While this bill is working it's way to the big vote, it's been garnering some press. On April 3rd, a letter was sent to the St Paul Pioneer Press. It was rather insulting and demeaning toward surrogates. (http://www.twincities.com/columnists/ci_25470963/sloan-lahl-inconvenient-truths-about-commercial-surrogacy). The letter was one sided and biased, in my opinion. I really don't believe it honestly portrays the majority of surrogates.
A couple of days later, the attorney we are working with for this bill, and coincidently, the attorney and director of the Agency, posted a response to the first letter. http://www.twincities.com/columnists/ci_25488172/taking-exception-how-many-actual-surrogates-did-you
Of course the first letter upset me. I think the public deserves to hear from a surrogate who has had an ideal experience. So I wrote my own letter to the editor. http://www.twincities.com/ci_25497855?fb_action_ids=654183871284863&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B256233041222361%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.comments%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D. Apparently, a few other surrogates were not happy with the original letter either, and they wrote their own responses as well.
I still haven't heard when this bill will be going to the senate floor. I do know that I will do my absolute best to be there supporting it. I've been asked to write a letter to the senate for distribution prior to the vote. Here is my letter to the Minnesota Senate:
Dear Minnesota Senators,
You are about to decide on a bill that is very dear to my heart. I am a Gestational Surrogate who very recently gave birth to twin boys for another couple. This couple was unable to have a child without a surrogate and I have been thrilled to work with them. They have been together for over a decade and knew from the beginning that they would not be able to have a child. Only recently were we able to meet and get them started on their journey to having a family.
Opponents of Bill 2627 would tell you that as a surrogate, I am uneducated, greedy, or was somehow coerced into “renting out my uterus” for the rich. I would like to tell you that this argument couldn’t be further from the truth.
I have a bachelor’s degree in theology and youth psychology. I have been employed as a pediatric nurse and currently as a preschool teacher. My employment positions have had me in places of leadership and directing individuals. People see me as a strong, independent woman who loves helping others.
My husband and I both are employed full-time. We live fairly comfortable in South Saint Paul where we are raising our two beautiful daughters. My husband and I talked about my decision to be a surrogate after a close friend of mine struggled with infertility for over 7 years. She was finally able to become pregnant only to miscarry her twin girls at the same time I had our healthy baby girl. As I was holding our beautiful daughter, I told my husband that I needed to be able to help another couple experience the joy we have been blessed with.
The decision to be a gestational surrogate has been one of compassion, motivated by the desire to help another couple. The joy that I have experienced firsthand on a couple’s face as they gaze at their newborn babies that I helped bring into this world is something that I will treasure forever. As I look at those miraculous babies, I know that I did the right thing by helping create another family. These babies are loved and wanted by their parents, so much that they trusted me to assist them in their dream. The pride I feel at what I have been able to accomplish for this family is something I can’t even put into words. Seeing a new family, one that I have been able to help, is amazing and brings such joy to my heart. I am so excited for this family and the promises these babies hold.
People who attempt to portray me and other women like me as uneducated women unable to make up our own minds, who are lured by promises of great riches and economic gain by “renting out our uterus” obviously do not know my story of surrogacy. There are, of course, some unfortunate stories of surrogacy gone wrong, however, I know if you actually talked with the majority of the surrogates here in Minnesota, you would hear amazing stories of women who gave willingly of themselves to help bring joy to another family. These women are intelligent, self-motivated women who, like me, are a surrogate of our own free will and with a desire to help others.
Minnesota needs laws in place to help protect surrogates, parents, and the children. Right now the practices of surrogacy are virtually unregulated. We need some laws, rules, and regulations in place to help protect surrogates, parents, and the children born as a result of surrogacy.
I am proud of what I have been able to do: to help create a family as a gestational surrogate. I urge you to support Bill 2627 and assist us in creating safe, fair, and legal practices for surrogates and parents.
Thank you,
Shawnee Krueger
South Saint Paul, MN
So, that's my soapbox. For someone who really doesn't like confrontations, debates, or political games I seem to be rather involved in all of this. What can I say? I support Bill 2627 and I support little miracles!
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