When will Women Without Children Day be celebrated? October 19th of each calendar year.
What is Women Without Children Day? This day is to celebrate women who either by choice or circumstance do not have children. It is alright to not dedicate your life to raising the next generation but instead to focus on creating a world where that generation can thrive. Not having a child or family does not make a woman less of a woman. Physically being unable to bear a child does not make one broken. Choosing not to create a life does not make one selfish. Women do not exist solely to sustain the population.
How should Women Without Children Day be celebrated or observed? I feel this day should empower women to feel secure in not having children. One day where a childless woman can feel appreciated for either their sacrifice of not having a child to help their family or society at large. One day where a woman who can not have a child should feel cared for and loved despite struggles to create life. A work day off to spend bring joy to their life. A day maybe where zoos, museums, parks, gardens, or other attractions are free or discounted for women without children.
Why was Women Without Children Day created? There is an unrepresented group of individuals that deserves recognition. There is fathers day to celebrate fathers. Mothers day to celebrate mothers. Veterans day to celebrate those who have served their country. There exist days to celebrate most manners of sexual orientation that are not heterosexual. There are religious holidays. Holidays to recognize historical racial disparity. Days to bring awareness to mental health and physical aliments. Men and women get time off of work for baby leave and child care leave in addition to the leave everyone else is afforded.
*Personal story/frustration: I was not allotted leave to take care of my Aunt and Grandmother when they both unexpectedly fell ill and ended up on hospice at the same time. I was the only family member able to physically provide care and ended up using the vast majority of vacation/sick/mental health time to provide care, organize funeral/service, and close their estates. I would have used all of my time and gone on leave without pay if that is what I needed to do for them and my family. There is no leave or recognition for a single, childless woman trying to take care of family. Even though they were like parents to me I was not allowed parental care leave. They are not my children nor do I have any so I was unable to utilize that leave bank. I was not even permitted bereavement leave for my Aunt as she was not by definition “immediate family” even though I was also her goddaughter and medical power of attorney. I am by no means the only one who has experienced hardships for putting other family first over having children *
I have not heard of a day to recognize the struggle women face when they can not (due to physicality or financially) or choose not to have children. There still exists the stigma of a woman being damaged somehow if she does not have a family/offspring. With society becoming cognizant of long standing disparities, biases, and inequities this group of women should not be overlooked,
Who created this day? This day was created by Kelsey Gilmore in 2024.