A couple of week’s ago, Guest Blogger, Kathleen Guthrie prompted a discussion about how we find meaning in our lives when we don’t have children. A later conversation with her, followed by a comment posted by reader Jennifer, prompted today’s Top Ten.
I was amazed at the list I generated when I started looking for outstanding women who did not have children. Some of my favorites included Elizabeth I, Janis Joplin, Amelia Earhart, and Dian Fossey, all of whom made a significant impact on the world. And it’s hard to imagine Amelia strapping a baby seat into the co-pilot seat of her twin-engine plane, or Dian wrestling with a toddler while attempting to move in close to a family of mountain gorillas. And yet I doubt that they considered their lives meaningless because they were not mothers. The world certainly didn’t.
So, after much editing, I’ve compiled my own Top Ten list of great women who did not have children. There are a lot of amazing women missing, and the order is up for debate, but I’ve tried to include women from a variety of arenas. Please feel free to add your own favorites.
10. Marilyn Monroe
9. Ginger Rogers
8. Joan of Arc
7. Coco Chanel
6. Frida Kahlo
5.Jane Austen
4.Sally Ride
3. Rosa Parks
2. Julia Child
1. Oprah Winfrey
