“I feel like, at the moment, there is a loud conservative voice that says if you’re not contributing children to your voting bloc, you should be exterminated or something.”

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The couple was very much independent in their relationship, with Parton touring around the country while Dean spent time out of the spotlight. Over the years, the singer has been involved with millions of less privileged kids through her Imagination Library, which gifted hundreds of books to children up until the age of five.

She added that both she and her partner now believe that if they were to get married, they would not be together. She reiterated, "No question about it—we would not stay married, because of what that would have meant to him, and I would have had my own ideas about it." 

He further stated that he felt "children are a lot of work" and that he has a lot of respect for parents, but feels that he has too much to do. 

Bibb also spoke on the subject on the Open Book podcast, saying, "I don't want kids. It's not a child I have, and the mom I would want to be, I'm not sure I can be."

In 2019, he also said on The Ellen Show, "I'd worry sick about a baby. I have a cat, and I worry about that. I check the door three times before I go out. I put food and water in every room in case the door closes, and he's peckish for 20 minutes."

The couple has always been firm in their decision to be child-free, and many appreciate their reasoning. 

When she appeared on Julia Louis-Dreyfus' podcast, Wiser Than Me, she spoke about her relationship with her husband and their decision. She said, "I think Jeffrey would have been a great parent. He would have really loved having children, but he wanted me to be happy, and it was okay with him." 

She added, "I had no interest in having children. None. I just had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate." 

An earlier version of the article contained an error. It has now been corrected.