Thank you for sharing DownandLonely. I understand. There are two issues you're dealing with there. One is a boundary problem. Unless you are running around asking people what they think about your lack of babies (you're obviously not) then they do not have a right to weigh in on it. Second, the reason they are telling you that you'll change your mind is not because of how young you look, it's because you are female. Some people believe that females must get pregnant. They cannot imagine a woman who doesn't want that so they tell you you will change your mind. Just as they are still making up stories about 50 yr old Jennifer Aniston "desperately wanting children."

To suggest that you will change your mind is both rude and condescending. It's basically like saying: "You don't know your own mind." People do not make comments like that to 36 yr old childless men. Or if they do, it's not often. Men are perceived as more than fathers and husbands....many aspects to their identity. We need to help the world see that women also have many aspects to their identity....so if motherhood and marriage are absent...this is not a problem or a failing...it's just different. No big deal.

Here's one of my favorites:

"But you're so lovely and kind! How could you not be a mother?!"

So, only women who procreate are lovely and kind?

D&L, you might find the Ted Talk I posted above interesting. Presented by a very strong and intelligent single woman. She has been single her whole adult life.