It is a very strange thing to go to your Google feed and scroll through the usual stuff (surfing videos, tiny homes, book reviews, COVID news, etc) and FIND YOUR FACE BETWEEN A NYT BOOK REVIEW AND A STORY ON "WEST SIDE STORY".
The article itself can be found here and also features Pamela Tsingdos of The Silent Sorority and another CNBC woman telling her story.
A featured story on women resolving without children after infertility! With absolutely no surprise-miracle babies anywhere in the article! In a section meant for women, "Know Your Value," that typically centers on mom-stories! Hallelujah.
The author is a Facebook friend who I went to college with and we had exactly one class together. She is now a writer and editor, and contacted me after reading the piece I wrote for World Childless Week in September. She wanted to do a piece on her MSNBC platform, to amplify the voices of an outcome that is way too often relegated to the darkness, shuffled off to the attic like a shameful crazy wife whom you know exists but don't really want her existence acknowledged.
And so I was interviewed for the story, along with Pamela Tsingdos (!) and another wonderful childless survivor of infertility who lives in the U.S. It went live Thursday. WHAT!?
I absolutely loved the article, but unfortunately the banner image at the top was this:
 |
Yuck. It's related, I guess, but also far from the most sensitive choice. If you want people to pass it to those struggling, that image is a major turn off. Soooo... I contacted the author and mentioned that, and BAM! they changed it. They changed it to my face (see above), which is mildly horrifying, but it's no longer a pregnant woman and ICSI! Yay for self-advocacy.
I am so excited that this outcome, this resolution, this hard-won life after infertility and adoption is featured on a national, mainstream-media platform. I hope it gets to people who need to hear these stories, who need to see the hope and the beauty that is possible with stepping away.
Your face is not mildly horrifying! It was just a shock to your system.
ReplyDeleteBrava to you for getting the author to get the publisher to change the image! That image is so ridiculous to show above the title "How I learned to embrace my child-free life." I mean, it's almost brain dead! lol The degree to which you have to actively avoid thinking of the topic of the article to use that image is mind-boggling. It's like someone writing a piece about being vegan or vegetarian, and using an image of a huge steak or a cow. ... Okay, I promise I'm calming down now!
You know that you have helped people by getting this published. I'm so happy about that.
You are amazing, Jess! Thank you so much for bringing this story to fruition. I am honored to be included. I shared this piece as well with a few groups I belong to (some CNBC and another that is a mix of experiences). All the feedback was overwhelmingly supportive with many grateful to see our stories in such a high profile outlet. You have made a tremendous difference through your advocacy and education efforts. xoxo
ReplyDeletep.s. a few of us also followed up with the Know Your Value web team to ask for the original banner image to be removed. Glad all our voices were heard and respected.
You are a friggin' rock star.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool, congratulations! I'm sure stories like these being made public help so many people. And it's a lovely picture of you!
ReplyDelete