Dr. Samantha Decombel is a UK scientist, entrepreneur and mother to be. Samantha is the founder of FitnessGenes, a company that creates diet plans for customers based on their genetic traits. She was recently invited to address a European scientific conference, but at 35-weeks pregnant, the invite was revoked.
In correspondence with the conference organisers, Samantha received an email, which stated: “I get back to you because after a reflexion our colleagues from the European Commission are not very enthusiastic to take a risk for your health making you travel to Brussels at the late stage of your pregnancy[sic] .”
Samantha tried to reason with the organisers, but they refused to reissue the scientist an invite to the conference.
Speaking to Today, she said: “When I read the email originally, I reread it several times. And then I got my colleagues in the office to read it and assure me that I’m not overreacting. “Everyone said, ‘No, no, it’s unbelievable. They can’t do that.'”
Commenting on Instagram, Samantha wrote: “I was invited to speak at this years conference in Brussels as a young female scientist and entrepreneur, who has set up two companies and raised over £1M in funding and grants to support the research around our ideas[sic].
“As this is an area I am passionate about I agreed to speak and offer my experiences and views. As I am sure you are aware, one of the key hurdles facing many women in science and entrepreneurship is the desire to start a family, and how this will fit in with their career plans”.
Samantha shared a post of the email to Instagram. Twitter user Karen James saw the post and took to Twitter to convey the message that pregnancy should not be seen as some disability. She began tweeting with #7monthsawesome. The hashtag multiplied with women globally sharing images of their pregnant bellies accompanied by tales of badass womanhood.
#7monthsawesome Ooh, ooh, pick me! *raises hand* Produced a women’s career conference in Miami @BullCon15 pic.twitter.com/EGpPEWdfeV — Get Bullish (@GetBullish) December 5, 2015
Last year: Teaching my students how to run an emergency operations center #7monthsawesome pic.twitter.com/4nIY3nwWeg
— Claire Knox (@DrEcoclaire) December 6, 2015
Presentation at ASM-EME whilst pregnant. Yes, I was asked if I was going to give birth on stage. #7monthsawesome pic.twitter.com/p0KNQ5Osxk — Tracy Smith (@smith_tracymae) December 6, 2015
Advised grad students, analyzed data, still smiled – life goes on when you’re pregnant. #7monthsawesome pic.twitter.com/JWe3PfiFrx
— Robin Nelson (@rgairnelson) December 2, 2015
Friend Dulce TAUGHT Zumba all 38 wks. Pretty sure a woman can feel healthy enough to give a talk at #7monthsawesome pic.twitter.com/gVbHARwdT2 — Melanie Tannenbaum (@melanietbaum) December 2, 2015
Thanks to all the awesome mums who have helped #7monthsawesome take off. I hope @EU_Commission will see error & re-invite @samdecombel.
— Karen James (@kejames) December 2, 2015
At #7monthsawesome I had just wrapped up the summer’s field work and was prepping for a national conference. pic.twitter.com/qSod4mNG7P — Caitlin MacKenzie (@CaitlinInMaine) December 2, 2015
@samdecombel apologies again. Something went wrong down the line for which we assume collective responsibility. We are sorry #7monthsawesome
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) December 2, 2015
