So, let's start this off by giving a big "What's up?!" to the Feministing community. I have been a long time reader, strong believer in the feminist movement and first time poster!
I'm dancerjess, and I work at a Planned Parenthood here in the South. I'm normally not that motivated to blog, but I wanted to let somebody know my experiences here! I share with my boyfriend, and I share with my fellow coworkers and pro-choice friends, but I want people to understand what it's really like, working here and dealing with an onslaught of anti-choicers.
So, this is me, liveblogging from the escort table. At the moment, I have a 10-year-old boy taking my picture, saying he is going to "pray for my soul". Another woman is saying I will never be happy unless I have a family and babies (oh dear, how will I EVER be fulfilled?!?!) and another woman has tried to video me. It's a little unnerving, the video and the cameras. This is my first serious escorting experience, and that's been the hardest thing to get used to - the cameras, them writng our plate numbers down, putting pictures of us online, and videos on youtube. I wear my sunglasses constantly - part of me feels like I should be brave and show my face - but at the same time I worry about my safety.
It's certainly interesting. It has put a lot of things into perspective for me. First, I have never realized how many truly hateful people there are in this world, espeially locally, where I live. I guess I'm a bit of an idealist sometimes. A pro-choicer confronted our protesters with bible verses, and the anti-choicers said, "You are intimidating us. you don't understand the bible." They've vandalized our clinic and followed employees to the street. They've harassed us and and our clients. I actually had one protester almost hit me with her car while she screamed that she was "praying for" me! I don't understand how they are "Christlike"...as a christian myself, it really blows my mind. None of this is Christlike in my opinion.
Also, I have realized that maybe I'm not as safe as I think I am. Sometimes I do ask myself, "How brave am I suposed to be? When is it okay to be nervous or scared?" I don't want them to win, and I don't want to be scared of them, but it definitely affects me.
I have been shaken and nervous this week, but it's not going to make me stop what I'm doing. Every time I walk with a patient and she tells me how thankful she is that I am here, it makes all the harassment and trouble okay. I realize that the antis are the reason why I do what I do. I don't want there to be a day when there's not a person like me (and all the other amazing people who work in clinics) there to help.
I do feel fortunate. I know we have it better than other clinics, we usually don't have protesters and so far their numbers are still few. But this isn't easy. It isn't easy to ignore someone screaming at you from 2 feet away. It isn't easy to ignore the insults, the hatefulness, the anger and judgement from people who can never and will never understand these women. Please keep us, and all other clinics across the nation, in your thoughts!
Can anybody else share their escorting experiences? I'd love to hear from you guys about this!
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Hi! You are a very brave individual. My ex's sister in law used to be an escort. This is in Philly, where we have to deal with Generation life. So at least there aren't that many where you come from. This is something I would love to do. Do you need any sort of training to be an escort? Anyway, keep doing what your doing, women in that situation need people like you.
Wish you the best while undertaking the challenge of being a reproductive rights warrior! My universitys anti-choice club just recently set up a huge (about 15 feet tall) collection of "aborted fetus" pictures right smack dab in the middle of the school plaza (so everyone HAD to see it). Most students were highly pissed about it! I'm happy they took that crap piece of propoganda down! If they had had crazy anti-choice protesters and cause cheerleaders by the booths I dont think I would be able to contain myself! When I walked through the plaza I was literally having a hard time controlling the rage within my body. But alas, there was no one to take it out on! Fuck Colorado!
Thanks for sharing this, and thank you for putting yourself out there on the line and helping women access reproductive health services.
Since you asked, I was a clinic escort when I was in Mpls (trying to find info on how to do it in my new locale). The most bizarre experience I ever had was when the one regular female protester (a few others came and went) verbally harassed a patient who was being escorted in with the usual, "Don't so this, your baby wants to live, blah blah blah." When the escort walked past her on her way back to her station, this protester, seriously, takes out a bottle of holy water, shakes the water at the escort, and tries to perform an exorcism.
Thankfully, the extent of what I got directly was a bunch of warnings about God's justice and that the babies I helped kill would haunt me forever.
Not so much.
First up, I have no clinic escorting experience whatsoever, but I DO admire those who are capable of managing it.
I thank you and your colleagues for your bravery in dealing with this in order to help other women.
I was very lucky in that there were no protestors when I went to get my abortion, and the Planned Parenthood I use now always has several security guards policing the grounds.
I am so utterly grateful that there are people out there willing to help those of us who have to walk to the clinics, because it's a scary walk sometimes, no matter how close you may have parked to the building. I can only imagine how frightening it must be to have to do that surrounded by angry and violent protestors.
How would I get information on helping out with escorting clients to PP? That would be something I think I would like to do.
My best advice if you are interested in escorting would be to call your local Planned Parenthood, and ask if they have any opportunities available. I know where we are, volunteers are ALWAYS needed!
As far as crazy experiences, I've already had holy water thrown in my direction, and I've also been called a "demonic presence" more than once! I'm thinking of going as the devil for halloween!
WOW! I would love to take a camera through the designated escort channel and document a first-person POV as seen by the escort to expose, up close, the crazy tactics employed by these anti-choice adherents.
Holy water! Holy fuck!
Also, isnt that physical assault (having water thrown on you)? Cant you take these assholes to court? I mean, what if it wasnt holy water, but acid, or urine, or spit! I cant believe some states (ahem...colorado) took away barricade laws!
These types shouldnt be protesting at womens clinics and doing this crazy shit that they do!
Hello from a fellow escort. Thanks for fighting the good fight. I know it can be difficult sometimes, I've heard protesters make death threats to me, other escorts, doctors, and other clinic workers. They're pathetic assholes, they're not at all Christ-like, and while I know it can be frightening, just think: you're helping out your cause. They're just scaring people.