Gabrielle Union candidly discusses her feelings about surrogacy, expressing that she will never find tranquility with the process, forever.
Gabrielle Union, alongside her basketball star husband Dwyane Wade, welcomed daughter Kaavia via surrogate in 2018, when Union was 46 and Wade was 36. Although Kaavia's arrival was a joyous moment, Union recently shared the emotional cost of using a surrogate in an interview with Marie Claire.
"I’ll never know full peace with the coulda, woulda, shouldas," Union said. "It's such a personal journey that I may never know full peace with." Kaavia is now a thriving 6-year-old, and Union is grateful to their gestational caregiver. Nevertheless, she didn’t hold back when discussing the impact surrogacy had on her.
"For me, it felt like a failure. My body failed. It just felt like public humiliation," she disclosed. Union had previously revealed her struggles through years of failed IVF cycles and around eight or nine miscarriages.
"Surrogacy felt like a cuckold; watching somebody do something I can't do. To be there for somebody else succeeding where I failed - it is a mind f*** for people who have had my journey and who feel similarly," Union admitted.
Critics might judge Union for choosing surrogacy, but she hasn't faced any negative feedback yet. She said, "Nobody has the balls to say that sht to my face, so I don't say sht because nobody's said sh*t." Union's assertive attitude may be one reason for the type of responses she's received.
"I lead with an I don’t give a f*** attitude," she said. "If I had the ability to do this myself, I would’ve. Your baby's here and your baby's awesome. My baby's here and my baby's awesome." Union successfully navigates parenthood, enjoying "unmitigated joy" as a mother, despite whether Kaavia or her three stepchildren from Wade's previous relationships entered her life through surrogacy, adoption, or birth.
Union emphasizes, "Nothing we have done as parents feels revolutionary or groundbreaking. It just feels like common sense, kindness, compassion." Despite her emotional journey, Union remains open and candid about her experiences, aiming to help others understand they are not alone in their fertility journeys[1][2].
- "Gabrielle Union, despite her struggles with infertility that included years of failed IVF cycles and numerous miscarriages, chose surrogacy to welcome her daughter Kaavia in 2018."
- "Union's journey with surrogacy was a complex one, as she previously disclosed feeling like a failure and enduring public humiliation due to her body's inability to carry a child."
- "Union's candor about her surrogacy experience, mental health, and women's health has led to discussions around health-and-wellness and lifestyle, helping others understand they are not alone in their struggles with fertility."
- "Although Kaavia, now a thriving 6-year-old, came into Union's life through surrogacy, the actress enjoys the same 'unmitigated joy' as a mother that she would've experienced had she given birth to her naturally."
- "Union's decision to embrace surrogacy, adoption, or birth for her children highlights her belief in common sense, kindness, and compassion as essential principles for parenthood."
