Sunday is Roe v Wade. For abortioneers, it is a holiday sort-of. The big celebration of gaining our federal right to decide when - or if - we want to become mothers. Doing direct service work, we see women on a daily basis benefitting this historic decision; yet it feels like many of our patients are unaware of the political climate we find ourselves in currently, always fighting just to keep clinic doors open.
Sometimes, I want to tell patients (especially on Roe v Wade day) that without that decision, they wouldn't be in our clinic. They may be trying to obtain an unsafe, illegal abortion. Or maybe the 15 year old girl who was raped, would be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term.
Sometimes I think there is more we could do to raise awareness of the importance of Roe v Wade to our patients on this day. I mean, I know a lot of clinics won't be working on Sunday, but maybe there is something we could do on Monday. Or Saturday. Maybe your clinic can make Roe v Wade ribbons that all the staff wear and give out to patients. Maybe you can leave colorful flyers in the waiting room for support people to read about how their loved one wouldn't be having an abortion without Roe v Wade and how this very sacred right is currently threatened.
I think this starts with staff, though, too. Employers need to really recognize Roe v Wade as a special day so that the staff can be educated, too...and then, hopefully, pass that onto the patients they see or speak with.
In the very least....without Roe v Wade, none of us would even be working as abortioneers. At least not legally.
We have a lot to be thankful for...
Did you all hear about the new abortion provider website compiled by Operation Rescue? I've thought maybe pro-choice people might send cheer-up cards to the addresses listed. Something like "I got this address off this crappy website which lists awesome people, so I know you're doing good work. Thank you for time and effort you put into making sure healthcare is available when we need it." Maybe include flower seeds or pictures of puppies or something cheerful? But then I think maybe it's bad to even look at those addresses when I think of who put them up there. Does my idea sound supportive or invasive and creepy? I can't tell if they're listing home addresses or clinic addresses.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you goddess. It is very worrying. I'm not sure the best way to approach this, either. Rachel Maddow did just bring this to the media's attention and I'm hoping that will help. I remember in the 90's, there was a horrible website that was basically a blacklist of abortion providers (a hit list, really) and each time one was murdered, their names were crossed off. I can't remember the name of the site (which isn't a bad thing). I don't really think we should give traffic to their site, but I did post Rachel Maddow's stuff on our FB page. I'm thinking that people will need to call out all advocates, do a petition, call their congresswomen/men, etc....but something needs to be done to stop that site.
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