Social media at its worst
People can be mean. And news media is a cesspool of people posting the most hateful and vile comments. Now and then, when I am in the media spotlight, people will read the headline, skip the article where they could learn something, and post their garbage. Why, you ask, would I re-post their opinions and views here? No, it’s not narcissism (ok, maybe a little ☺). Honestly, I feel that these views are a good reminder of what we, as proud single parents, have to go through. It’s important to know that the battle isn’t over and that only by standing up and telling our story can we overcome this misinformation. Here are five of the worst comments out there.
1) Uh…look at your attitude, Will. Are you going to say that a woman who has a miscarriage should just stop trying to conceive? My baby girl is my life. And I’ll happily teach her that sometimes making something so precious, beautiful and unique takes an extra helping heart. That is sacred.
2) You don’t think there are plenty of screwed up kids with one mom and one dad? It’s not about having two parents of the opposite sex in one household. It’s whether the family is loving and supportive. There are many singles out there that love their child unconditionally and believe me, those kids will be just fine.
3) Really, her last name is Mean? I’d say she is mean and misinformed. A dog and a baby are not the same thing. Do you have any idea how difficult the adoption process can be? Did you also know it can take years before you can be matched with a child that is eligible for adoption? If you are a single parent, you will also have an even bigger struggle if you’re seeking an international adoption as there are less than two countries that are willing to allow singles to adopt. While there are children out there who need homes, the reality of adoption isn’t just as simple as signing up and saying you’re ready to adopt. But I am looking for a housekeeper, Judy, if you need a job.
4) What part? The love that I am giving my child or the fact that she gets all the cuddles that you seem to be missing in your life? You may not know but surrogacy in Canada is completely voluntary. People do this out of the goodness of their heart. Parenthood requires love, not DNA.
5) I completely agree with you, Mel. One should use surrogacy wisely. Not promote an entire country as a baby-making machine. I don’t know what goes on in Ukraine, but in Canada, all our surrogates are donating their time out of the goodness of their heart. This is one of the most altruistic acts someone can do.
As you can see, people have a lot of opinions, some of which popped up recently when Anderson Cooper showed off his baby to the Internet; Aren’t they so cute together? I’m sure most of you are thinking, just ignore the haters, what do they know? And I do, most of the time, but these comments can hurt. I am worried that Nanette will encounter people like this as she grows up. I guess the only option is to ignore the bad and embrace the positivity that all of you give to me. Thanks for being a shining light.
Have you ever received a mean comment about your Surrogacy journey? Let us know.
