Episode 84: Not Having Children By Chance Or By Choice With Jody Day

Jody Day (the founder of The Gateway Foundation) and I discuss her journey to being childless, the ideology of pronatalism, how the festishism of motherhood serves no woman, and 50 reasons why a woman may not be a mother (they aren’t what you might expect).
Here’s Jody:
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Show Notes:
Gateway’s Website
Gateway Meetup Groups
Motherhood: Is It For Me? Your Step-by-step Guide To Clarity by Ann Davidman
Not Mom Summit
It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Single by Sara Eckel
Life Without Baby
Yellow Curry Recipe
One Part Plant Cookbook
More One Part Podcast Episodes Exploring The Idea of Motherhood:
Doing Your Dharma + Questioning The Definition of Motherhood with Ruby Warrington
Surrogacy, A Pigeon, and Redefining The Traditional Family with Mariah Naella
This episode was also supported by Amazon.
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I receive an affiliate commission from some of the links above.
14 Comments
Elizabeth
September 16, 2017This is one of the reasons it is so hard for women to find a partner:
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2016/01/28/podcast-173-date-onomics-how-skewed-sex-ratios-on-college-campuses-are-affecting-courtship-and-marriage/
Jessica
September 26, 2017Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
michelle spratt
September 16, 2017A very honest and open interview. Brilluant
Jessica
September 26, 2017Thanks so much for listening, Michelle.
Ann Davidman
September 17, 2017Thank you. What a fabulous interview. Jody Day is brilliant. I love listening to her tell her story while educating all of us. And Jessica I love your interviewing style. Jody mentioned me during the interview. My name is Ann Davidman and I help women journey through their ambivalence so they can have the clarity they’re seeking about choosing a path of motherhood or a childfree life. The book that Jody mentioned, Motherhood-Is It For Me? is co-authored and I wanted to give a shout out to my co-author Denise L. Carlini. If you’re interested in the Motherhood Clarity Course please contact me at my website.
While listening to this podcast it gave me pause to think about the window of time in my late 30’s and early 40’s (I’m in my early 60’s now) when I was balancing working with women helping them decide which path was right for them while I was in a depressed place myself because I so desperately wanted to become a mother but hadn’t found a healthy enough relationship worthy of me pursing motherhood. One day I’ll write about that time. It’s amazing how one can excel in one area while not in another at the exact same time. I’ve always been a wonderful clinician and have had the skill to separate out my personal business from the client I’m working with. Anyway, listening to the podcast sparked in me several blogs I want to write.
Thank you. Ann
Jessica
September 26, 2017Ann, thanks so much for listening and commenting here! I know a lot of listeners were so excited to discover your work through Jody. Thanks for all that you do too to help women. Love to you.
D'Laine
September 20, 2017Thank you Jessica for having such interesting interviews. I often think that one topic will not be relevant at all to me and then the interview ends of being so interesting. I also love your interview style.
Jessica
September 26, 2017D’Laine, thanks so much for listening. I was hoping the topic would resonate with all women and Jody really made that happen! Thanks.
Daniela
September 25, 2017Hi Jessica!
I love your podcast, and this interview in particular. Really thought provoking! And what an interesting and weird time we live in.
Want to ditto What Ana Davidman said – your interview style is so real and unique. The One Part Podcast is literally the best podcast I have found recently. Thank you for all of the interesting interviews and all the hard work you put in. Its awesome! : D
Regarding your love of sour patch kid, here is a link I wanted to share with you:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/sour-patch-grapes-healthier-than-the-candy/
It is a recipe for healthy sour patch kids grapes, from Sabrina Snyder over at Dinner Then Dessert. Last night this recipe popped into my mind, and I suddenly realised that I really must send the link to you. Hehe
Thanks again for all of the awesome podcast episodes. They make my day. : )
Jessica
September 26, 2017Daniela, AHHH! Thanks so much for that Sour Patch Kids link. So cool. And thanks for listening. This episode felt extra special.
Mary
September 26, 2017Jessica Murnane! Wow. I have been a listener of this podcast for two years and I have genuinely enjoyed all of your episodes but, this episode was in a league of its own. It was incredible! I loved Jody. She was so articulate about complex academic theories and she was able to offer nuanced answers to challenging listener questions. It was seriously the most enjoyable hour! I just wanted to say thank you for having her on the show and for continuing to push yourself in terms of topics and guests. What a great way to open the season!
Katie | Whole Nourishment
October 5, 2017Hi Jessica — I’ve been a long-time listener, but this is my first time commenting. Thank you for all the work you do for the health of our society. As a health coach, I really appreciate your down-to-earth, practical and authentic communication style and one part plant message. And a big thank you for touching on a variety of mental health topics in this podcast, especially this one!!! The decision-making process to not have a kid absolutely affects mental/emotional well-being. And having resources/mentors is so helpful for those of us taking that path.
Lisa
October 17, 2017Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for this podcast!!! I myself have been trying to conceive for over 4 yrs now with stage 4 endo and my husband and I are now in the process of adoption. We had both agreed that if we are not chosen to be parents within a specific time it will be time to move on with our lives. I love the terminology Jody stated, I look forward to sharing this with my husband this evening.
Jessica
October 25, 2017Lisa, I’m so glad this episode touched you! Thanks so much for listening and hope it helps your hubby too.