIRMING CHALLENGE FOR WOMEN

Addis Ababa University, 2016

Abstract This study tried to examine the intent of being childless for infertile women, its psychosocial implication and the outcome of being childlessness on women’s marital discourse. In Ethiopia, children are considered as one of the most treasured gifts from God and the problem of childlessness has social, psychological and spiritual implications for women who are unable to bear a child. Though men and women share the problem, the adverse psychosocial effect is intense for women as culturally, motherhood is considered as the primary role for women. This research is conducted on childless women who are case attendants at the Mari Stops clinic, the clinic is purposefully selected for the sake of getting homogenous (women with infertility) participants. A Convenient sampling method is applied to select research participants and a total of eight samples are taken and a one to one in-depth interview was done with those eight research subjects. Accordingly, children are considered as a treasure for women’s life; strengthen the ties between marital partners, increase the value of women in the society and in their families, increase one’s self-value and earn respect from others, and a means of psychosocial and economic support, especially during old age. Therefore, being childlessness, brought insult and discrimination from neighbors, colleagues and in-laws, especially from mother-in-laws, moreover, childless women feel a sense of unfulfilled creature. Childlessness makes marriage less pleasurable, motivates men to engage in extramarital relationship and consequently leads to divorce. Keywords: Childlessness, Infertility, Marital Conflict, In-Laws Insult,

The lived experience of older involuntary childless men

The Annual Journal of the British Sociological Association Study Group on Auto/Biography, 2018

The implications of the global trend of declining fertility rates and an increasingly ageing population have been extensively reported. This piece examines the complex intersections between men's experience of involuntary childlessness and agency, structure, and relationships. Childless men are, compared to women, missing from gerontological, sociological, infertility, and psychological research. These fields have mainly focussed on family and women. Feminist studies into infertility and ageing have highlighted the absence of the male experience. Involuntary childlessness has been viewed as a complex bereavement formed by multiple losses. Distress levels in both men and women in this population have been found to be as high those with grave medical conditions. This piece draws on my doctoral study framed by biographical, life course, gerontological and feminist approaches. I explore the factors that influenced the 14 participants' routes to involuntary childlessness. Findings countered the stereotype that fatherhood is not important to men and challenges research that reports that men are not affected by the social, emotional, and relational aspects of involuntary childlessness. I will offer how my research has influenced my own identity.

The impact of male involuntary childlessness

Psychreg Journal of Psychology , 2019

The implications of the global trend of declining fertility rates and an increasingly ageing population have been extensively reported. Childless men are, compared to women, missing from gerontological, psychological, reproduction, and sociological research. These fields have mainly focussed on family formation and practices with the fertility intentions, history, and experience of older men being overlooked. Over the past 15 years, research literature on both involuntary childlessness and ageing has highlighted the paucity of material on men’s experience. Infertility research has shown that failure to fulfil the status of parenthood may lead to a complex form of bereavement and is a significant challenge to identity. In the past three decades, there has been an escalation in the research and general literature surrounding fathers, fathering and fatherhood. Recent research into contemporary grandparenting has highlighted the intricacy and importance of intergenerational relationships to grandfathers. Drawing on my auto/biographical PhD study, this piece examines how 14 self-defined involuntarily childless men managed non-fatherhood. The findings demonstrated the complex intersections between the men’s attitude to childlessness, fatherhood, and non-fatherhood across the life course. The actions and attitudes of the men as they negotiated the movement from pre-transitional to a post-transitional stance towards fatherhood, demonstrated the different strategies each adapted in order to negotiate their procreative remit. This study countered the stereotype that fatherhood is not important to men and challenges research that reports that men are not affected by the social, emotional, and relational aspects of involuntary childlessness.

How Older People Position Their Late-Life Childlessness: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Marriage and Family, 2013

How Older People Position Their Late-Life Childlessness: A Qualitative Study This research explored how older people describe their paths to late-life childlessness. Indepth accounts from 38 childless older people, age 63 -93, highlight the complex journeys and diverse meanings of childlessness for male and female participants, single and partnered, including some who had outlived children. Positioning theory is used to show how the conventional voluntary -involuntary binary is insufficient for capturing their experiences. Childlessness was for some an active choice to break a family violence cycle; for others, it was an outcome of social upheaval. It evoked feelings of both grief and relief over time, it was seen as evidence of discernment in being unwilling to parent at any price, or it was something that felt ''natural'' within a meaningful life. Rates of childlessness are increasing; this research highlights the fact that pathways and meanings of childlessness vary so much that it is unwise to assume that people have similar experiences of nonparenthood, especially in later life.