A birth photographer who refused to document a woman’s C-section has insisted “surgery isn’t birth”. Wait, what?! Did I miss the memo on prejudice birthing or did she actually just discriminate against a mother for her birth choices?
Text messages between the photographer and the mum-to-be show the photographer brutally and unfoundedly declining her client based on her decision to give birth via a C-section.
The exchange, published on the Sanctimommy Facebook page, has triggered utter outrage and calls for the photographer’s identity to be revealed, of which I whole heartedly agree. If you’re going to make such grand and sweeping statements you might as well have the courage to stand behind your convictions!
The birth photographer who refused to document the woman’s C-section has insisted “surgery isn’t birth”.
In the text messages, the woman expecting says she had “no idea” photographers discriminated against people, based on how they choose to birth their babies. To which the photographer callously responds “surgery isn’t birth, my dear”.
“You aren’t giving birth. You are having surgery to remove your baby from your abdomen. That is not birth no matter how you swing it and I for one don’t want to be there to take pictures of it.” Hand, palm, face, you sad and ignorant woman, how terribly narrow minded your perception of life and motherhood must be!
The photographer goes on to suggests the expecting woman “think twice” about “cutting corners so early in the game.”
“If you decide to give motherhood a go from the get and have an actual birth let me know and we can schedule your session,” she says. “This motherhood job is hard, if I were you I would think twice about starting such a job by cutting corners so early in the game.”
Ya think? Thank you for reminding us just how difficult this motherhood gig is! Let me give you a tip, snide comments, criticism and judgement in its lowest most crippling form does NOT help!
As a mother who has delivered three babies, one naturally and two via c’section I can assure you that they are both, equally, and profoundly giving birth! Both have their struggles, their pains and their intensities but both, God willing, deliver a baby safely into this world. A woman has a right to choose how she feels is the best and safest way to deliver her child and no one has the right to rob or belittle her choice. Enough of the shaming, enough of the cruel judgments and enough of the constant criticisms, we are all in this together and we all have the best intentions for our children. It is a complicated journey made easier only with love, understanding and foremost support.
