Infertility is a complex topic. And while conversations and support around it have come a long way in the 9 years since I went through IVF, there’s still one side that remains largely closed off. Male infertility.
It’s often framed clinically. Numbers. Tests. Procedures. Analysis.
But emotionally, it hits something much deeper.
For many men, fertility is tangled up with identity. We live in a culture shaped by toxic masculinity- one that links a man’s value to strength, competence, and legacy. Virility becomes a marker of worth. Of power. Of being “enough.” So when infertility arises, it doesn’t just feel like a medical problem, it can feel like a personal failure.
There’s often shame, silence and avoidance. As most men do not have the language for this kind of vulnerability.
In today’s episode, I’m speaking to Alex Wortley about his experience male infertility. We dive into feelings, perceptions, why we really need to talk about this more. This is a must listen for anyone in a fertility journey or has friends going through it, as whilst the lens on male infertility much of what we talk about is the importance of open, honest conversations.
---
Why Aren’t We Talking About This? is a series of honest conversations about the stuff we rarely discuss but probably should - big feelings, weird thoughts, life, death, and all the messy, beautiful parts of being human.
Hosted by me, Carly Osman-Holme, on a quest to dodge a full-blown existential crisis. I’ve reached that point in life where I’m asking the big questions: How did I get here? What do I actually want? And why didn’t they teach us any of this in school?
