Today, Ali is talking to L'Oreal, a Chicagoan with a journalism background who has written about her infertility in such publications as Self and Hello Giggles. L'Oreal talks about "being in the messy middle right now" —and how, even though she doesn't know how her story is going to turn out, she wants to share anyway. She discusses how isolating infertility can be, especially in the black community, how having a "plan" rarely works out, her history of fibroids, how infertility has affected her marriage, and how IVF is a full-time job. L'Oreal also explains the shame that black women feel and their hesitation to speak about infertility, how the face of infertility is usually a "thin white woman," and how medical treatment is different, depending on what you look like. EPISODE SPONSOR: Fertility Rally, @fertilityrally, offering 24/7 Community, Content and Curated Events. Give yourself or a fellow infertility warrior the gift of support while navigating your journey. EVERYONE is welcome!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy