Why is nobody talking about childless men?
The 57th episode of The Full Stop podcast is recorded to raise awareness of childless men on International Men's Day, 19th November 2023. The recording features a panel of childless men discussing their experiences and perspectives. The speakers, from various backgrounds and professions, share their personal journeys with childlessness, discussing feelings of exclusion and inclusion and the impact of societal narratives around men who are not fathers, and the importance of finding support.
Hidden Stories of Childlessness
We open our hearts, and The Fulll Stop podcast, to two extraordinary guests, Nina Thair and Danielle Hines, who have lived and learned through personal journeys marked by hidden childlessness. Through a deeply moving conversation, they touch upon the deep emotional aspects of not being a parent and how the support of friendship and community has empowered them through their journeys.
I Always Wanted To Be A Dad
Discover the emotional journey of a childless man, as Robert opens up about the complex feelings and experiences he went through, realising the unlikely chance of having children. Tune in as he narrates how he found The Childless Men's Community, and how it inspired him to write a play about childlessness for men, which evolved into a book. Learn about the creative process behind his book, ‘I Always Wanted To Be A Dad’ and what next including his play ‘Empty’, hear about his collaboration with Berenice, who designed the book, and his mixed feelings towards sharing his personal story publicly.
Downriver Nomad with Rob Hutchings, July 2022
In Episode 41, meet Rob Hutchings, a seasoned endurance athlete and author of Downriver Nomad. In his autobiography, Rob tells tales of his nomadic adventures in triathlon, marathon swimming and sports, navigating hairpin bends, whirlpools and white-water rapids and the pain of childlessness.
Do childless men need a community? March 2021
We invited a few guys from the Clan of Brothers to discuss this topic, we were lucky enough to share views from three continents and cultures. Of course it was a rhetorical question - we all need community, but what we found enriching were the reasons why.
Men and mental health, July 2021
Our guest this month is Chrissy Pantlin. She’s based in Australia. After illness, Chrissy qualified in counseling and set up her practice in the pandemic. Chrissy talks about what she’s learning from the men who come to her practice and shares a wealth of advice that we know will be useful to all genders.
Toxic hope and worth, November 2020
In this episode, we were joined by our good friend Andy Harrod who is the voice behind Invisible Childlessness. He’s one of many new, powerful contributors to our community as he explores coming to terms with involuntary childlessness through writing and academic study. He’s also part of the Clan of Brothers.
From the start, this episode poses questions about events that lead us to this space called involuntarily childlessness and we do mention infertility treatment.