Blackstone, Huisman Discuss Childfree Living with WABI

In WABI’s (Channel 5) two-part series on parenthood, University of Maine sociologists Kim Huisman and Amy Blackstone discuss motherhood and childfree living. “In some cultures, motherhood is expected and if you’re not a mother then there is a stigma attached to you,” said Huisman, who teaches a course on the social construction of motherhood. Blackstone says while women have more opportunities and choices today, there is still a stigma attached to being childfree. “We definitely have a pretty narrow idea of what the ideal family is in our culture, and if you go outside that 2.5 kids and a dog and a cat and a mom and a dad, you’re probably going to experience a little bit of cultural pushback,” she said. Part II of the series, which is slated to air Tuesday, Feb. 25, features two families. One has five children younger than 7 years old and one has two people — Blackstone and her husband.