Blogging! Yes. So clinic has been weird the last couple weeks. It's like the protesters have decided that there's no way we're getting a bubble zone, so they've given up trying to appear peaceful/respectable. The women, especially, have become very aggressively vocal over the last couple weeks.
On Tuesday, Crazy Legs was out, and not just at the end of the morning. She was actually back to her old tricks - running up to cars, yelling things out, etc. This is pretty unfortunate for patients, but I have some pretty awesome escorts who are always one step ahead of her. Oh, and the male protesters have taken up their old habit of making comments to the escorts, calling them sluts and harpies and whatever else.
I really don't know the extent of the change because obviously being inside I can't see everything that happens. But I can tell that something's up by the way the patients act when they get into the clinic. In the last couple weeks there have been more patients commenting on the protesters as soon as they get inside. I had one wonderful woman offer to take care of them for a discount on her procedure. She was funny - she went out front to have a smoke and chat with the escorts, and she stared down every protester who glanced her way. Sometimes our patients are hard as fuck - I could never be that tough in that situation.
Life outside of Tuesdays is good too. Yesterday I interviewed a new escort, so that's good; I'm hoping that as the students come back, there will be an increase in our numbers.
In other news, I've been asked to sit on a panel at the upcoming New Brunswick Social Forum, and to give a brief talk on restriction to access to abortion in NB. The forum is going to be amazing; lots of great speakers and interesting topics; for an intersectionality enthusiast like myself, it's going to be very cool to see how all the topics are interconnected. For more info, you can check out the website (which is currently under construction), or drop me an email and I will direct you to the planning committee.
Rock on friends, and enjoy the last days of the summer.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Buhhh
I shouldn't be blogging right now, because I'm in a very blah mood, but oh well.
Yesterday's clinic was fine. Mr. Mumbles called two of the female escorts "little sluts" or something like that, and Crazy Legs was out, but apart from that, things went along as usual.
As I was leaving, there was a woman standing outside having a smoke who stopped me to talk to me. She was with someone who was having an abortion, and she was upset because she couldn't be in the room with them. This is a simple space issue, and I think that if the woman had seen the OR she would understand, but still, it sucks. I think a lot of people would like to have someone in there with them, even though we have a nurse to hold their hand, and our doctor is very sweet and comforting.
I don't know what else to write. I'm kind of distracted (in case you couldn't tell) so maybe I will add more later in the week.
Shout out to my big sister - happy birthday EC!!
Yesterday's clinic was fine. Mr. Mumbles called two of the female escorts "little sluts" or something like that, and Crazy Legs was out, but apart from that, things went along as usual.
As I was leaving, there was a woman standing outside having a smoke who stopped me to talk to me. She was with someone who was having an abortion, and she was upset because she couldn't be in the room with them. This is a simple space issue, and I think that if the woman had seen the OR she would understand, but still, it sucks. I think a lot of people would like to have someone in there with them, even though we have a nurse to hold their hand, and our doctor is very sweet and comforting.
I don't know what else to write. I'm kind of distracted (in case you couldn't tell) so maybe I will add more later in the week.
Shout out to my big sister - happy birthday EC!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Tit Thrusting and Steps Forward
This week at clinic, I was sitting at the front desk doing nothing in particular when MP came in and informed me that Mr. Mumbles was tit thrusting LS. I went outside to have a look, but he had stopped.
Apparently he kept shuffling up to LS and sort of mushing himself against her. She wasn't very happy about it. I told her if he did again, to let us know so we could call the police - or at the very least warn him that he was assaulting her. The escorts then proceeded to spend some time discussing what exactly is wrong with Mr. Mumbles. I won't speculate here, for fear of being mean/sued for libel, but I have some ideas.
Another interesting bump in our Tuesday was a couple who showed up with two small children in tow. This happens more often than you might think. Unfortunately, we just can't allow children in the waiting room because not only is it potentially disruptive, it makes already vulnerable women very, very uncomfortable.
The couple were very understanding (people usually are), and a couple of our escorts had the pleasure of playing with the kids. They were very sweet and well-behaved. Oh my goodness they were adorable. They definitely brightened my day, and I didn't even get to play with them.
So the step forward I am referring to in the title of this post is some fantastic news we received last week - Henry has standing!! In case you have no idea what I am talking about, last May Henry Morgentaler had a hearing to determine whether he has standing to bring forward a case against New Brunswick (trying to make them cover abortions under Medicare). Well, after almost a year and a half of waiting, the judge finally made a decision in Henry's favour. So that means the case can go forward!! It's going to be a long process, but this first step forward is definitely fantastic news.
Other good news - yesterday I was interviewed for a piece about abortion access in Canada for section15.ca. It might turn into a series!! It's going to include input from some other fantastic young activists, as well. I will keep you posted!!
Apparently he kept shuffling up to LS and sort of mushing himself against her. She wasn't very happy about it. I told her if he did again, to let us know so we could call the police - or at the very least warn him that he was assaulting her. The escorts then proceeded to spend some time discussing what exactly is wrong with Mr. Mumbles. I won't speculate here, for fear of being mean/sued for libel, but I have some ideas.
Another interesting bump in our Tuesday was a couple who showed up with two small children in tow. This happens more often than you might think. Unfortunately, we just can't allow children in the waiting room because not only is it potentially disruptive, it makes already vulnerable women very, very uncomfortable.
The couple were very understanding (people usually are), and a couple of our escorts had the pleasure of playing with the kids. They were very sweet and well-behaved. Oh my goodness they were adorable. They definitely brightened my day, and I didn't even get to play with them.
So the step forward I am referring to in the title of this post is some fantastic news we received last week - Henry has standing!! In case you have no idea what I am talking about, last May Henry Morgentaler had a hearing to determine whether he has standing to bring forward a case against New Brunswick (trying to make them cover abortions under Medicare). Well, after almost a year and a half of waiting, the judge finally made a decision in Henry's favour. So that means the case can go forward!! It's going to be a long process, but this first step forward is definitely fantastic news.
Other good news - yesterday I was interviewed for a piece about abortion access in Canada for section15.ca. It might turn into a series!! It's going to include input from some other fantastic young activists, as well. I will keep you posted!!
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