Sun 27 September 2026 • 10:30am
Storyhouse Childless: Welcome and Mens Panel
Event details
Part of: Storyhouse Childless
On Sunday morning, Dr Dawn Llewellyn, our Festival MC, will welcome you back with a reflection on Saturday’s events before beginning the first panel of the day.
In 2022 Yovonne John chaired the Men’s Panel , which Jody Day cited as a ‘world first’. After 12 years of writing, researching and building community within the childless space: Jody had never heard a panel of only men telling their stories.
Taking centre stage again this year, they share their personal experiences to help others tackle whatever comes their way in our pronatalist world. Too often, not having children is deemed ‘a women’s issue’ (you can blame patriarchy for that) and it can seem as though men aren’t judged or shamed. But we know this isn’t true. In this panel, hear the highs and lows and unique reflections from of childlessness and childfreeness from a male perspective.
This is an inclusive event.
This event is for people who are Childless and Childfree and their supporters.
Events may feature strong language, mention of abortion, trauma, pregnancy, miscarriage, and suicidal ideation. Please look out for yourself and others and please remember you can come and go from any event.
If you have any access needs for example noise sensitivity, mobility or if there is any other support you need, please add yourself to the access register here. We will get in touch with you before the event to chat about we can support you to have the best experience of the discussions group events.
Included in Festival Pass
Storyhouse Childless: Welcome Gathering
Storyhouse Childless: Festival Welcome
Storyhouse Childless: Birth Rate Panic! Not our problem.
Learn more about the panel:
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Mark Briggs Leeuwen Briggs
Mark is the owner of a small independent travel business based in the UK and The Netherlands. Mark has been an audience member at Storyhouse Childless in 2022 and 2023. His main interests are travel (obviously), outdoor sports, mycology, Science/physics and psychology. Childless not by choice, but not always sure where on the spectrum between “childless” and “child free” he sits – and how life like that should look in this society.
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Karan Jalota
Karan Jalota (a.k.a. ‘KJ’), a civil engineer from England. He has been working as a civil engineer, specialising in geotechnical engineering having graduated with a Bachelors Honours degree from Loughborough University in 2000. Remains a fully accredited member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, Alberta Canada, where he practiced from 2008 to 2022. In his mid-thirties, as Karan officially began mentoring junior staff in Alberta, he found out that he will not be a father or have the opportunity to be called ‘dad’ and entered a downward spiral. One that took a few years to incrementally/slowly arise from, allowing him to begin and now currently be in a position complete a master’s degree in business administration, cumulating with a capstone project on ‘childless employees’, to further understanding and promote conversation.