Childless Not by Choice Voices Heard
Childless Not by Choice (CNBC) folk don’t often get much visibility. That’s why I was surprised when an email query landed in my inbox several weeks ago. It came at the same time my husband was in pre-op for outpatient surgery. Suffice to say, I knew how I’d be spending my time in the waiting room.
Happily, both the surgery and the story resulted in good outcomes. My patient is fully healed, and the article featuring several childless not by choice women is now live on MSNBC’s Know Your Value website.
This is a big deal for the predominantly pro-natal U.S. media.
Childless Not by Choice Voices
As fellow interviewee (and inspiration for the piece) Jess at Finding a Different Path explains in her latest blog post, there was one rather unfortunate stock photo choice. A pregnant woman image sat at the top of the story for the first several hours. Here’s how I initially shared it on a few social media sites.
When others who saw the image validated my frustration, I reached out to the MSBNC team to please remove it. Like Jess, I was pleasantly surprised our childless not by choice voices were heard and respected. It’s been a long road to this latest destination and there’s so much more to explore.
Afterward Honesty
Speaking of wisdom to be gleaned by the childless not by choice, I’m happy to share a link to Sarah Chamberlin’s newest blog: Afterward Honesty. It launched this week. She writes: “I’m thankful we’re living in a time where involuntarily childless lives are being projected out in the world at ALL in any form.”
Couldn’t agree more. Drop by and say hello.
Childless Elderwomen
Finally, do join me and others for Jody Day’s latest NomoCrones Solstice Fireside Wisdom with Childless Elderwomen on Dec. 21. The webinar topic: Spiritual Malnutrition.
Join a merry band of wise nomocrones as they reverently and irreverently explore what it is so many of us childless women are looking for, and how we might find it in the messy imperfections of our daily lives. How do we fill our cup in a world that demands so much of us, yet seemingly offers so little?
You can watch the recorded discussion here. Full details on Jody’s Gateway Women’s blog.
Look forward to re-connecting with you all in the New Year. May 2022 brings us peace, laughter and joyful new discoveries.
Mali
Pamela, it is so good to know that our voices are heard! As you know, I was one of the people who was almost apoplectic at that artwork. It’s not just that people don’t consider us – it feels like an almost deliberate ignorance to use an image like that! So brava to you and Jess for helping to get it changed.
Love seeing all our voices out there. Will try to get to the Elderwomen chat, but may be away. It is that time of the year, after all! I’ve registered for it, and will watch at some stage.
Wishing you and DH (pleased to hear he has recovered) all the best for the season!
Pamela Tsigdinos
You are so integral to the CNBC community, Mali! Honored to walk beside you on this unexpected path we find ourselves. One of these days, I look forward to sharing time together in person. We are way overdue for that! Wishing you all the best as well xx
loribeth
I love those fireside chats and was so sorry to miss this one… I caught the first five minutes and then had to bow out. :( I am at my parents’ house right now for the holidays, and my time is not always my own! but I’m hoping to catch up and watch the recording soon. I did see the MSNBC piece and thought it was great — pregnant woman illustration aside…! Tickled that your request to remove it was actually heard and acted on! And I’m glad to hear your dh is doing well too — merry Christmas to you both!
Jess
Wonderful! I’m so thrilled that we got to raise our voices on the MSNBC platform, and that we continued advocating for the removal of the insensitive artwork! Thank you for all you do for the community and for blazing the path for all of us who’ve come after. My laptop unceremoniously died mid-December, but I absolutely have to join the Elderwomen conversations. The more community the better!