1. This is a pro-choice blog and we will not post deadbabybabydeaddeadbaby bad comments. We are not here to waste time in a debate we have all had a million times.
2. Religious speech is not appropriate in this forum.
Comments need to be confined to analysis of Reproductive and Sexual Justice, Escorting philosophy and tactics or cultural milieu observations, as well as critiques of said approaches.
3. Respect will be given, no name calling. Cursing at anyone or threatening will not be tolerated and the offender will be banned from further commenting.
4. I identify as a radical queer who will not provide space for derogatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality or any other defining factor on this blog. That being said I would like to use this blog as an opportunity to examine the fucked up things we say and think without knowing it. I will make editorial comments occasionally to accomplish this goal.
5. If some other issue comes up and I feel the need to moderate, I will.
Please keep it up, the comments are great and the more we use this as a forum, the better off we are as escorts and defenders of our reproductive and sexual rights.
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I am slowly reading through your blog. It is very interesting to see the differences in the various places I read about escorts. We have been very fortunate at our clinic in shutting down the antis a great deal. While we don’t have a buffer zone, the police have helped us by making certain spaces off limits because of traffic “safety” issues. Our clinic is entered by going down a narrow driveway to the back of the clinic where there are only approximately 8 parking spaces. Before we started escorting the antis would follow the patients down the driveway. Also, because of the lack of parking patients had to find a place to park and then walk the gauntlet. The antis at our clinic have a permit on the sidewalk in front of the building, across the street, and on the sidewalk next door to the clinic where there is a facility much like the Ronald McDonald House. This is so disrespectful of the persons staying there but they dont’ care. The police also marked places on the sidewalk approximately 3 or 4 feet away from the driveway so they can’t approach the cars. We also are fortunate in that we have space on the clinic property and there is a police officer there two days of the week. We also have implemented a policy where the patient can drive into the driveway and escorts will valet park their cars after the patient has gotten out, or if they don’t want us to park for them, we offer to ride with them to park their vehicles and then escort them past the antis. This has been very, very effective and the antis really, really hate it. We constantly take photos and videos and also have the experience of them taking our picture while we take theirs and vice versa. We have a court case coming up soon where one of their persons sprayed several of our escorts in the face with what she called “holy water.” You may have seen videos of it. If we had not had videos of it we would not have had a chance of having her charged. We had ignored many offenses committed by the antis but this one went too far. They have calmed down a good bit since she was arrested and no longer use the nasty photos which is a relief. It will be interesting to see if they come back after the trial.
Thank you so much for the information and stories you post and thank you for doing what you do.
I am so glad that this website is available for women to share ideas about abortion. In 1966, when I was 20 years old, I became pregnant due to a failure in contraception. I lived in one of the New England states which had “Blue Laws” regarding contraceptive care. Physicians were prohibited from prescribing contraceptives and performing abortions for non-married women. I discovered a physician who was willing to care for me despite regulations. As it turned out, I miscarried before my physician appointment. I don’t think any woman should have to suffer that kind of anxiety. Freedom of choice regarding availability for abortion care is a key part of women’s health care as well as a central component in family planning and economic security.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your story Lynne, we sure agree!
I would like to let the escorts know how very much I appreciate all that they do. Had they not been there, one very special lady in particular, I probably would have turned and ran. Those protesters were so vicious and insensitive. They do not care that I was in a hellish situation to begin with- all they care about is casting stones and shouting their Hell and Brimstone messages to further traumatize me. Their words hurt me so bad that I’ll probably have nightmares from that alone. One very special lady (short, 40′s maybe reddish hair, loving eyes) came all the way to the van to get me and walk with me, with her arm around me, and reassure me that this was my choice. Her eyes were so loving; I knew she cared. She kept me strong. If not for the safety net and support of the escorts, I have to wonder how many women would turn and run away and abandon her right to make the decision she thinks is best? Thank you to all who stood out in the cold to shelter and protect me. I wish I could have seen the special lady one more time to hug her and tell her how much just her human touch meant during an emotionally excruciating time.
By the way, I was the one who cried all the way up the sidewalk this morning. Today’s events, though I am at the relieved and emotionally numb point, are spinning through my head making it impossible to sleep. Your blog is amazing. I wish I would have screamed back “Ye without sin……” Thank you for all you do and endure for us.
Thank you so much for the kind words, lost one.
That escort could have been me, or it could have been someone else, but comments like yours really help us all remember why we escort. Thank you for putting your thoughts into words here.
What you say about the protesters is so on target, and they don’t know you, or your situation, but even if they did, they would still say the things they say. Making that walk up the sidewalk sure can be traumatizing. I’m not surprised you can’t sleep tonight, they want to shame you, and it will take you a while to process the experience. I hope you’re able to push back on their effect, and recover well. And i hope that you seek out support if that becomes a longer term issue. That was a difficult thing to go through.
Thanks for the kind words about the blog too! We really appreciate it. Take care of yourself…
As someone who is reading this blog from Europe I can’t believe the crap you have to put up with, and I mean that literally. My mind boggles, and it is only thanks to videos and descriptions of your mornings that I can begin to form a mental picture of what people need to go through to get an abortion over there.
I just wanted to wish you all the strength to continue the fight for proper healthcare access.
I’m a new reader and have been absolutely blown away by the bravery and self-sacrifice on display in every post. Thank you for your work. Really, you are the kind of heroes that make me question whether I could do what you do. And this is coming from someone who’s been a legal observer many times.
Good show.
Good Afternoon,
After some recent research I have discovered that Angela, and her husband Purnell had two abortions when they were younger. And her comments about “God, if this was my child I would not abort it” are complete lies, because “God it was her child and she did abort it. Twice.”
I really dislike her very much. And now, after finding out what a hypocrite she is, I am disgusted and would actually be more than happy to slap her mouth off. She is more than aloud to changer her stance on a subject, however there are so many other ways to be of help rather than hindrance.
So, while you all are doing wonderful work assisting women and their support through the trenches of hell, remind Angela that she is a hypocrite for me.
Question. Isn’t identifying yourself as a radical queer derogatory in itself? Can I refer to you as such? I’m not trying to instigate problems, but it seems a bit paradoxical to request to not “tolerate derogatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality or any other defining factor” and identify yourself in a way that would make a lot of people cringe. In case anyone was wondering, i’m an Extreme size-queen. i’m proud of that. btw, really interesting blog here. i’m a male, so i have no real opinion on abortion b/c i will surely never have one. i’ll leave with this…. what’s the difference between aborting days before the birth is due and killing a baby minutes after he/she has been birthed? serious questions i raise here, not trolling…..
I identify as a queer person. I also identify as a radical, ie. anti-authoritarian. I see neither as an insult. If you need more information than that please start with a little queer theory 101.
We are not here to debate the ins and outs of abortion. I will say however there are a lot of myths surrounding second and third trimester abortions.
If you are interested in factual information about these procedures, please Read Jodi Jacobson’s Late-Term Abortions: Facts, Stories and Ways to Help.
And to be clear the escorts are a large group of volunteers with lots of gender and sexual presentations. By no means do all of us identify as queer either, we have people that identify as straight, bi, gay, lesbian. We have multiple gender presentations through out our escorts, and celebrate them all.
Hello,
So, I am curious.
You have listed here some of the better known protestors, but what of the escorts?
You only ever seem to address them simply as such.
Btw, this is a very interesting, and useful blog. I’m glad that you’ve taken the time to create, and continually update, it.
I would also love to get involved. Escorting or otherwise if there is something I can help with please contact me.
I’m also interested in escort training. I’ve tried contacting RCRC before but my email got sent back. I can be contacted via the email I left in my comment. Thanks for all you do!
I have added your email to the list. thanks for your interest. we should be having another training sometime in the fall. please feel free to come down to the clinic any saturday morning between now and then.
When will the next escort training take place? We are very interested in attending.
me? I would have just left the bar.