Emily Bingham, a freelance writer based in Michigan, posted an ultrasound image, along with the message: ‘Now that I got your attention with this random ultrasound photo… this is just a friendly P.S.A. [public service announcement] that people’s reproductive and procreative plans and decisions are none of your business.’
She has won widespread praise for her Facebook post urging people not to plague reproductive-aged women with questions about their baby plans. The post has gone viral and has already been shared more than 30,000 times on Facebook.
Read the post below:
Hey everyone!!! Now that I got your attention with this RANDOM ULTRASOUND PHOTO I grabbed from a Google image search, this is just a friendly P.S.A. that people’s reproductive and procreative plans and decisions are none of your business. NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
Before you ask the young married couple that has been together for seemingly forever when they are finally gonna start a family … before you ask the parents of an only-child toddler when a Little Brother or Little Sister will be in the works … before you ask a single 30-something if/when s/he plans on having children because, you know, clock’s ticking … just stop. Please stop.
You don’t know who is struggling with infertility or grieving a miscarriage or dealing with health issues. You don’t know who is having relationship problems or is under a lot of stress or the timing just isn’t right. You don’t know who is on the fence about having kids or having more kids.
You don’t know who has decided it’s not for them right now, or not for them ever. You don’t know how your seemingly innocent question might cause someone grief, pain, stress or frustration.
Sure, for some people those questions may not cause any fraught feelings — but I can tell you, from my own experiences and hearing about many friends’ experiences — it more than likely does.
Bottom line: Whether you are a wanna-be grandparent or a well-intentioned friend or family member or a nosy neighbor, it’s absolutely none of your business. Ask someone what they’re excited about right now. Ask them what the best part of their day was.
If a person wants to let you in on something as personal as their plans to have or not have children, they will tell you. If you’re curious, just sit back and wait and let them do so by their own choosing, if and when they are ready.
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Emily, a freelance writer based in Michigan, shared a ‘random’ picture of an ultrasound she found on Google last week so that people would click on it and read her post. Source : Facebook
She commented on her own post later describing what influenced her in sharing the rant was inspired ‘in part’ by a friend who had been struggling through a year of fertility treatment and finally conceived a son – only to be asked when ‘baby No. 2’ would be arriving, a mere month after she gave birth.
Emily, we agree with your opinion! Hopefully, your post will inspire people to not ask such questions.
