Dolly Parton says 'God didn't want her to have kids' due to her career, Internet asks if men ever have to explain this
Dolly Parton got candid on her decision not to have any children and how she believes that it had paved her way for success. The singer has been married to Carl Dean since 1966 but the two never had any children together. While speaking to Oprah Winfrey during her upcoming interview for Apple, the 74-year-old was asked whether she has had to make any sacrifices for her career. In response to this, the 'Jolene' singer said, "I've made sacrifices but I believe that I know what I'm supposed to do. But you've got to make the sacrifice. Since I had no kids, and my husband was pretty independent, I had freedom."
'So I think a big part of my whole success is the fact that I was free to work," she added. She also shared that she wasn't 'meant' to have children and explained, "I didn't have children because I believe that God didn't mean for me to have kids so everybody's kids could be mine, so I could do things like the [book gifting program] Imagination Library."
"If I hadn't had the freedom to work I wouldn't have done all the things I've done and I wouldn't be in the position to do all the things I'm doing," she continued.
Many social media users rallied behind her decision not to have children and showed their support. One such user had written, "Women shouldn't have to explain why they did or didn't have children. Are men ever explaining this?" Another user shared, "I find this so inherently sexist. Why shouldn’t @DollyParton be allowed to choose a wildly success and demanding career over having children. Lots of men choose the same path without the same criticism."
"There is a reason. Some jobs are demanding and take up a lot of time; having kids means seeing them very little. Especially if you're an artist on Dolly Parton level. Many celebrity kids grow up without seeing their parents much. So, rather spare that for both parent and child," commented another.
Women shouldn't have to explain why they did or didn't have children. Are men ever explaining this?
— Ransomed Rein (@deannefaye) November 14, 2020
I find this so inherently sexist. Why shouldn’t @DollyParton be allowed to choose a wildly success and demanding career over having children. Lots of men choose the same path without the same criticism
— Mark Garrison (@MarkGarrison1) November 14, 2020
There is a reason. Some jobs are demanding and take up a lot of time; having kids means seeing them very little. Especially if you're an artist on Dolly Parton level. Many celebrity kids grow up without seeing their parents much. So, rather spare that for both parent and child.
— n o o b (@sugaryscones) November 14, 2020
During the interview, the singer had also spoken about her husband and how she gets asked if he's actually real. "A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all. It's just not who he is. He's like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he'd never get a minute's peace and he's right about that," she shared.
She added how she has made a huge effort to keep her husband out of the spotlight over the course of her career. While speaking to Entertainment Tonight she revealed, "I've always respected and appreciated that in him and I've always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can."
"He said, 'I didn't choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.' And we do and we have. We've been together 56 years, married 54," she revealed. "Our joke about the fact, when people ask me why it's lasted this long, I say, 'Because I stay gone.' And there's a lot of truth in that - the fact that we're not in each other's faces all the time."