Despite it becoming more common to be a child-free woman these days, positive discussions of life without motherhood remain vanishingly rare. You’re far more likely to read a headline of yet another US politician demeaning ‘childless cat ladies’ than you are to hear a woman in the public eye celebrating her life without kids.
And that’s a crying shame. When society’s scripts continue to uphold the idea that women have to get married and become mothers, it’s vital that those of us who take the less conventional path know that they are far from alone – and that we can be entirely content. It’s hard to go against the tide. When that tide is decades of cultural conditioning, we need all the positive icons of child-free existence we can gather.
At 81 and happily single, Angela Rippon is a great example. The beloved journalist, newsreader and presenter has remained uncoupled since divorcing her husband in 1989 after 22 years of marriage, and has never had children. And – not but! – she’s completely happy with how her life looks in her 80s.
In an exclusive interview with Good Housekeeping, Angela shared her commitment to her health and fitness routines – lots of veg, lots of dance – and spoke about how much she loves having the freedom to have a ‘haphazard’ schedule. Rather than motherhood, the presenter has found joy in the work she does and other social connections.
Asked specifically about being child-free, Angela told us: ‘I wasn’t able to have children, and so instead I found great satisfaction in my job, in what I do for a living. That fills my life.’
Angela went on to make an important point about life as a woman who isn’t a mother: not having your own children doesn’t mean your life has to be entirely without the joy of kids.
What to read next
‘My life is not totally child-free because I have wonderful godchildren,’ she explained. ‘My closest and dearest friends have children, and they’ve asked me to be godmother. It’s not the same [as motherhood], but it means I’ve had a reason to take an interest in young people from when they were babies. My godson, who is now in his 50s, I was in the hospital the day he was born. I’ve known his mother, my friend Thelma, since I was 17. When she gave birth, her husband was away at sea – he was a sea captain – so I was in the hospital.
‘My other close friend, Wendy, has two daughters. She and I used to ride [horses] together, so when the girls came along, they would be in their carrycots while we were doing dressage around them. Those two girls are now in their 40s, and have long been a part of my life.’
Angela told us she finds her role as a godmother immensely fulfilling. Her newest godchild is only two years old, so it’s a role Angela will be continuing for quite some time. ‘I’ve taken my responsibility as a godmother seriously,’ she shared. ‘I have been a part of my godchildren’s life. I love children, and I hope I’ve supported them in a way that I think is important. Their mothers have done brilliant jobs bringing them up. They are amazing young people and I’m so proud of what each of them has achieved.’
Outside of children, the presenter has found plenty of other sources of joy and meaning in her life; which is something that’s reassuring to hear as a child-free woman who has been told that my life will be ‘empty’ as I get older. ‘Not having children is something I’ve come to terms with,’ Angela told me. ‘I’ve found other ways of making my life fulfilling. My life has been fulfilling in many, many ways.’
