Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence

 

　　社會學教授Amy Blackstone，身為沒有小孩的女性、也是《我們不生孩子we're {not} having a baby》部落格主。在這本兼顧各面向的完整精彩作品裡，融合自己長年來的研究，與個人生活體驗，引領讀者深入一個正影響我們社會，如此重要卻又如禁忌般被禁止討論的現象。

 

　　每當Amy Blackstone博士提到她沒有孩子，而且她也不想要時，其他人總是滿臉困惑、反唇相譏、心懷憐憫，甚至是謾罵和譴責相應。然而，並非只有她選擇不生孩子，現在有越來越多人選擇不當父母。這樣的決定縱使已存在許久，圍繞在此之外的仍舊是許多誤解、刻板印象甚或偏見──選擇不生孩子代表著「自私」、違反了生為女性的「母性本能」、意味著家庭或個人的不完整…。

 

　　自2008年起，Blackstone展開研究不生孩子的議題，以她自己與先生，更包含其他受訪對象，研究這些「選擇不生孩子」個人遭逢的各方生命經驗，成為一個橫跨十年的長期追蹤研究。此外集結自己和他人的研究，對於「不生孩子」的偏見進行分析，破除迷思──即便沒有孩子，主體反倒經常透過成為叔叔阿姨，甚至其他方式體驗與實踐關於親職的不同面向，也關心社會熱於回饋，並沒有成為自私的人；我們的社會對於女性、家庭的既定想像，最終也並不具有堅實的理論基礎，而更多是後天文化傳統創造的信條，也無法佐證沒有孩子的生命，必將在終老之時更為孤獨。

 

　　結合個人生活的故事、案例，為閱讀帶來貼近生活的場景既視感。同時亦兼顧嚴謹的學理論述，探索性別、種族、性取向、政治、環保主義及女權主義。梳理過往歷史和當前趨增現象的脈絡，看看這樣的趨勢對我們的社會、經濟、環境、性別認同及後世有什麼影響，而支持不同類型的家庭又將如何為所有父母、非父母和小孩帶來正面積極的影響。無論是對於「不生孩子」這個人生選擇，有所思的你／妳／你們，或對這個在我們周遭日漸尋常的現象有所關注的讀者，本書都將提供完整的思量素材，撕下禁忌與標籤，展開對話面對我們變遷中的社會風景。（文/博客來編譯）

From Dr. Amy Blackstone, childfree woman, co-creator of the blog we're {not} having a baby, and nationally recognized expert on the childfree choice, comes a definitive investigation into the history and current growing movement of adults choosing to forgo parenthood: what it means for our society, economy, environment, perceived gender roles, and legacies, and how understanding and supporting all types of families can lead to positive outcomes for parents, non-parents, and children alike.

As a childfree woman, Dr. Amy Blackstone is no stranger to a wide range of negative responses when she informs people she doesn't have--nor does she want--kids: confused looks, patronizing quips, thinly veiled pity, even outright scorn and condemnation. But she is not alone in opting out when it comes to children. More people than ever are choosing to forgo parenthood, and openly discussing a choice that's still often perceived as taboo. Yet this choice, and its effects personally and culturally, are still often misunderstood.

Amy Blackstone, a professor of sociology, has been studying the childfree choice since 2008, a choice she and her husband had already confidently and happily made. Using her own and others' research as well as her personal experience, Blackstone delves into the childfree movement from its conception to today, exploring gender, race, sexual orientation, politics, environmentalism, and feminism, as she strips away the misconceptions surrounding non-parents and reveals the still radical notion that support of the childfree can lead to better lives and societies for all.

Author
 
　　Dr. Amy Blackstone is a professor in Sociology and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine, where she studies childlessness and the childfree choice, workplace harassment, and civic engagement. Her work has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals including American Sociological Review, Law & Society Review, Sociology Compass, and Gender & Society. Professor Blackstone’s research has been featured by various media outlets including the Katie show, public radio, the New York Times, the Washington Post, BuzzFeed, USA Today, New York, Huffington Post, and other local and national venues. Childfree by Choice is her first book.