When Julia Gilliard – who does not have children - was Prime Minister, opposition leader Tony Abbott criticised the government’s policies saying they reflected a lack of experience with children, which was dubbed a thinly veiled snub at Ms Gilliard.
She was also called "deliberately barren" and unqualified for leadership by former Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan and, had her ability to empathise and experience love questioned by former Labor leader Mark Latham because of the decision.
Last year, moments after Gladys Berejiklian was appointed as NSW Premier, a female journalist asked whether being childless would affect her ability to do her job.
In a smaller arena, ‘selfish,’ ‘career-driven, ‘emotionless,’ and ‘missing out’ are just some of the terms women hear from family, colleagues and even the Pope himself.
Around one in four Australian women won’t have a child and the number among men is thought to be higher.
While the decision attracts a lot of judgment, here are four women breaking the taboo.
‘My company is my baby’
Alexandra Tselios, 35, says while many women successfully balance work and children, some simply have different interests.
As the CEO and founder of media and advertising company, The Big Smoke, she finds fulfillment in developing her business.
“Seeing it grow into a sustainable impactful ecosystem is what drives me everyday,” she says.
Alexandra, who oversees employees in the US and Australia, says the nurturing and caring instincts associated with being a mother are still there, but instead with her employees.
“I am responsible for the wellbeing and livelihood of my employees, like a parent who would be responsible for their kids,” she says.
While she has received a lot of criticism for her choice, she says the most common retaliation she hears is the word ‘selfish.’
“I have been told I am selfish but I think parents wanting to have a child in their image is selfish too.”
The business owner believes the connotation in the barrage of criticism is that her life choice is not as valuable as being a parent, but she disagrees.
“I provide job opportunities, have a lot of philanthropic initiatives…I am giving back to the community too, it’s a shame I have to justify it.”
Bree Cockayne, 25, has made the decision to stay child free to reduce her carbon footprint. Photo: Supplied Source: Supplied
Reducing the rate of overpopulation
Having children is the most destructive thing you can to do the environment, researchers found last year.
The study showed having one less child per family would save approximately “58.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year.”
Currently carbon emissions are 16 tonnes per person in Australia but this needs to drop to two tonnes by 2050 to avoid severe global warming, according to the study.
Bree Cockayne, 25, is one woman who made the choice to stay childfree to reduce her carbon footprint and slow down overpopulation to prevent resource depletion.
“If I wanted my own kid I would rather adopt a child who needs a home than give birth to my own,” says Bree.
“Overpopulation is real and happening.”
Effie Thatiam, now 53, made the decision at age 28 for the same reasons.
“I wanted kids so bad but could not bring myself to do this,” says Effie.
“I loved children but I realised that humans were taking over this beautiful planet and all other animals had nowhere to go.”
Vanessa Montgomery says she never felt those maternal instincts. Photo: Supplied Source: Supplied
‘I don’t have the calling that others have’
For Vanessa Montgomery, she has never felt the maternal instincts that other women speak about and knew from a young age she would be childfree.
“For others there is a strong desire but it has never been one for me,” said the 45-year-old.
“Initially I was always being told ‘you’ll change your mind’ as if there is only one choice as a woman.”
Vanessa says the level of responsibility that came with caring for a child was something she would prefer not to have and that her time would be better spent pursuing other passions.
“I wanted to travel and study and broaden my horizons, this was never part of that picture.”
