Monsters, Misfits, and the Childless*: A Troubling Cinematic Trend
Have you ever noticed that childless folk are often portrayed poorly in film? A study conducted by Cristina Archetti analyzed 50 films from Norway, Italy and the US. Her findings are so interesting. The full article on her study, “No Life Without Family: Film Representations of Involuntary Childlessness, Silence and Exclusion”, can be found here.
The Family Dream
Forming a family and having children is often portrayed as a key part of a fulfilling life. Many hold this to be true. But what happens when this dream doesn't come true? Archetti explores how films portray involuntary childlessness and how these portrayals contribute to the stigma of those without children.
The Role of Popular Culture
One can be without children due to difficulties in getting pregnant. But many people are involuntarily childless due to circumstances. The article noted there are those that are childless by circumstance due to “social infertility”, such as due to the death of a partner, having suffered illness during one’s fertile years, not being able to afford infertility treatment, or for some, fertility policies and laws exist that exclude them from being able to access fertility treatment at all.
Popular culture, including films, plays a significant role in shaping our perceptions of reality. Films can both open up new ways of thinking and, more concerningly, limit our thinking. The narratives in films help define who we are and what is considered "normal" or "acceptable" and what is not. Unfortunately, these narratives often portray childless individuals negatively.
The Findings
The analysis considered the question “What are the representations of involuntarily childless individuals like?” through a holistic qualitative examination of the features and motives of a childless character. The study revealed troubling portrayals of childless individuals. Here are some key findings:
Death and Desperation: Childless characters often die, either by suicide or by being killed. If they don't die, they usually acquire a child through extraordinary means.
Gender Differences: Male and female superheroes can overcome the trauma of infertility, but ordinary women without children are often depicted as having no reason to live.
Negative Stereotypes: Childless individuals are portrayed as weird, cold, neurotic, and even destructive. They lead disordered lives, often shown drinking excessively, smoking, and consuming junk food.
Lack of Representation: Childlessness by circumstance is almost non-existent in these films. The focus is usually on infertility, and the characters are predominantly white and heterosexual.
Cultural Differences
Interestingly, the study found that Norwegian films, despite the country's reputation for gender equality, were just as stereotypical as older Italian films. However, some Italian films from the 1980s onwards were more progressive, addressing male infertility and portraying strong, resilient childless women.
Impact on Real Life
These negative portrayals contribute to the stigma and self-censorship among the childless. They also create unrealistic expectations about the ease of getting pregnant and the effectiveness of fertility treatments. This misinformation can lead to more suffering for those struggling with infertility.
Given the findings of this study, is it hard to understand why childless folks – whether by circumstance or by choice – feel “other” than? Or that they will be judged for not having children?
Hollywood needs to embrace the child-free character who owns their choice and is happy in it. We need more protagonists like Liz (Eat Pray Love), Samantha Jones (Sex and the City), and Cristina Yang (Grey’s Anatomy). Pop culture has a profound influence on our perception of what is considered “normal” – it needs to start reflecting what “normal” actually looks like.
* I dislike this word and use child-free intentionally. However, it was used in the study so will use the term in this blog.
Alysia Christiaen
Creator of CFW² and a child-free woman.
