Abstract
There remain strong social pressures and attitudes in the United States about feminine identity, especially the expectation of conforming to the role of mother. Ideal femininity and being a mother are often intrinsically linked. Childfree women, those women who choose not to become mothers, face limited understanding, appreciation or acceptance to remain in a non-parenting role and are often presumed as less feminine or caring. This qualitative exploratory study of 10 childfree midlife women in a predominantly rural area of a Midwest state examines how reactions and attitudes of others affected self-esteem and feminine identity through a retrospective lens. Primary themes identified: Motherhood, as underscored by social and societal expectations and stigma; Personal Choice; and Feminine Self-Esteem are addressed. The influence of rural settings is also considered in the discussion. Recommendations for practice with older childfree women are provided.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 551-566 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Journal of Women and Aging |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:No funding was attained for this research, nor are there conflicts of interest relative to financial or other benefits for either author.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis.
Keywords
- Midlife women
- childfree
- childless
- rural
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article