A clip from 2021 of J.D. Vance, the current Republican vice-presidential nominee, has recently been circulating the internet. In this clip, Vance refers to Democratic leaders as “childless cat ladies.”
Women have all heard the term “childless cat lady” and frankly, we are sick of the blatantly sexist, anti-women remarks. In response to the backlash of using this phrase, Vance said on Megyn Kelly’s podcast, “Obviously, it was a sarcastic comment. I’ve got nothing against cats.” Even furthering his misogynist stance on women.
Vance later went on to say in a fundraising email, “Our country is basically run by childless Democrats who are miserable in their own lives and want to make the rest of the country miserable too… What I want to know is: why have we turned our country over to people who don’t have a direct stake in it?”
Some women are not able to have kids. Jennifer Aniston, who has no children of her own, took to Instagram stories and posted, “Mr. Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day. I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her too.”
In addition to not being able to have kids, some women choose to adopt, choose to only raise their step-children, or sometimes women simply do not want kids. J.D. Vance considers all of these situations to be included in the childless cat women narrative. But a woman does not need to give a reason why they are childless. Vance seems to be under the impression that women are only of use to society if they bear a child—an outdated and oppressive stance on women’s value in the world. But, women are not defined by their children. Being childless has no impact on who a woman is or who she isn’t. Our stake in society is not dependent on producing offspring. So, let’s celebrate women who have shown that you do not need to have children in order to contribute to this country.
All Hail the Childless Cat Lady
A talk show host, television producer, actress, and author, Oprah Winfrey has become one of the most influential people in the world. Having been born into poverty, Winfrey created her empire all on her own. While in high school, she got a job at the local radio station, and after graduation went on to local evening news. She has been praised for her passion for telling stories and boosting all the shows she worked on, leading her to start her own production company. Winfrey was the first Black woman billionaire and held the place as the only black billionaire in the world from 2004 to 2006. Oprah has no children, and she still became one of the most influential people in the world.
Betty White
Betty White was an actress and a comedian for almost seven decades, acting in sitcoms, sketch comedy, and game shows. She was the first woman to produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth) and the first woman to win the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for the show Just Men!. White never had any children of her own, but at 41 years old she did help raise her third husband’s children from a previous marriage.
Sally Ride
Sally Ride, a physicist and astronaut, was the first American woman in space and the youngest American astronaut to go to space when she went on her space shuttle mission on June 18, 1983. She was in charge of operating a robotic arm to deploy and retrieve the first Shuttle pallet satellite. She would later go back into space in 1984. She 1987 she left NASA and went on to have an award-winning career in academics, focusing on encouraging young girls to consider STEM careers. Sally Ride had no children at the time of her death.
Sonia Sotomayor
An associate justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become a very prominent figure in the US justice system. She was nominated for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 and went on to hold this position in 1998. She was then nominated for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by President Bill Clinton in 1997. She served in this role from 1998-2009. Finally, she was nominated for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by President Obama where she currently presides today. She is the third woman and first Hispanic woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Sonia Sotomayor remains childless to this day.
Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson is known as one of the greatest poets of all time. Known for her unconventional structure and syntax, she has been praised for her originality and dedication to marching to the beat of her own drum. Dickinson wrote in a unique, female voice and was able to portray personal and complex anecdotes that are now studied and analyzed through a feminist lens. Her poems are taught in American Literature and poetry classes all over the world to this day. She has become an extraordinary inspiration for poets all over. Emily Dickinson had no children in her lifetime.
Bessie Coleman
Bessie Coleman was the first African American and Native American woman to earn her pilot’s license. At the time, the United States did not allow women to learn how to fly planes. So, determined to pursue her dream, she applied to a flight school in France. Not knowing French, Coleman began taking French classes and was accepted to an aviation school in Le Crotoy, France. Once she received her license, she returned to the U.S. and began performing and speaking at different forums. She was an activist for both African American and women’s rights, oftentimes refusing to perform at shows where Blacks and Whites were segregated. Bessie Coleman was childless until her death.
Women are not defined by whether or not they have kids. Women are defined by their personalities, their souls, what they do and who they are. These 6 women alone show that we are so much more than just mothers. We are scientists, entertainers, writers, athletes, politicians, and so much more. And our accomplishments don’t stop with these 6 women. There are almost 22 million women in the United States who do not have children, and each one has a life, a story and their own accomplishments. We mean something whether we have kids or not.
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