The blog was inspired partially due to a horrible "Breast Cancer Awareness" joke that did anything but aware people of breast cancer. Instead, it fueled that activism of myself and a few others who were tired of sitting back and allowing society to keep piling more and more pain upon us. For most, if not all of us, we had nothing to do with our infertility...it was an unwanted card we were dealt and of which we are reminded of every day.
For some people who have no problem having children, they don't seem bothered by the newest craze in Facebook Breast Cancer awareness posting jokes going around. A couple of days ago a new joke came around Facebook private messages requesting that the receiver post on their status the following; "I am (#) weeks and I am craving (certain junk food associated with a certain number.)" For individuals struggling with infertility this struck a nerve. It struck a nerve immediately with me. Infertility Support Groups are asking that everyone take it off Facebook. First off, no one has ever become more aware of Breast Cancer through a simple private joke post. What raises Breast Cancer awareness is programs, advertisements, fund raisers and people speaking out about it. What does faking pregnancy cravings have to do with Breast Cancer awareness? Do they not realize that many women who have had Chemotherapy for their breast cancer are also left with a greater risk to their child if they attempt to even conceive within so many years after having received Chemo? This not only then rubs is infertile woman raw but it digs the knife deeper into the wounds of woman with Breast Cancer. Bra sizes are one thing, although also insensitive for the woman who has had to have a mastectomy...but a bra is an accessory...a child is not.
Infertility has been a taboo in society for far too long. Not only do people experiencing infertility end up having to deal with consistant reminders of their inability to conceive with the hundreds of advertisements for diapers, babyfoods, clothes, etc. but they also are less likely to have insurance coverage for any type of treatment available to help remedy the situation. Infertile couples spend thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars out of their pockets to try and conceive, only to have to spends thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars later should they chose to try the route of adoption.
As a part of an Infertility Support Group I want to get the word out.
Please don't see this as an emotional plea. See this as a plea to make a difference in a society that all to quickly is becoming callous and insensitive. Take into consideration the impact that a few words on a social media site can have on individuals.
Today I wrote and submitted part of this blog I am writing to several news stations and our local paper. We can't let it stop only with our blogs and a few facebook messages. We need to take it above and beyond. Nothing will be changed if we sit back and don't stand up. We will only continue to be pushed aside and a knife stuck deeper into the wound of our infertility. Let's make a difference. If we walk together, we can take the taboo out of it and maybe...just maybe...those dealing with infertility after us won't have the struggle as hard as we have had.
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