Careerist and egotist: resistance of Polish ‘childfree’ women to social pressure of having children. Analysis of the messages on TikTok platform

This article delves into the phenomenon of intentional childlessness within the context of many societal pressures prevalent on he Internet and specifically on the social platforms. It encompasses an exploration of recent scientific research and inquiries into the choice of childlessness, with a focus on the #childfree movement on TikTok. The presented study of an author covers an analysis of Polish content related to intentional childlessness on TikTok, dissecting the methods of social shaming directed at individuals opting for a child-free lifestyle, the defensive strategies employed by the child-free community, and the psychological phenomenon of the “authority rule”. This research approach sheds some light on the complex social dynamics surrounding the decision to remain child-free in the face of societal expectations, offering significant insights into contemporary attitudes towards this contentious topic within the TikTok community. This particularly concerns childless women who are almost expected to embrace motherhood as an obligation. TikTok is their space for spreading their views and defending their own position.