YOU

You didn’t know when you bought me my doll and encouraged me to nurture it that I wouldn’t be able to have kids.

You didn’t know that when I was in Girl Scouts and needed my babysitters badge and you asked me to babysit, that I wouldn’t be able to have kids.

You didn’t know when you encouraged us to write stories about where we saw ourselves in the future; 5, 10, 15 years from now; and I wrote about a large family, that I wouldn’t be able to have kids.

But YOU. YOU know. YOU act like I’m less than, like I’m not as smart, like I’m not as worthy, and like I won’t care for your child the way that you do because I can’t have kids.

YOU know and YOU act like my experience, and my knowledge, and my opinions are not wanted and are not appreciated because I can’t have kids.

And you, if you are like me I see you. I know that you have experience. I know that you are probably smarter than most parents. I know that you feel undervalued and unappreciated. I know you feel unworthy and alone I see you. I hear you. And it’s time for us to RISE. Because we are smart, and we are valuable to society, and we have a lot to offer. We are worthy and we do know love. And just because we can’t have kids, doesn’t mean we didn’t want them and doesn’t mean we don’t know what it’s like to love one like you do. Yes parents, I’m talking to YOU. YOU are not better than, YOU are not smarter than, and YOU are not more worthy than we are because you were able to have children. 7 out of 8 people have children and yet YOU think you’re special. I think it’s time to do some reevaluating.