39-Year-Old Artist Celebrates Childless Life, Faces Backlash

In mid-November 2025, 39-year-old artist Samantha Rothenberg, known online as @violetclair, shared a personal post on Threads revealing that she is single, child-free, and living alone in a woodland cottage. Rothenberg's message, meant to offer a glimpse beyond her art-focused posts, quickly went viral and drew thousands of responses, many of which were sharply critical.

Rothenberg expressed shock at the negative backlash, which she believes reflects the lingering stigma around women who choose valid life paths that deviate from societal norms. The follow-up post, which has been liked over 15,000 times, featured a photograph of Rothenberg with the text: "Being a single, childfree, 39-year-old woman shouldn't be controversial, but apparently it is."

The discussion that followed Rothenberg's experience has struck a nerve with her female followers, fueling a broader conversation about the expectations placed on women around motherhood, aging, and partnership. Many have shared their own stories of facing societal pressure to conform to traditional milestones, while others have expressed respect for those who choose a child-free life.

Despite the initial backlash, Rothenberg said the dialogue that followed was meaningful and, in many cases, encouraging. She believes her story highlights the need for more open and shame-free discussions around women's life choices.