Childless? Childfree? Both carry their own kind of stigma

'Do you have a family?' is a very personal question and the answer often doesn't suit the mindset of the querent

The modern issue on having a family so often depends on an individual's health, finances, employment status, gender or sexuality, housing, and relationship status.

In recent years, I’ve heard members of the older generation complain that it is no longer considered acceptable to ask a younger person whether or not they have children. It’s true that this isn’t polite, especially during small talk with a stranger. They may as well be saying: “So, tell me all about the inner workings of your/your partner’s uterus.” 

Personally, I used to dread this question, even more so when it was framed as, “Do you have a family?” Of course, I do, I just haven’t birthed any of them. People’s feelings on procreation are often complicated, sometimes painful, and always deeply personal.