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Famous People Without Children

© Cara Swann

Although there is a growing number of celebrities who have no children, you won't be hearing a lot about them in the media. Usually, if a celebrity has no children, they are mute on the topic -- or suggest they might have children at some time in the future. Very few are willing to voice a deliberate decision about remaining childfree. Perhaps that is because they don't wish to alienate their legions of childed fans?

Two current notable exceptions are Bill Maher (Politically Incorrect) and Lara Flynn Boyle (The Practice). Maher frequently comments on his childfree status, and even occasionally gets across this politically incorrect stance. Boyle is reported by Entertainment Tonight to have said in a magazine interview that she doesn't want children. Let us hope neither will be ostracized. George Clooney was recently taunted by two female actresses (both childed) who bet him he would have a child before he turned forty.

Recently for two nights ABC's Nightline did an interesting two-part program about what life will be like in 2015. In it, they interviewed Agency analysts from the CIA, and not surprisingly, one of the big problems predicted is over-population. Although the major population growth will arise in third-world countries, it will affect everyone worldwide, the USA included. The idea that population could be voluntarily curbed was dismissed. The report can be found here.

Until some of our more widely known famous people are willing to advocate their own childfree choice, and explain why this is a viable and noble solution to some of the world's growing problems, we'll never even be able to discuss this topic in public. And that's a shame, because being childfree IS indeed an alternative we as a global society should at least be willing to consider. These influential and popular people could make a difference by speaking out, and perhaps even becoming role models to the younger generations around the world.

The following is a list of some famous people, current and historical, who are childfree. Some may eventually have children, or not.

Mo Mowlam, Cabinet minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (UK)
Mari Matsunaga, Japanese innovator of i-mode, voted in top 25 tech women of the web
Lauren Hutton, model/actress
Marlo Thomas, actress
Stephanie Zimbalist, actress
Patrick Swayze, actor
Betty White, actress
Kevin Spacey, actor
Margaret Mitchell, author
Julia Roberts, actress
Quentin Tarantino, writer/director
Randy Travis, singer
Dwight Yokam, singer
Lara Flynn Boyle, actress

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