First ever story-collective for people involved in reproductive technologies

New Website, www.AnonymousUs.org, Offers the First Ever Story-Collective for People Involved in Reproductive Technologies

"Not all the kids are doing all right," says Alana S., founder and curator of AnonymousUs.org. "Anonymous Us is a place for all participants in the fertility industry to share their perspectives and life experiences in a way that retains dignity and privacy for loved ones."

AnonymousUs.org, a newly launched website, invites anyone and everyone involved in reproductive technologies to write about their experiences and opinions—anonymously. It is especially designed to encourage those conceived via reproductive technologies to share their personal stories without shame or fear.  In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that every year 30,000-60,000 children are born through the use of sperm donation. While the fertility industry is a $3.3 billion annual business, little is known about the experiences of these children and what kind of adults they grow up to be.
 
The Anonymous Us project is a safety zone for the expression of real and honest opinions about reproductive technologies and family fragmentation. A one-of-kind website, Anonymous Us seeks "to share the experiences of voluntary and involuntary participants in these technologies, while preserving the dignity and privacy of the story-tellers and their loved ones." Dozens of powerful stories are already available, with new stories added daily.

Alana S., a 24-year-old woman from San Francisco, herself donor-conceived, founded the site as a "tool for better decision-making so that parents and policy-makers aren't relying solely on biased endorsements from clinics and vendors." Alana recognized that many donor-conceived adults want to improve these practices and policies, but fear publicity or conflict with their families. According to Alana, "Many of us want to speak about our pain, but we don't want to hurt our parents, expose family secrets, or put our faces on camera."

Anyone who is donor-conceived, a sperm or egg donor, a surrogate, parent, adoptee, fertility industry professional, or invested and involved in these practices is welcome to submit a story or share their opinion at www.AnonymousUs.org. Select stories are read aloud on the site's free podcast found at http://anonymousus.org/podcasts.

http://anonymousus.org