Self-Definition and Evaluation of the Term Childfree Among Hong Kong Women

The term childless is highly problematic. Attempts to split it into voluntary and involuntary may appear to give more detail on context, but the differentiation can be misleading. The condition of -less has negative connotations and implies missing something; possibly something which is natural. The term childfree has been employed as an alternative expression which denotes active choice, freedom, and emancipation. Few studies, however, have explored how individuals refer to themselves, or how they interpret-or even care-about these distinctions. Such existing studies only explore the use of these English expressions among speakers of English as their primary language. This exploratory qualitative study explores how women without children define themselves in their native language in an Asian setting-Cantonese in Hong Kong. It also explores how such women interpret the various terms developed in English to describe their circumstances. Respondents refer to themselves in neutral, factual terms-literally without children. Others make an explicit link between being unmarried and childless status. While respondents find the English expression of childfree positive, they do not express a strong need to either deploy it in English, nor develop a Cantonese equivalent. The study provides further evidence that labels generated and applied by academics in one context and in one language may not be universally applicable.

Automated summary

This study explores how women without children in a Cantonese-speaking environment define themselves and interpret the terms used in English to describe their circumstances. While some respondents refer to themselves in neutral terms, others explicitly link their unmarried status with being childless. The findings suggest that the labels generated in one language or context may not be universally applicable.