"Finally, a descriptor that just might work. Finding terms to describe those of us who don't have kids is challenging. We're usually referred to as what we're not (non-moms, unparents, people without kids). Cumbersome, clunky, and not very respectful. Beginning with Major League Baseball in the mid-1970s, free agency gave professional athletes the flexibility to develop their careers after their contracts expired. The practice gradually spread to other professional sports and is now well-accepted by sports organizations and fans around the world."
"Calling yourself a free agent brings to mind autonomy about one's life and endeavors. It implies a path with many forks to consider and the flexibility to choose a variety of options. Basically, that's a lot of what being an adult without having kids of our own is like. Free agents are also prevalent in business (also referred to as independent contractors, fractional leaders, or gig workers). Daniel Pink's best-selling book Free Agent Nation was first published back in 2001. He defines free agents as "people who are working untethered from a large organization.""
Free agency originated in Major League Baseball in the mid-1970s, allowing athletes to develop careers after contracts expired and spreading to other sports worldwide. Calling someone a free agent evokes autonomy, multiple life choices, and flexibility analogous to adulthood without children. The term appears in business as independent contractors, fractional leaders, or gig workers. A widely cited definition calls free agents "people who are working untethered from a large organization." Many free agents prefer longer-term contracts or salaried positions but may settle for short tenures or contract work, a situation that affects older workers as well. Free agents pursue authenticity, autonomy, and self-defined success.
Read at Psychology Today
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