We all have a story. This is mine.
I’m Penelope Tsernoglou. I’m a Democratic State Representative in Michigan. And I’m a proud IVF mom. As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a mom.
But my dream soon started to slip away as reality set in - I was going to need professional medical help in becoming pregnant.
I was fortunate because I sought out care at a time at a time when politics weren’t intimately involved in accessing IVF.
Check out the video below to hear my whole story and learn what's at stake this November.
Republicans in Michigan and across the country know their push to follow Alabama’s lead to criminalize IVF isn’t popular, so they’re following the polling and are now saying they want to protect IVF - it's an election year, after all!
But if we’ve learned anything from Republicans over the past decade, it’s to trust their actions, not their words. They said Roe was settled law - until they overturned it. They said the people spoke with the passage of Proposal 3 - until they sued to try and overturn it. And now, they’re saying they support IVF.
But when they recently were given the chance, not a single Republican representative voted for the Michigan Family Protection Act, a law Governor Whitmer just signed, that protects surrogacy agreements and IVF for women like me.
Some Michigan Republicans even sponsored the federal Life at Conception Act, which is basically a national version of the Alabama law banning IVF. In 2022, State House Republicans voted against a bill to allow access to important medications that play a key role in successful IVF programs - so none of this is new or should even surprise us.
Regardless of what they say, extremist right wing Republicans are already forecasting what they will do if they win this November, they will make every attempt to outlaw IVF care in Michigan.
Right now, Democrats have a razor slim 65-54 majority in the Michigan House of Representatives, and we’re all up for reelection in November. This includes 12 incumbents that have are in the tightest districts in Michigan and have really tough reelection campaigns ahead of them.
Their MAGA opponents are being bankrolled by anti- choice, anti-IVF extremists.
To protect IVF and reproductive freedom, my colleagues and I are laser-focused on going on offense to expand our majority and keep legislative control out of Republican hands.
If Republicans flip just one seat, we lose our majority. If they take two, they are in control. That’s why we are going all in to fight them and their Trump-lite backers dollar for dollar, door for door.
When I was struggling with infertility, I felt embarrassed, empty, and alone. I was deeply sad.
Once I gained the courage to share what I was going through with others, I discovered a few things.
1 - I had nothing to be ashamed about.
2 - There were many women just like me going through the same issues I was.
3 - Help and support was out there.
Sharing my story with others, just how other women shared theirs with me provided me with a sense of empowerment. And it gave me something to advocate for - protecting one another and standing up for IVF.
I invite you to join me in sharing your story with others.
Throughout 2024, we are focused on raising funds for pro-IVF candidates, knocking on doors in swing districts, and getting our message out.
Click here to make a FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION to support pro-IVF candidates in Michigan
Click here to sign up to VOLUNTEER for pro-IVF candidates in your area
We need all hands on deck to ensure the extremists don't win this Fall. Please, join us.