Michelle Williams continues to break the stigma around fertility discussions
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- Hollie Richardson
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Michelle Williams just had a very honest and important conversation about having children.
A woman should never feel pressured to talk about her fertility. Former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams proved this when she recently replied to a stranger who commented on her being childfree, saying: “Too many people need to stay out of a woman’s uterus.”
A woman should, however, feel free to speak frankly about fertility if she wants to. Because some conversations around the subject have been stigmatised for too long. Take, for instance, the discussions around infertility, egg-freezing and IVF – issues that are all too often associated with ‘failure’, despite the fact that so many women experience them.
That’s why Williams just spoke out about fertility once more; this time on her own terms. And what she has to say will be relatable to a lot of women.
“You get to a certain place, it’s OK to check your fertility if you feel like you want children one day,” she said in a very honest interview on Evenings With Cassandra Maria on Premier Gospel Radio, as reported by the Mirror this week.
Talking about exploring different options for having a baby in the future, Williams added: “I would definitely consider, because I want the option. I don’t want to take away from the natural way to have children, but sometimes, people might need a little help.”
And that’s exactly the reality for so many women and couples across the world.
Williams also addressed another pressure that society puts on women: pitting friends against each other.
Asked how she feels about being compared to her Destiny’s Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Beyonce Knowles, Williams said: “I never desire to be another person. Have I desire to have success? Yes. But I had people in my family to look up to. An uncle and a cousin of mine, they’re both doctors. And I just knew that if you work hard, you can have success.
“I’m never going to be Beyonce. I am never going to be Kelly. Because the last I checked my birth certificate, it says Tenitra Michelle Williams.”
The star has just published her memoir, Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life – And Can Save Yours. With such wise words on the issues that affect so many women, we have a feeling that the book will definitely be worth checking out.
If you’d like to find more information on infertility, please visit the NHS website or the Fertility Network UK website. If you’d like to speak to someone about infertility, you can find a list of agencies that offer support and information on the Supportline website.
Images: Getty