Infertility is a medical issue not a political one, right? Well actually yes and no. Technically it is down to biology, so it is a medical issue, but how that medical treatment is funded and how it is recognised by wider society is much more political.
Political correctness has never been a hotter topic, unfortunately in the world we still have issues with racism, homophobia, sexism and much more. Moreover, we now have world leaders who are actually turning the clock back on progress that has been made over decades and generations. With such powerful forces at work, we need to rally and speak up when we see injustice in the world. The problem is rallys don't happen every day and we can't always be there when they do. Personally I believe the best way to chip away at these issues is to hold our heads high and confront injustices one by one as we come across them. I know that won't revolutionise the world overnight, but it will help people to address their attitudes for the better and hopefully on a more permanent basis.
Practising what I preach.
Yesterday on Facebook I saw a post from a friend of a friend of a friend. As I don't know them particularly well, I wouldn't normally engage with them on social media without said mutual friends being involved. Yesterday I reached out. The post in question had a photograph from a London housing development which has being undertaken by the Muslim Housing Association. The caption eluded to this being outrageous and if it were the 'English Housing Association' it would be labelled racist. I felt a rage burn in my belly at the bigoted nature of the post, and even more so when I read the comments below, they were all doused with racist/Islamaphobic undertones. I did some quick research to ensure I wasn't talking out of my arse, like the poster or his followers, and then I informed them all that the housing association in question was not new, in fact it is older than he and - as with the vast majority of housing associations - it works for all genders and races. No one replied to my comment. Shock. However, following my comment, others who obviously felt the same as I but hadn't previously spoken up, began to voice their opinions. "Islam isn't a race, it's a religion. Christians have their own businesses too mate." and "There are Christian and Jewish Housing Associations and probably others...who gives a fuck. This is just what right wing papers and politics want." Following these comments nothing more negative was put up.
Like I say, these comments aren't going to change the world, but if they can open even one person's eyes then it is a step in the right direction.
This is the same attitude I am taking with the politics of infertility. I am speaking up when and where I can to educate people on the attitudes and flippant comments that have a negative impact on those of us struggling with it everyday. I have also taken to Tweeting two of the top politicians in my area to try and get the conversation started - chipping away. I don't expect they will respond to me as I know that they don't have the answers I want to hear, but maybe someone else will get the message and it will help them, or someone in their life.
One politician who is paving the way for our cause is Steve McCabe. He is campaigning in England to make IVF available to all who medically require it, rather than the 'postcode lottery' system that is currently in place with the NHS at the moment.
"Infertility Is A Medical Condition - It's Time We Started Treating It Like One #MakeIVFFair" - Steve McCabe (@Steve_McCabe)
Whilst I am under the NHS, the NHS in mainland UK and N.Ireland are two separate entities (something that I didn't realise until the last year or two), which means that unfortunately Steve McCabe's work - however successful - will not have any impact on the availability of treatment for me. It will however open up much needed conversations and bring a wider awareness to the issues those of us struggling with infertility face.
Finally, for those who aren't aware, here are a few 'politically incorrect' things that should never be said to someone struggling with infertility:
Read more about Steve McCabes Ten Minute Rule Bill here.
Political correctness has never been a hotter topic, unfortunately in the world we still have issues with racism, homophobia, sexism and much more. Moreover, we now have world leaders who are actually turning the clock back on progress that has been made over decades and generations. With such powerful forces at work, we need to rally and speak up when we see injustice in the world. The problem is rallys don't happen every day and we can't always be there when they do. Personally I believe the best way to chip away at these issues is to hold our heads high and confront injustices one by one as we come across them. I know that won't revolutionise the world overnight, but it will help people to address their attitudes for the better and hopefully on a more permanent basis.
Practising what I preach.
Yesterday on Facebook I saw a post from a friend of a friend of a friend. As I don't know them particularly well, I wouldn't normally engage with them on social media without said mutual friends being involved. Yesterday I reached out. The post in question had a photograph from a London housing development which has being undertaken by the Muslim Housing Association. The caption eluded to this being outrageous and if it were the 'English Housing Association' it would be labelled racist. I felt a rage burn in my belly at the bigoted nature of the post, and even more so when I read the comments below, they were all doused with racist/Islamaphobic undertones. I did some quick research to ensure I wasn't talking out of my arse, like the poster or his followers, and then I informed them all that the housing association in question was not new, in fact it is older than he and - as with the vast majority of housing associations - it works for all genders and races. No one replied to my comment. Shock. However, following my comment, others who obviously felt the same as I but hadn't previously spoken up, began to voice their opinions. "Islam isn't a race, it's a religion. Christians have their own businesses too mate." and "There are Christian and Jewish Housing Associations and probably others...who gives a fuck. This is just what right wing papers and politics want." Following these comments nothing more negative was put up.
Like I say, these comments aren't going to change the world, but if they can open even one person's eyes then it is a step in the right direction.
This is the same attitude I am taking with the politics of infertility. I am speaking up when and where I can to educate people on the attitudes and flippant comments that have a negative impact on those of us struggling with it everyday. I have also taken to Tweeting two of the top politicians in my area to try and get the conversation started - chipping away. I don't expect they will respond to me as I know that they don't have the answers I want to hear, but maybe someone else will get the message and it will help them, or someone in their life.
One politician who is paving the way for our cause is Steve McCabe. He is campaigning in England to make IVF available to all who medically require it, rather than the 'postcode lottery' system that is currently in place with the NHS at the moment.
"Infertility Is A Medical Condition - It's Time We Started Treating It Like One #MakeIVFFair" - Steve McCabe (@Steve_McCabe)
Whilst I am under the NHS, the NHS in mainland UK and N.Ireland are two separate entities (something that I didn't realise until the last year or two), which means that unfortunately Steve McCabe's work - however successful - will not have any impact on the availability of treatment for me. It will however open up much needed conversations and bring a wider awareness to the issues those of us struggling with infertility face.
Finally, for those who aren't aware, here are a few 'politically incorrect' things that should never be said to someone struggling with infertility:
- Just go on holiday
- Relax
- Be patient
- Why don't you just adopt?
- You can have mine/mine are a nightmare, don't even bother
- Childless weekends, I remember those
- Why do people without children think they know anything about parenting?
Read more about Steve McCabes Ten Minute Rule Bill here.
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