When Suzie Andrews*, a single mother of four, found the perfect rental property, the estate agent was more than happy for her to sign on the dotted line – after all, she had the deposit and a great job with a secure income. They just had one condition: that a man stand guarantor.
Welcome to single parenting Australia-style in the 1980s, where you didn’t just need a good income to secure a rental – you needed a penis.
With more and more women choosing to become mothers via IVF and a sperm donor, it’s worth taking a look back at how the experience of single motherhood has changed over the years…