My So-Called Selfish Life

Denison University’s Laura C. Harris Series welcomes filmmaker Therese Shechter, screening her documentary My So-Called Selfish Life. The film explores the cultural stigma surrounding the decision not to have children. Blending personal narrative with interviews and historical context, the film challenges the idea that motherhood is a necessary or inevitable part of womanhood. At a time when reproductive rights and autonomy are under renewed scrutiny, the documentary invites viewers to examine how societal expectations continue to shape deeply personal choices.

Shechter is known for her work that interrogates widely accepted ideas about gender, identity, and sexuality. Over the past two decades, she has developed a series of films that explore how women navigate social and cultural narratives that often define their value in limited terms. My So-Called Selfish Life is the third in this ongoing body of work, following I Was a Teenage Feminist and How to Lose Your Virginity. Each of these films uses a combination of humor, research, and personal insight to engage with complex topics in a way that is accessible yet thought-provoking.

In My So-Called Selfish Life, Shechter turns her attention to one of the most enduring taboos: choosing not to become a mother. The film amplifies the voices of women and non-binary individuals who are often left out of mainstream conversations about family and fulfillment, placing their stories within a larger discussion about reproductive freedom, identity, and societal pressure. The documentary has screened in over 35 countries and continues to serve as a starting point for dialogue on issues of autonomy and choice.

Shechter began her filmmaking career at Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Productions before founding her own company, Trixie Films. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, The Guardian, and The Atlantic, and is held in numerous university and nonprofit collections. She is currently at work on a new project exploring aging and the cultural invisibility of older women.

Sponsored by the Laura C. Harris Series and Co-sponsored by the Denison Museum and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.