International Childfree Day
Also known as
Non-Parents' Day (1973 to 2012)
Observed
annually on August 1st (since 1973)
Dates
Founded by
National Alliance for Optional Parenthood (formerly known as The National Organization for Non-Parents (N.O.N.)) in 1973
Laura Carroll in 2013
Tags
Awareness & Advocacy
Family & Friends
Hashtags
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Childfree_Day
https://internationalchildfreeday.com/
https://internationalchildfreeday.com/announcing-international-childfree-day-2/#more-12
https://internationalchildfreeday.com/event-seed-intl-childfree-day/#more-167
https://lauracarroll.com/back-story-intlernational-childfree-day/
https://www.facebook.com/InternationalChildfreeDay/
International Childfree Day celebrates those who voluntarily choose not to have children. It recognizes these amazing childfree people and their lives and aims to foster acceptance of the choice to be childfree. The National Organization for Non-Parents, which later was known as the National Alliance for Optional Parenthood, created Non-Parents Day in 1973. That year, a Male and Female Non-Parent of the Year was named. The winners rode in a parade down 5th Avenue in New York City and were crowned "Non-Parent King and Queen." In 2013, childfree author Laura Carroll revived the day, calling it International Childfree Day. Each year, a person of any gender identity is given the award of Childfree Person of the Year, and the award for Childfree Group of the Year is given to couples or groups, such as childfree romantic partners, social media groups, forum leaders, and website founders.
How to Observe International Childfree Day
A few ideas for celebrating the day include:
- Recognize people in your life who have chosen to be childfree.
- Work for acceptance for those who have chosen to be childfree.
- In advance of the holiday, nominate people and groups for the Childfree Person of the Year and the Childfree Group of the Year.
- Read about past winners of the Childfree Person of the Year and Childfree Group of the Year.
- Explore more of the International Childfree Day website. There are blog posts and a spot to donate to the Winner Award Fund.
- Explore the International Childfree Day Facebook and Twitter pages.
- Read a book about being childfree, such as Families of Two: Interviews with Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice by Laura Carroll, Confessions of a Childfree Woman: A Life Spent Swimming Against the Mainstream by Marcia Drut-Davis, and Being Fruitful Without Multiplying: Stories and Essays from Around the World by Patricia Yvette.