
About Yvonne John
Public Speaker | Author | Facilitator | Photographer
I am a British author and activist for the Childless women of colour. I wrote my book out of the anger for me and the other childless women who were not being heard or listened to by the circles we find ourselves in. ‘Dreaming of a Life Unlived: Intimate Stories and Portraits of Women Without Children’, was conceived out of love and understanding and born to give women like me the permission to unashamedly own our stories. I am a public speaker who has appeared on numerous radio and television programmes, including BBC Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’. I am known as the leading voice for the women of colour’s experience around infertility, as well as creating an inclusive space for black women and women of colour to openly talk about their childless journey.
I am a graduate of the Gateway Women’s 2016’s year-long Plan B Mentorship Programme, a licensed Gateway Women workshop facilitator (GWS) and World Childless Week Champion. I work in the NHS and am also an accomplished photographer.
Events
I regularly speak at a range of events and podcasts about my journey and experience as a black childless not by choice (CNBC) woman in society and in the workplace.
If you would like to invite me to speak please click below:
Latest on the Blog
Sterilised Silence: The Ongoing War Over Black Women’s Wombs
When I came across a LinkedIn post by Charmaine Simpson about the ‘Mississippi Appendectomy’ - the forced sterilisation of poor Black women through hysterectomies without their consent - I was reminded of the anger, sadness and disbelief I felt when I first heard...
Menopause, Motherhood & Meaning: Why World Menopause Day Matters for Women Without Children
World Menopause Day is a moment to lift silence, shift narratives, and affirm that menopause is not just a physical transition, but also a site of deep emotional, social, and identity-shaping change.For many women, especially those who were unable to have the children...
From Invisible Wounds to Shared Belonging: Reflections from the BAATN Conference
The Weight of the Room Yesterday, I had the honour of being one of three keynote speakers at the BAATN Conference, where the theme was belonging. I went in wondering whether I’d pitched my talk in the right way. What unfolded left me wishing for more. What began as a...










