SMNTY Classics: Childless by Choice

Around the world, the birth rate is declining and it is sounding a lot of alarms. What is behind the decline? While some would like to blame feminism, there are many factors at play. We discuss in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

How did ICE, or the Immigrations and Custom Enforcement in the US, come to be? We delve into the history and the discuss some of the ramifications in part one of our look at the organization.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

While not necessarily bad, hyperfixation - an intense focus on a hobby, interest or activity - can lead to disruptions in every day life. We talk about what hyperfixation is and some of the ways it can manifest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In the start of our Future of Fertility series, we have guest Emma Kemsley on to chat about why she is childfree by choice. From thousands of failed IVF attempts, to severe endometriosis not taken seriously by doctors, Emma opens up about her journey through trying to have childr ... Show More

<p>More and more women in the United States are saying no to motherhood. Alarmingly, in 2023, the U.S. fertility rate reached the lowest number on record. But the idea of non-motherhood is actually not a new phenomenon, nor did it come out of the modern feminist movement. For cen ... Show More

<p>You meet someone, you get married, you have children. Right? That’s been the status quo for so long that it can be hard to imagine an alternative. For so many people who don’t feel called to be a parent, that path doesn’t feel right. But if you’ve grown up in a world where eve ... Show More

For most of human history, having kids wasn’t much of a choice. Social expectations, lack of birth control, and limited autonomy for women presented a couple of options: Have children, or join a convent. But the 1960s ushered in a big change. With better options for birth control ... Show More

<p>For a long time, the story about the world’s population was that it was growing too quickly. There were going to be too many humans, not enough resources, and that spelled disaster. But now the script has flipped. Fertility rates have declined dramatically, from about five chi ... Show More

The proportion of people without children is growing around the world. For some, this new reality reflects changing social attitudes and a desire not to have children, but for others, the decision has been taken out of their hands by a range of factors. The latest statistics avai ... Show More

It feels like everyone around me is getting engaged and announcing that they're pregnant, and it's making me think... how do people know that they want kids, when it's not something you can test out before deciding?! As someone who has never envisioned their life with kids in the ... Show More

<p>It’s something a little bit different on this week’s show. Giovanna’s guest is the bestselling author Emma Gannon, who is child-free by choice.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Emma opens up to Gi about her personal decision not to have children and the importance of finding supportive child-f ... Show More

Stephen J. Shaw is a data scientist and filmmaker. Birth rates in Western countries are collapsing, a trend even Elon Musk calls an existential threat. But what’s the true cause? Is it economics, fear of the future, cultural shifts, or something deeper? And more importantly, can ... Show More