'This needs to stop': Jelena Dokic's plea over one question she's constantly asked

Tennis star Jelena Dokic has shared an impassioned plea with her fans that a lot of women can no doubt relate to.

The 41-year-old sports star-turned-commentator shared a moving post about what it's like to be constantly asked if she will ever have children and become a mother.

In her empowering message, Dokic urged people to "have some empathy and kindness" when approaching the sensitive subject and said the "narrative, shame and stigma" around women not having children "needs to stop".

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Dokic said she's sick of having to deal with the people's "shocked faces" when she tells them that she won't be having children.

The former world No. 4 said she's "made peace" with the fact that she will never be a mother, but urged people to stop judging those who don't become a parent.

"I will not have children, it won't happen for me and I am ok with that," she wrote in her post.

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"I have made peace with that but people's shocked faces are what I am not ok with. As if to say why, what is wrong with you and how come you haven't had kids? What have you been waiting for?

"That's what I and every woman doesn't deserve. So have some empathy and kindness. Full stop," she said.

"Firstly, be kind because you don't know why I haven't, won't have or won't be able to have them. Maybe I couldn't, maybe I tried and it didn't work out, maybe I wasn't fortunate enough to find someone to do it with, maybe I am scared to because of my childhood or I am scared to raise a child as a single mother," she said.

"Also, sometimes people can't even afford to have kids or they simply tried everything and it didn't work out which is very painful. You never know what has happened to someone and what their reasons are and what they have gone through."

She then went on to say that someone's self-worth isn't based solely on being a mother.

"We have to be mothers to be worthy or to live up to some kind of a standard. This needs to stop."

"The narrative, shame and stigma needs to stop. So be kind and have some empathy when you ask women about having kids and motherhood," she said.

"Agree, it's your choice, your life," one follower commented underneath the post.

The author previously revealed her and her partner of almost 20 years Tin Bikic had decided to end their relationship.

At the time she said, "Sometimes these things happen, people grow apart and it's for the best".

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