I was going to leave Sunday's fall-out alone; hell, I was going to delete everything that happened Sunday. However, Rebellious Me kicked in and gave me the stink eye.
I've gotten a fair bit of flack, both for what I posted on
Twitter (which, it turns out, encompasses what I pinned on
Pinterest) and for what I wrote
here. Believe it or not, I've struggled with what has been said (written?) to (at?) me.
Here's the thing... yesterday was honest-to-Ceiling-Cat the first time anything childfree crossed my Pinterest stream: it had never occurred to me to look for childfree content before yesterday (so, again, "bad" timing (according to some)? sure).
Here's the thing... I've never used Pinterest as some sort of measuring stick of popularity - I don't care who likes my pin or how many repins I get (I don't even know how to check that now that they've changed their interface); I've always used Pinterest as it was meant: as a
personal pin board. As such, it honestly didn't cross my mind who might see my pins and/or take offence - I repinned shit I found funny/true for ME.
Here's the thing... I've never pretended to have anything BUT a skewed and twisted sense of humour.
Here's the thing... subject matter aside (THINK OF THE CHILDREN!), what I posted
really wasn't any more controversial or in poor taste than anything else I post that could be deemed questionable content.
Here's the thing... I don't hate ALL children (hell, I don't
hate children, period, which is why
my decision was a tough one to make). I don't think ALL children are brats any more than I think ALL parents are shitty or selfish: y'all have one of the toughest jobs on earth.
Here's the thing... no matter what anyone says or how it is qualified, someone somewhere will assume it's about him or her and take offence.
Here's the thing... if there was absolutely no truth in what had been said, it likely never would have crossed his or her mind that it might be about him/her.
Here's the thing...
I can't control how someone else chooses to react to something I say/write/post: that is on the individual.
Here's the thing... have you stopped to consider whether I find your comments to me disrespectful of MY choice/lifestyle? Because I kinda suspect you haven't.
Am I going to alienate even more people with this post? Very likely. Does that bother me? For some people, yes. At the same time, I'm struggling to figure out why the way I've chosen to voice my lifestyle choice - a choice
eve.ry.one. has - is so offensive to those who have chosen the opposite. I'm struggling to figure out the mentality that says I'm only supportive/compassionate/empathetic when I agree with you (but clearly a big, fat disappointment if I have a differing viewpoint). I'm struggling with the urge to apologize or people-please my way out of an uncomfortable situation and standing firm behind my words/actions/posts (because that's how I roll, in case you don't know me very well).
I never had any intention of making this an us vs. them-type issue, some breeders vs. non-breeders thing (for the record, I HATE that term: it is purposefully derogatory and demeaning, and it makes me want to punch kittens). This IS who I am. This IS the decision I've made. This IS how I feel. If YOU dislike me, you are free to wash your hands of me. If YOU disagree with my decision, it's on you to figure out why MY choice about MY life offends you so much. If YOU assume something I say/write/post is about you, that's on you.
I can't control you: I can only control myself.