“No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother."
Margaret Sanger 1879 – 1966

In the 1960s women saw the advent of the birth control pill, making theirs the first generation to have reliable options when considering whether or not to become mothers. Availability of The Pill provided women and their partners a sexual freedom never before seen in society. Their lives were further touched by social upheaval over the Vietnam War, the military draft, the struggle for civil rights and rapidly changing attitudes toward the use of drugs.

This collection of essays, written by women of the Baby Boomer generation, is not a soapbox, but it is decidedly more than a Tweet. It offers glimpses into how fifteen women were affected by a radically shifting paradigm, and how coming of age during a tumultuous decade influenced their decisions, resulting in the lives they live today.

Kid Me Not does not pass judgment on any woman’s choice. It is simply the outcome of my asking women who came of age in the sixties, all of us now in our sixties, to step forward and share their personal experiences— specifically those which led them, either by choice or default, to live their lives child free.

Most of us are not writers by profession. We drafted our pieces and formed small groups, giving one another, over a period of several months, encouragement and constructive feedback. I am proud that these women, my friends, found the courage to write honest, straightforward accounts of how they chose to shape their lives, circumnavigating the established path to motherhood, so long expected of women.

I liken us to pioneer women who took a break from our individual journeys, to circle the wagons and sit around a campfire telling our stories. We have listened to each one carefully, mindful of the rich thread of history that runs through every life.

Because I am an artist whose work often involves storytelling, I feel compelled to encourage the same in others. I urge you to take time to listen, really listen, to women of all ages when they speak of their journeys through life. And don’t be afraid to share your own.

I invite you to join me and my friends as we share stories. Come closer, sit by our fire. Listen.