TEDx talks: 10 women speakers in Hong Kong focus on health, families, mindfulness and more to answer the question ‘What matters now?’

Performer and fitness consultant Rachel Moon wants people to think more about infertility. She hopes that through sharing her own story she can lower the taboos surrounding the issue and lessen the shame, blame and isolation that women feel.

“My goal is to increase awareness, both so that women won’t feel like they’re suffering alone, and so that they will get tested earlier for fertility issues – being preventative rather than forced to be reactive.”

Her talk, “What I wish I had known about infertility”, is part of this year’s TEDxTinHauWomen, an event featuring 10 spirited speakers talking on the theme of “What Matters Now?” on topics ranging from children’s screen time to intimate relationships. It will be held on December 10 at the Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Moon says infertility is less of a physical struggle than a mental one and that when women share their own experiences, their aim isn’t necessarily to get answers but to be heard.

“We deal with infertility the same way we deal with many issues, like death. Friends want to ‘fix it’, make the person feel better and tend to give advice, when all the person wants is to be listened to and have their feelings validated.”

Moon hopes that audience members will reflect on how they can better help others and themselves. “I left [getting pregnant] until 41, which is late to find out I had issues.”