04 December, 2017

Our tribe isn't quite so invisible these days

The article came out on Saturday, both online and in the Saturday newspaper’s magazine, with photos and, gulp, a video of me speaking in the online version. So far I’ve avoided looking at the comments, and suspect that is the reason why I feel so surprisingly relaxed about it.

I loved the cover of the magazine, the words they chose (Childless Threat Taboo Freedom Failure Selfish Feminist Invisible Shame Barren Isolation Judgement) and the question asked. Why are women without children still stigmatised by society?

The title of the article too, was The Invisible Tribe, although with articles like these, and with the publicity many of the No Kidding bloggers and websites (Jody Day’s Gateway Women was specifically mentioned in the article) are getting (it helps to have a No Kidding Prime Minister here), I hope we are becoming more visible. And most importantly, more accepted.

Finally, although the article was pitched to me to be about being childless at Christmas, I think that it grew from that, and in fact turned into something much broader and rather good, but didn't deal with the difficulties childless women/men/couples might face at Christmas. In my interview, I told the reporter that I had decided to ignore all the “Christmas is about children” hoopla, and that I had, over the years, reclaimed Christmas to be mine, but unfortunately, this encouragement to women without children that Christmas can indeed be for them didn’t make the final edit. So I’ve noted that again, and have linked to a more detailed, seven-year-old (to the day) Christmas/holiday post here, to remind us all to think about how we can make the holidays work for us.


12 comments:

  1. dear Linda,
    it is beautiful to see you in a video! Congratulations for the courage and for sharing your thoughts.
    And I just love the cover of the magazine. The adjectives that describe how others see us are chosen very well.
    I am looking forward to read the full article!
    lots of love from sLOVEnia,
    Klara

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  2. You did amazing! Echoing Klara that it was so good to see you in the video sharing your thoughts and insight.

    I thought the part of childless by circumstances was the most powerful of the piece. It’s true there is a growing population of childfree by choice, but I was a bit disappointed that neither of the interviewees were willing to give their names and one stated that they may change their minds. I think that feed into some of the misconceptions.

    Regardless, the article seems like it was well balanced. Bravo for being a part of it!

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  3. Wow! This is excellent :-)! Love the cover, too.
    How wonderful to see and hear you talk <3.
    I think it is a huge step to have this topic in a newspaper. Congratulations!

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  4. I love that you spoke up and out, but even more, I love that I finally got to hear your great accent. Well done, Mali!

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  5. Woo hoo! Great job, I loved the quotes in the article and it was SO LOVELY to see your face and hear your voice!

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  6. It's way so much better to hear and see you, though not in person, but at least the woman behind this blog. Thank you so much!

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  7. Oh well done Mali! Great to 'see' you and I'm glad you spoke out and put your real name to it. It's a really important subject (I know from reading your blog I've inadvertently made a few bonehead comments myself).

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  8. Well done, Miss Mali. Well done!

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  9. What a thrill to see and hear you after all these years, Mali! You represented so well.

    You did a terrific job with the interview and with expanding the scope of the article. Big kudos.

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  10. Thank you all for your very kind words. I'm quite embarrassed you have now seen me close up!

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  11. I already told you elsewhere how much I loved this, but I will tell you again here. ;) Bravo!! (Your accent comes as no great shock, having exchanged audiotapes with my NZ penpal as a teenager, and having worked with a former Kiwi for something like 20 years! -- she is still my great friend!)

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  12. Love your eloquent, poised video and thank you for speaking out! I wish I was so warm and articulate on film. Brava!

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