New Legacy Radio

In today’s episode we will celebrate women without children, who often remain overlooked against the backdrop of pronatalism, with respect to their talents, contributions and impact.

We are fortunate to have with us two very talented writers, who are working to ensure that women without children are recognized in literature and throughout history. The collections, research and profiles expressed through their work, hold a significant and respected place in our community.

Join us in conversation with Nicole Louie, who is a writer, translator, and content curator, and Emma Duval, writer, independent researcher, and the founder of the Childfree History Museum, the first virtual museum dedicated to the history of women without children.

Through their guidance and knowledge, New Legacy Radio listeners and readers will discover and learn more about the extraordinary women, whose talents, influence and impact, pronatalism could not eclipse.

As we recognize and celebrate these women, we honor all women without children, past and present, and look to the future possibilities of our collective power and creativity.

Over the past year, through New Legacy Radio, New Legacy Institute has worked to provide a breadth of perspectives from thought leaders, activists, and members of our community, to create a platform of visibility and social justice for our collective community of people without children.

We continue to assess the current state of things for our community, from workplace policy, housing and taxation, to global, national policies, which most often exclude and fail to consider the needs of people without children, and those who are single, and in diverse, legally unrecognized relationships.

We also have a sense of urgency in addressing the extremist narratives, which are projected onto women, when it comes to reproductive, relational and full life autonomy. In today’s episode we will discuss current cultural and policy narratives, which advocate for the control of women’s lives.

Further, women without children, have been specifically targeted and blamed for unsubstantiated claims of population “crises” across the globe. Therefore, it is vital that we collectively challenge the weaponization of these false narratives, for our community and beyond.

Join us for a conversation addressing these issues, and more, with today’s guest, Ruby Warrington. As a recognized thought leader, Ruby brings a unique, in-depth perspective to the complexities and priorities of our community, and the culture narratives, which impact women without children. She is the author of the brilliant, highly recommended book, “Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood. “Women Without Kids” published by Sounds True, and is out today!

How does the overturning of Roe v. Wade demonstrate the control and devaluation of those who are and may be impacted by pregnancy? What is at risk beyond abortion rights and access in the United States, and what is the global impact of this decision, as precedent?

Today, we are deeply honored to be in conversation with Karen Mulhauser. She is the first National Executive Director of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), now known as NARAL Pro-Choice America. From 1970-73, she trained family planning professionals in federally funded programs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. When she moved to Washington, DC in 1973, Karen was hired to open the DC office of NARAL and the following year, she was asked to be the Executive Director. In this position, she helped grow the membership 20-fold, started chapters throughout the country, and started the NARAL Foundation and political action committee.

Her experiences, expertise and activism through these decades, including her recent (June and July 2022) testimony before the DC Council Committee on Government Operations and Facilities and the Committee on Housing and Executive Administration Joint Public Hearing on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Amendment Act of 2022, exemplifies her continued commitment to protecting the freedom to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. She has spoken poignantly to the United States never ratifying the United Nation’s Women’s Treaty, CEDAW, and advocacy for Washington, DC to be the next city to ratify the amendment, through the Cities for CEDAW campaign.

Karen, as other women, who have fought and advocated for these rights and freedom since the foundation of NARAL, are courageously sharing their personal stories of survivorship. Please join us for this very special episode.

People without children, those who are single, and diverse families remain excluded from status quo economic and family policies. Further, economic models that drive the social status quo, force policies that are neither inclusive, nor do they meet the realities of the population.

The needs of households for individuals and relationships, which include chosen family require the same level of rights and protection granted to traditional family structures and households. What can we do to advocate for policy that reflects inclusive and equitable needs for our communities?

Here to share their work with us, is Diana Adams, founder of Chosen Family Law Center, Inc., a non-profit legal services organization, and their own boutique LGBTQ family law and mediation firm Diana Adams Law & Mediation, PLLC, both based in New York City They are an advocate for the rights and protection of individuals and diverse families. Their work has already influences legal changes in the area of housing, amidst other initiatives.

Tune in to learn more about the incredible work of these organizations and their founder, and how you can join us in taking action for continued change, which includes and protects us all.

In this episode we are going to address some prevalent social stereotypes most often, projected onto people without children, in general, and specifically from the perspective of Kimberly Martinez Phillips, who is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Sociology Department at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her research and dissertation are focused on single, never-married, childfree women of color. Many of the women interviewed are childfree, but that does not mean their lives are carefree. Her analysis utilizes the perspectives of feminist standpoint theory and decolonial feminism through an intersectional lens.

In alignment with many of the key focus areas of New Legacy Institute, we will discuss the many presumptions of a childfree life being equated to a carefree or responsibility free life. We will delve into the expectations and realities of people without children becoming caretakers for parents or other family members, and the social and economic realities of being single and not having children. We will also address the gross misconceptions that human characteristics such as being nurturing and having empathy, among others, are exclusive trait of mothers and parents.

Join us live for this conversation addressing some of the poignant issues for our community, and for the opportunity to learn from the rich dissertation research outcomes Kimberly Martinez Phillips will share with us in this special follow up episode.

People without children continue to be dismissed in 2023. The media, educational and medical institutions, the workplace and policy makers, continue to ignore our very existence. People without children have always existed; we are not a new phenomenon. We are however, a growing community, and like every other marginalized group, we are left to fight for equity and relevant policy, and a recognized place of belonging in society. The denial of our community's demographic, let alone out our immense contributions to society, evades us at every opportunity. Today, we will be speaking with childfree filmmaker and director, Therese Shechter. Her film, My So-Called Selfish Life has debuted globally via a digital premiere. This evening, the film will be celebrated at its Live New York City premiere, which is a sold-out event! Against the backdrop of this elevated visibility and the deeply reflective, cultural relevance of this film, its sold-out premiere evolved in the absence of press coverage, and other major marketing. Tonight's event was made possible, and with many thanks, due to grassroots word-of-mouth and social media. Tune in to learn more about how this film has been received by diverse audiences, and the timely and in-depth connections to what is currently happening around the erosion of reproductive rights, and much more!

In today’s episode we recognize the founding and evolution of The NotMom -- its blog, social networks, and events for women without children by choice or by chance. We are happy to join the celebration of The NotMom’s upcoming 10th anniversary.

We have previously discussed on the show the importance of how to come together as a collective community, engaging both childless and childfree community spaces, to influence changes in the workplace and public policy.

Today, we will hear from the partners behind The NotMom: Karen Malone Wright and Laura M. LaVoie.

Through their work and friendship, Karen and Laura have bridged their individual experiences of age, race, geography and living childless and childfree. They bring key insight and expertise to this conversation, and share what they have learned on their shared journey.

We will also discuss how the scope of self-funded work that comprises so much of non-parents’ efforts to create real change are so often limited to what we can do as individuals or partners because our voices, concerns, and initiatives are too often not included, acknowledged, or respected, by businesses, funders, and governments.

We will delve into the realities of how and why inclusion is needed within our own community and beyond, and the underlying reasons for challenges we face to achieve meaningful, impactful change.

In this episode, we will examine the presence of pronatalist influences throughout the mental health profession, from leadership and institutions to research and training. Within these critical roles and educational spaces, the mental health profession largely obscures the lived experiences of people without children.

Given these influences, what is the impact on people without children, both as clients and practitioners in mental health? To help us navigate this conversation about what is needed to create greater inclusion and understanding of the needs of people without children, we will be joined by Katie Maynard.

Katie is an experienced licensed Clinical Social Worker, who is advancing innovative and meaningful change in the mental health space, through her work with clinicians, to expand their competency with therapy that is affirmative of childless and childfree people. Join us for this relevant, insightful conversation!

In this episode, we discuss the history of the IVF industry, and its latest strategies for expanding its market reach and services. This 44-year-old for-profit industry is estimated to reach to $37 billion dollars globally by 2027. It has done a masterful job positioning itself as a ‘cure’ for infertility and, more recently, selling the ‘promise’ of future family through egg freezing and other third-party services. The hope sale is central to its business model.

Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos has fought for the last decade+ to raise the visibility of those who have been negatively impacted by what she calls “the industry’s saccharine siren song.” She’s educated and brought much needed attention to the prevalent failure rates and health risks that accompany IVF and egg freezing as well as to the heavy personal toll when the reality doesn’t match the marketing.

Here in the U.S., this industry is predominantly self-regulated. Without external oversight, clinics routinely market their reproductive services solely to the upside of the IVF process. Their websites and materials are filled with curated success stories. We will explore what is not being said, in our discussion today.

There is also a concerning trend among larger companies to encourage the use of ‘fertility’ services, targeting young, presumably healthy females, through services such as egg freezing. This is offered under the guise of creating a solution for women to delay having a child or children, in order to remain fully employed. This also allows for some employers to dismiss more immediate workplace needs for parents, such as paid parental leave and childcare, while also dismissing the potential medical consequences and mental health impacts on women.

In 2019, when Goldman Sachs, began offering a $10,000 stipend for egg retrieval and a $20,000 stipend for egg ‘donation’, they also began offering 26 weeks of paid parental leave regardless of gender, caregiver status or method of parenthood (birth, adoption, surrogacy).

While companies are offering much needed, extended parental leave policies and unvetted, one could argue, predatory fertility services subsidies, these pronatal efforts still fail to recognize or reward employees without children. The $10-20k benefit, in addition to parental leave, is hardly an equitable proposition for those unable or uninterested in having children.

Companies must begin to engage benefits for all employees, regardless of parental or family status, from equitable subsidies to universal paid leave, regardless of reason.

Join us for a highly informative discussion, to learn more about the reproductive services industry, and in recognition of survivors.

Whether it is your own experience, or that of someone you know, the dismissal of symptoms, minimization of pain, failure to diagnose or incorrect diagnoses, and other medical oversight have caused often irreparable physical issues, and prolonged pain and symptoms, in the gynecological world. The high incidents and often life-long impact of medical care, absent of patient autonomy, remains prevalent with respect to gynecological disorders, and continues to impact more lives, every day. How do we raise awareness of these realities, experienced by so many? How do we further educate ourselves, and hold the field of gynecology accountable, while inviting respect for patient autonomy, and compassionate care? Joining us today, is Rachael Jablo, creator of The Hysteria Project. Rachael is a chronically ill, queer, Jewish, Berlin-based US-American artist who works with photography, installation, collage and occasionally performance. Through The Hysteria Project, Rachael honors and visual recognizes the personal narratives of those living with and who have experienced gynecological disorders. Tune in live, to learn more about her powerful work, and what you can do today to learn more about these real life matters.