GOP men love demonstrating their total ignorance of the female reproductive system in public. (I'd feel sorry for their wives, but they voluntarily married these dopes.) Pregnancy is very much a life threatening condition for a lot of women. Ask anyone who's had HELLP syndrome. https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1301203239140954112

And we have a healthcare system and a culture that basically gaslights women about the risk involved because women are considered disposable when it comes to reproduction. All that matters is the life of the child.

I had a miserable complication-laden pregnancy and was repeatedly told everything was fine when it turns out, it wasn't. I made it though, but a lot of women don't. Look at the mortality rate for pregnant mothers in this country. It's abysmal.

Also: I will say this for people who have not experienced pregnancy and might in the future: it is totally fine if your pregnancy sucks and you hate it. Anyone who tells you that you should be enjoying it more can stuff a sock in it.

It has no bearing on your fitness as a parent. So if you're still nauseated at week 32, you have gestational diabetes despite having no risk factors, your kid is in breech with the cord wrapped around his neck and oh, postpartum pre-eclampsia is a thing, it's fine to hate it.

(I had all of those things, btw.) And when someone smiles sweetly at you and tells you how much they looooved being pregnant, ignore it. Everyone's experience is different. And having a crappy pregnancy, and saying so, shouldn't be stigmatized.

So when people ask me what it was like being pregnant, I look them straight in the eye and say, IT WAS THE FUCKING WORST. Because it's a valid experience and people need to hear it more.

Luckily none of the complications affected the baby (though they could have). He's five now: