Failure to Acknowledge: Systemic+Media Exclusion of our Community
May 16, 2023
Hosted by Christine Erickson
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
People without children continue to be dismissed in 2023. The media, educational and medical institutions, the workplace and policy makers, continue to ignore our very existence. People without children have always existed; we are not a new phenomenon. We are however, a growing community, and like every other marginalized group, we are left to fight for equity and relevant policy, and a recognized place of belonging in society. The denial of our community’s demographic, let alone out our immense contributions to society, evades us at every opportunity. Today, we will be speaking with childfree filmmaker and director, Therese Shechter. Her film, "My So-Called Selfish Life" has debuted globally via a digital premiere. This evening, the film will be celebrated at its Live New York City premiere, which is a sold-out event! Against the backdrop of this elevated visibility and the deeply reflective, cultural relevance of this film, its sold-out premiere evolved in the absence of press coverage, and other major marketing. Tonight’s event was made possible, and with many thanks, due to grassroots word-of-mouth and social media. Tune in to learn more about how this film has been received by diverse audiences, and the timely and in-depth connections to what is currently happening around the erosion of reproductive rights, and much more!
New Legacy Radio
Tuesday at 10 AM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
New Legacy Radio is a social justice platform about people without children. This space is intended to bring visibility and change to our experiences, to connect with our allies and anyone committed to learning more from our community, which is reaching an estimated one-third of the global population. The show addresses the social, systemic, and structural realities perpetuated by reproductive and relational identity bias. We discuss the impact of pronatalist behavior and policies, through the perspectives of our community and allies, as we work to achieve meaningful change that recognizes the truly diverse, intersectional continuum of our experiences. New Legacy Radio is brought to you by New Legacy Institute (NLI), which is policy institute, focused on the global culture and impact of pronatalism. The Institute’s social justice advocacy serves the growing, global community of people without children. NLI’s mission is to generate constructive change in cultural, organizational, and institutional policies that exhibit biases against people without children.
Christine Erickson
Christine Erickson (she/her) is the founder of New Legacy Institute. The Institute’s purpose is to advocate for change around social realities and policy inequities faced by those who do not have children. Christine is involuntarily childless by circumstance (cxc), and touched on her experiences in her award-winning book, The Mother Within: A Guide to Accepting Your Childless Journey. (2015) A revised edition is forthcoming. Her current writing focuses on the unacknowledged impact of women who are childless/childfree due to circumstances. Christine is dedicated to advancing the diverse narratives and experiences of people without children. She is a staunch advocate of our community’s equitable inclusion and belonging in the workplace, media & entertainment narratives, and making visible the ways in which our community is impacted by culture and policy, and the change we seek. As an executive and entrepreneur, she has lived and worked globally, for the majority of her career. She is an experienced executive coach, leadership educator, and the founder of the Center for Consent-Driven Leadership. She is writing a forthcoming book: Consent-Driven: Rethinking the Culture of Leadership. Christine is an advocate for justice reform in family law and court procedures, involuntary pro se representation, and multifaceted accountability regarding violence against women. She has also consulted on international women’s law and development, gender equity and healthcare access initiatives.
