Lived experiences of childfree Bangladeshi women: constructions and negotiations

In Bangladesh, motherhood is considered as glorified, natural and the most important biological destiny for every woman. In the context of patriarchal social, cultural and legal framework which essentialise blood-bond kinship, a woman’s decision of not giving birth to any children and forgoing motherhood is deemed as abnormal, unnatural and deviant. This research explores the lived experiences of childfree Bangladeshi women who consciously and actively chose to opt out of motherhood roles and identity by rejecting procreation. By adopting qualitative methodological approach guided by feminist standpoint, this research analyses the in-depth interviews of sixteen childfree Bangladeshi women who narrated their experiences and challenges of being and staying childfree against the pressure of pronatalist patriarchal discourse. This paper examines various decision-making pathways and motivations for remaining childfree. The experiences of the participants reflect that the reactions to their childfree decision are often negative but they also found limited but supportive spaces among family members, friends, partners or online childfree communities. They employ various techniques of information control and confrontational strategies to respond to the unwanted questions, comments, judgements and stigmatisation. In addition, by planning and envisioning alternative imageries of future, care and kinship, the childfree women of Bangladesh construct their identities and lives beyond the pronatalist and patriarchal rationale of biological ties.