‘I label myself as child-free’ – the photographer Denise Felkin on her ‘Mum’s Not The Word’ project My photographic series challenges the negative idea that childless women are selfish, says Denise Felkin I am the youngest of […]

My photographic series challenges the negative idea that childless women are selfish, says Denise Felkin

I am the youngest of four sisters born into what became a single-parent family. I observed my widowed mother raising us on her own and realised from a very early age that I did not want to experience the life of a parent when I grew up. When I was 19, I spoke to my mother about this for the first time – she dismissed it, telling me I would feel differently when I was older; I never did.

As I grew older, my thinking was often questioned. I’ve swum against the familial tide and spent my life avoiding pregnancy through a mixture of family planning, celibacy and wishful thinking. I believe that, because I never considered the mother and child image as part of my identity, the desire to procreate never manifested itself in me.

I conceived Mum’s Not The Word because there appears to be a massive negative premise that suggests that women who do not reproduce are selfish, do not like children or are not real women. Females who do not procreate are too often misrepresented by negative terms: barren, spinster, wicked stepmother or crazy cat lady.

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Samantha:

Ria:

On many occasions, I have heard people say: “You wouldn’t understand unless you are a parent yourself.” I label myself as being child-free because I don’t want children. However, being infertile is not a choice. For many, it’s also a grieving process, which for some may slowly grow into acceptance, while for others it may be a cause of constant pain. There are also the childless by circumstance.

See Denise Felkin’s other work on her website

Today, women (never men) are expected to provide reasons not to have children. The choice to reproduce is not regarded as needing any thought or justification.

Mum’s Not The Word debates the social stigmatisation of women, who, by choice or for medical reasons, go against the instinct of childbirth and maternal productivity.

I photographed the childless, child-free and childless by circumstance. The images are of women in the foetal position, as a reversal of the recognised visual of the unborn child.

Tracy:

Tamara:

I create these images to challenge the negative attitudes within society towards people without children and to share stories of birth control, choice, freedom, regret and pain. I recruit participants through word of mouth and social media. I ask them bring along their duvet cover and I shoot from above and in natural light.

At present, I have 24 case studies of women from a range of backgrounds. I aim to photograph 60 and publish the images in a book. My subjects come from all walks of life – professionals, artists; a few have mental health issues or disabilities; some have fragile relationships with their birth mothers. A couple of the participants also identify as other than heterosexual.

Amy:

Amy:

The childless/child-free/childless by circumstance are newly recognised breeds of women who are contributing positively to decreasing the human impact on the natural world.

There are more than seven billion people worldwide and 400,000 births per day. As the population soars, a growing number of communities will continue to be displaced by climate change, environmental disasters, wars, famines, technology and industry. The one in five who live a life without descendants are creating a much less of a global strain.

Could civilisation be guided to identify it is acceptable to opt out of parenthood and by not procreating, humankind can inherit the key to a sustainable future?

‘Mum’s Not The Word’ was shortlisted in the Sony World Photography Awards 2016,World Gala 9th Pollux Awards 2016, Photography Magazine Grant 2016, Julia Margaret Cameron Award 2017 and the National Open Art competition 2017