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don't want to tell coworkers the news

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  • 26-05-2018 11:38am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 38


    So I am about 22 weeks pregnant with my second. I would have been on the no side of the latest referendum (not allowed to vote but still a big no supporter). I'm devastated by the exit poll results and I know that a yes is most likely.

    Anyways, some of my coworkers made the mistake of taking about the referendum and abortion during work hours this week as well as saying which side they would vote on. I think that was really unprofessional and bound to cause some animosity between people. Someone asked me which side I would be on and I know they are going to rub it in that the no side lost. I'm heartbroken.

    Anyways, I haven't told anyone at work that I'm pregnant yet. I know I need to do it soon (before 25 weeks anyways). I just feel very uncomfortable telling a bunch of yes voters that I'm pregnant right after this very contentious referendum.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    Anyone who "rubs it in" in work is a scumbag and I would take it to HR instantly. Don't stress yourself.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,426 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    At 22 weeks I’d be very surprised if they havn’t noticed.

    Also yes voters are not evil. Many simply voted yes for the hard cases of rape and FFA. They are still the same people as before the vote


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,572 ✭✭✭khaldrogo


    siara99 wrote:
    Anyways, I haven't told anyone at work that I'm pregnant yet. I know I need to do it soon (before 25 weeks anyways). I just feel very uncomfortable telling a bunch of yes voters that I'm pregnant right after this very contentious referendum.


    Why? Do you think they would have wanted you to abort the baby if they knew????

    The only side that feels uncomfortable I've found is the no side.


  • Registered Users Posts: 38 siara99


    ted1 wrote: »
    At 22 weeks I’d be very surprised if they havn’t noticed.

    Also yes voters are not evil. Many simply voted yes for the hard cases of rape and FFA. They are still the same people as before the vote

    I would have been supportive of the hard cases too but they threw in the on-demand and vague mental health grounds beyond 24 weeks etc. and I just couldn't support that part. I'm pretty sure 90%+ of people would support the hard cases. They should have had 2 referendums lol.

    There definitely are some yes voters that will tell me that my baby 'was just a clump of cells', 'we should get rid of downs syndrome people' etc. I've seen them on Facebook yikes!

    Anyways, I guess I can't believe that my coworkers would bring this up at work and especially during a meeting very vocally saying their views. It's a very contentious issue. I'm upset that they told me.

    I wish I could say something about it. My company doesn't have an HR person. :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 38 siara99


    khaldrogo wrote: »
    Why? Do you think they would have wanted you to abort the baby if they knew????

    The only side that feels uncomfortable I've found is the no side.

    They were kind of rubbing it in on Friday that yes was going to win. I'm upset that they told me.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 772 ✭✭✭afkasurfjunkie


    I’m 20 weeks pregnant and I voted yes. I don’t bear any ill will against those who voted no. In fact my own mother voted no and I brought her and my father to vote yesterday. We had a hearty chat about it but I don’t think any less of her. It would be very immature of your colleagues to gloat about the results during the week.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,168 ✭✭✭Ursus Horribilis


    siara99 wrote: »
    They were kind of rubbing it in on Friday that yes was going to win. I'm upset that they told me.

    Sounds like you're being over sensitive here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭Cash_Q


    I'm 20 weeks pregnant tomorrow. I voted yes. My dad voted no which I can't really understand but that's his choice and I have to respect that. I would never rub the result in his or anyone else's face.

    Your colleagues are unlikely to 'rub it in' but they may well be in jubilant spirits and there could be an air of celebration.

    Your news is entirely separate. Let this result take the spotlight for a couple of days and then tell them late in the week or into next week. They shouldn't be making a connection between the two and should celebrate your news if they have even half a heart.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,572 ✭✭✭khaldrogo


    siara99 wrote:
    They were kind of rubbing it in on Friday that yes was going to win. I'm upset that they told me.


    I don't understand why it upsets you. The number of women having abortions will largely stay the same as before only now they won't have to travel to a different country to do it.

    As the wise nun said(I paraphrase), the pro lifers are not pro life, they are pro birth. A baby needs more than just being born to be considered to be alive. They need food, education, a home, love.

    I hope no one I know ever needs to have an abortion but at least now they can if they need to and they can do it within driving distance from their home.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    Not sure why you feel nervous.

    Do you think they will be pushing you to have an abortion or something?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭Cordell


    You can tell to that bunch of yes voters that you're pregnant, no problem, they don't have a problem with pregnant women, they never had.


  • Registered Users Posts: 38 siara99


    khaldrogo wrote: »
    I don't understand why it upsets you. The number of women having abortions will largely stay the same as before only now they won't have to travel to a different country to do it.

    As the wise nun said(I paraphrase), the pro lifers are not pro life, they are pro birth. A baby needs more than just being born to be considered to be alive. They need food, education, a home, love.

    I hope no one I know ever needs to have an abortion but at least now they can if they need to and they can do it within driving distance from their home.

    I guess I come from a country where abortion is 'normalized' and people do it quite lightly.
    For example, you can find quite a few 16 year olds who have had 4+ and IVF patients who had to use technology to conceive and then when they conceived naturally they said the second one wasn't the 'right time' and aborted.

    In my first pregnancy the doctor pushed me to do testing for downs syndrome 3 times even though I said I was not interested and I was only 25 years of age. When I refused the 3rd time at 25 weeks she was extremely rude and said in a nasty tone of voice: 'so you are just going to have THIS baby.' She also found my age to be disappointing and thought I was too young. This kind of thinking is common place. While in labor I was asked if I had ever had any abortions... just before you are going to become a mother! Ugh!

    My old coworkers in my old country told me to have an abortion next time because maternity leave was too inconvenient for them.

    Anyways, perhaps in my country any pregnant woman is a target for a potential abortion.

    I hope Ireland will stay away from this kind of thinking and I hope that you guys are able to maintain your positive attitude towards children and mothers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    siara99 wrote: »
    There definitely are some yes voters that will tell me that my baby 'was just a clump of cells', 'we should get rid of downs syndrome people' etc. I've seen them on Facebook yikes!

    I can't imagine anything like that happening... Voting Yes was not to force abortions on anyone. I bet you will be congratulated on your pregnancy, that's all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    No one will say anything to you apart from congratulations. It's a bit ridiculous to think your colleagues will try and encourage you to have an abortion. A lot of us voted yes, we are parents, we have friends and family who have kids, we don't hate pregnancy or babies. You have nothing to worry about.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 543 ✭✭✭Pa8301


    OP, I may be confusing posters but are you the same poster that opened a thread in politics a couple of days ago suggesting that there were non eligible voters receiving voting cards? It was either you or someone with a very similar username.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    Sorry OP but I'm finding it hard to understand what your pregnancy has to do with anything to do with the referendum or the result.

    You're saying that you wish you had a HR person, that people were vocal about their views (with which you disagree) and they would suddenly start telling you that you baby is just a clump of cells (emotionally normal people do not do that, come on like). No offense OP but you sound like the one who is creating this issue for yourself. Your co-workers are not going to connect the referendum or your views with your pregnancy, unless they are all very socially maladjusted - they have nothing to do with one another.

    Would you have felt the same about telling them, if the No side had won? Would you have felt the same about telling your co-workers, if they were all No voters? If not, why??
    If I'm honest, it sounds more like you have an issue with your co-workers' views, rather than they having an issue with you or your pregnancy. You might as well be saying "I don't want to wear my new hat into work on Monday because of the result" - they are not relevant to one another.

    No emotionally normal person is going to bring up the referendum or abortion in relation to your pregnancy in conversation. That would be incredibly strange and hurtful behaviour.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,946 ✭✭✭duffman13


    siara99 wrote: »
    I guess I come from a country where abortion is 'normalized' and people do it quite lightly.
    For example, you can find quite a few 16 year olds who have had 4+ and IVF patients who had to use technology to conceive and then when they conceived naturally they said the second one wasn't the 'right time' and aborted.

    In my first pregnancy the doctor pushed me to do testing for downs syndrome 3 times even though I said I was not interested and I was only 25 years of age. When I refused the 3rd time at 25 weeks she was extremely rude and said in a nasty tone of voice: 'so you are just going to have THIS baby.' She also found my age to be disappointing and thought I was too young. This kind of thinking is common place. While in labor I was asked if I had ever had any abortions... just before you are going to become a mother! Ugh!

    My old coworkers in my old country told me to have an abortion next time because maternity leave was too inconvenient for them.

    Anyways, perhaps in my country any pregnant woman is a target for a potential abortion.

    I hope Ireland will stay away from this kind of thinking and I hope that you guys are able to maintain your positive attitude towards children and mothers.

    Have to say I'm finding a lot of the above hard to believe at all.

    My OH is 20 weeks pregnant and voted Yes. She's had tough times with pregnancy but at the end of the day she recognises people's right to choose, even if me or her would never take that option personally.

    People are morally responsible for their own actions and choices. No one else's opinions matter one bit!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭Cordell


    Pa8301 wrote: »
    OP, I may be confusing posters but are you the same poster that opened a thread in politics a couple of days ago suggesting that there were non eligible voters receiving voting cards? It was either you or someone with a very similar username.

    I think you're right. If this is a windup, it's a damn good one :)


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    Actually no, I'll come back on that a bit. I mean everything I said in my last post but I should add:

    If your problem is that you are finding it hard to accept your coworkers' views, then you need to take a step back from it for a moment and consider that this referendum brought out the very worst in people at times.

    I was a strong Yes supporter but not very vocal about it, and I definitely will not be talking about it on Monday. We talked about it a few times in work, it never got heated or anything, but I was surprised by some of the things some co-workers said, on both sides.

    There is one man in particular with whom I work who I get on very well - he is incredibly sweet, funny, gentle and helpful and patient - the definition of Mr Nice. A genuinely lovely man. But I was really taken aback by some of the things he said, and I wasn't the only one - he was a No supporter ( that wasn't the issue, and I had no problem with that of course), but some of the things he said were just so extreme and mad that I couldn't connect them with the personality of the man I know. He told us how he confronted a young Yes campaigner in the city centre - he described the conversation very casually but I couldn't believe some of the stuff he said to her, and that HE said them, of all people.

    It bothered me for a while because it didn't match how I view him. I put it behind me by realising that this whole thing has brought out the very worst in people at times and that I know he is still a genuinely lovely person regardless of his opinions and how they differ to mine. You cannot boil people down to an aspect of themselves.

    If that's how you feel about your co-workers, perhaps you should consider that their opinions on one issue don't dictate the kind of person they are, and that they likely don't think any differently of you because of your view than they did before. Until you are told otherwise, don't assume they do!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,121 ✭✭✭amcalester


    Don’t worry OP, it’s only the women who voted Yes that have to have abortions.

    No voters are allowed keep their babies, just make sure you tell your doctor you’re a No voter otherwise you might be called to the clinic.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    siara99 wrote: »

    My old coworkers in my old country told me to have an abortion next time because maternity leave was too inconvenient for them.

    Anyways, perhaps in my country any pregnant woman is a target for a potential abortion.

    I hope Ireland will stay away from this kind of thinking and I hope that you guys are able to maintain your positive attitude towards children and mothers.

    Didn't see this gem when I was writing my last post. What country is this supposed to be, OP?

    Are there any people left there, seeing how you can hardly turn a corner without being offered an abortion?

    It's really low to come on PI and make out you have an issue when all you want to do is rehash a debate and have an audience. Really low and sad.


  • Registered Users Posts: 33,823 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    This thread is a complete windup.


    It's just so bloody obvious. Stop wasting people's time


  • Registered Users Posts: 774 ✭✭✭FurBabyMomma


    Obvious troll is obvious. Set up the account yesterday so today you could tell us about a litany of 'worst case scenarios' of almost forced abortions, 16 year olds with 4+ abortions and the eradication of Downs? And then throw in the old chestnut of abortions for 'vague mental health reasons' for good measure? Not buying it.

    And if you are real, as someone who is a yes voter, 26 weeks pregnant on my 3rd and has struggled with mental health issues in the past, I find YOU upsetting and ignorant of the realities of life. Enjoy your pregnancy and don't worry about anyone elses, it's none of your business.


  • Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭chuck eastwood


    My wife has just passed the 8 month mark on our second and voted yes. Some of her work mates who are also our friends voted no. They had open discussions about it in work, sometimes heated but they did learn a lot about each others view point. To be honest i have no idea what purpose it would serve to hide it from them. Its not like voting yes makes them defacto baby killers


  • Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭Afroshack


    You know the Yes vote just gives women the option right? Nobody will actually make you have one.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,065 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    The yes side voted to allow you have choice in your pregnancy. One of my sisters was induced to suit the consultant's diary, against her will. The 8th amendment allowed him to do that. Now he couldn't. My other sister had her birth plan binned when she got to the hospital "we'll do what's necessary, the 8th says so". Now it's gone.

    Your co workers voted for women, they are not monsters. Don't pre judge them because of your own view on what the referendum was about.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    siara99 wrote: »

    In my first pregnancy the doctor pushed me to do testing for downs syndrome 3 times even though I said I was not interested and I was only 25 years of age. When I refused the 3rd time at 25 weeks she was extremely rude and said in a nasty tone of voice: 'so you are just going to have THIS baby.' She also found my age to be disappointing and thought I was too young. This kind of thinking is common place. While in labor I was asked if I had ever had any abortions... just before you are going to become a mother! Ugh!

    My old coworkers in my old country told me to have an abortion next time because maternity leave was too inconvenient for them.

    What country is that? It sounds bizarre even for the likes of Sweden. The last part would a warning if not firing offence if brought to HR.


  • Registered Users Posts: 807 ✭✭✭Jenneke87


    siara99;107102260I guess I come from a country where abortion is 'normalized' and people do it quite lightly. 
    For example, you can find quite a few 16 year olds who have had 4+ and IVF patients who had to use technology to conceive and then when they conceived naturally they said the second one wasn't the 'right time' and aborted. 

    If you're a minor you need to get parental consent for an abortion. If a 16 year old had 4 abortions by the time she's 16 (let's say one every 6 months) she started being sexually active and getting pregnant since age 14 there's not a parent out there who, after the first time got her on contraceptives and very far away from boys from that moment on..Your talking nonsense here..


  • Registered Users Posts: 38 siara99


    I guess on top of this referendum I just don't want to tell them.

    There's certain things at work I'm not thrilled about in terms of how the company is run and how certain managers act at times... It's not the worst job I've ever had and it's not aweful but I feel kind of meh about it and I can't quit without a huge increase in my commute so I'm kind of stuck. I can't afford to live in Dublin.

    I've already had one child and it's kind of been there done that as an experienced mum. I'm also the type of person who hates a big fuss...


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  • Registered Users Posts: 38 siara99


    My wife has just passed the 8 month mark on our second and voted yes. Some of her work mates who are also our friends voted no. They had open discussions about it in work, sometimes heated but they did learn a lot about each others view point. To be honest i have no idea what purpose it would serve to hide it from them. Its not like voting yes makes them defacto baby killers

    I guess in general I'm not thrilled with my workplace or the relationships I have with my coworkers. Not all of them but a few. I guess maybe if I hide it maybe it would cause them to reevaulate the relationship.


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