I think you're mistaken about the generalization. When I refer to myself as 'childfree' rather than 'childless,' I am trying to make the statement "for me, not having children is a good thing, not a bad thing." I am NOT trying to make that statement about anybody else's choice, or about children in general. When people regard not having children as a lack, they are childless. When people regard not having children as a positive thing, they are childfree. That distinction is precisely what makes the term useful--it says something about how individuals view their individual situations.

-J