Thursday, November 1, 2007

The protesters made my patient cry



Protesters: 9

I am Emily X.

I am Planned Parenthood.

20 comments:

CorStory76 said...

It's repugnant to me that these people spend their lives harassing others without knowing the true story behind closed doors. The truth is that Planned Parenthood is about women's health care, not just abortion - I find it hard to fathom that these people are raising children yet sending the message that a woman has no right to take care of her reproductive health. Kudos to all of you who every day put your belief in a women's right to quality health care in action. Keep up the good work in ignoring the protestors - your lack of response gives them less to feed upon!

Unknown said...

I worked at a women's clinic 21+ years ago in Dallas. Our policy was, as is yours, to not say anything to the protesters...and believe me, we had tons of protesters. When I became pregnant and CHOSE to start my family, I continued to work at the abortion clinic. My co-workers, our patients, my friends, all understood the concept of choice. The picketers did not. They were very baffled as I would waddle past them everyday, and other than once, they left me alone. Then one day, I was pretty cranky, being about 8+ months along, and a picketer jumped out in front of me with her fetus in the blender sign. "How'd you like your baby to look like this?" she asked me. Well, I was cranky, and had had enough. I said "How would you like your face to look like that?" It really took her back. None of the staff had ever said one word to any of these people and there I was about to pop and threatening this picketer. Well at any rate, thought I would share my little story. Keep up the good work. I KNOW it aint easy.

blueaz said...

HI I support your efforts wholeheartedly. I have a hormone imbalance and thus I must stay on birth control. I also have many friends who have - at one time or another- needed assistance from Planned Parenthood. Keep up the great work!

pogofit said...
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King Cog said...

Thank you so much for what you do. I'm so sorry that the protestors use the law to harass women and make your job more difficult.

Please know that what you do is so so so appreciated!

Unknown said...

I just want to let you know how much I love what you represent and how it hurts to see others be so nieve. I have and always will support you, as you have been there for me in many ways, especially morally. I appreciate that you are strong willed and have the most incredible family of staff working with you. I am always amazed at what you will endure to allow those who walk in your front doors to feel safe and comfortable with which ever situation they are walking in for. Keep it up, you will always have my support.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Merg said...

I don't understand? Why is it you can't respond verbally to people who are obviously harrassing your patients? Is it a rule? I don't mean with profanity or anything but just to get them out of your face or away from your patient?

LadyPhoenix said...

This is the first time I have actually looked at your blog, though I've been reading about it in the newsletters for a while now. I am a single mother of a beautiful daughter. I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant and made the choice to keep my daughter. The Planned Parenthood clinic in my town had protesters every Saturday for 3 years. They don't preform abortions at our clinic and I know they probably never will. The Planned Parenthood people who show up at our public events get harrassed by people just because of where they work. I feel for those guys. I really do. It's not easy being in an abstenance only community. All I can say is best of luck to you and yours. I sincerely hope that one day this will be all be a memory you can tell your grandkids.

GinaS said...

It was me walking through those doors as you walked with me that day so long ago and yet a day that I can not and will not ever forget. It was me they berated with their hateful words and terrifying posters. I was all of 18 and I was scared to death. It was me that they made cry. It is me, now 33, who still wants to cry thinking about that day and the most difficult decision of my entire life. I know that I made the right decision for me at that time in my young life with eyes so big staring back at a world that can be so cruel. They didn't know me! They didn't know anything about me! They didn't know what I was going through! So....thank you. Thank you for speaking so softly and caring, passing no judgment. Thank you for making me feel safe when I felt more alone than I ever have. Thanks for all you do and have shown. I wish it could be me standing next to you, but I can't. I can't face them.....not ever again. I can not express enough how thankful I am that you are there. Please keep up the hard work and know that we all thank you.

Gina33 said...

It was me walking through those doors as you walked with me that day so long ago and yet a day that I can not and will not ever forget. It was me they berated with their hateful words and terrifying posters. I was all of 18 and I was scared to death. It was me that they made cry. It is me, now 33, who still wants to cry thinking about that day and the most difficult decision of my entire life. I know that I made the right decision for me at that time in my young life with eyes so big staring back at a world that can be so cruel. They didn't know me! They didn't know anything about me! They didn't know what I was going through! So....thank you. Thank you for speaking so softly and caring, passing no judgment. Thank you for making me feel safe when I felt more alone than I ever have. Thanks for all you do and have shown. I wish it could be me standing next to you, but I can't. I can't face them.....not ever again. I can not express enough how thankful I am that you are there. Please keep up the hard work and know that we all thank you.

SER said...

Here's a quote I like to think of in times like these "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."--Albert Einstein

We all admire the work all of you are doing!! These people are so hypocritical and you guys are so amazing to keep going in spite of them because like the quote says you are great spirits for a great cause! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Gina33 said...

This message is for SER.
It's funny that you presented that specific quote by Albert Einstein. It's the one I use often and is the one that I use on my My Space. When you see someone else use a quote that you hold as one of the biggest truths ever spoken, you know that you are with like minded people and that always make me feel so good. Thanks!

CorStory76 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gina33 said...

This message is for corstory76: I wanted to say hello, thank you for the comment/reply and see if maybe you would consider becoming email friends. I'm not sure what exactly is pushing me to ask, but it's something and I try not to ignore such things. I read about you on your blogger profile and I see that we are close in age, both newly married (I actually just celebrated my 2 year anniversary on Oct 22), and I am interested in your new job with Brown Bag Naturals. Not to mention we share the same story. You can contact me and get my email address if you so desire by checking out my recently updated blogger user profile. No matter.....Thanks for the comment.

formerteacher said...

Thank you for continuiing to provide critical care for women. It makes me sick what that woman had to go through. I can't believe these people are actually allowed ot intimidate people like this. These people say it's about eradicating abortions, but in the past few years we've learned it's about more than that. It 's about birth control. When pharmacists can decline to fill a prescription for birth control pills based on their 'beliefs', it's unbelievable to me! Theses people aren't only anti-abortion, they are anti-woman. Thank you so much for helping women to get the care that they need!
I'm a mom, amd I'm pro-choice!

Unknown said...

You are brave and a true heroin. There is a Planned Parenthood clinic across the street from my home. The anti-choice, anti-woman, anti-child protesters are there every Saturday. I can't help but wonder why they are not down at Children's Hospital or a battered women's shelter helping children who are already here . . . instead of harassing women who are making the right choices for their lives and their bodies.

Unknown said...

You guys are my hero's ..........Thank you for all that you do, It's wonderful.... thank you so much......

jovan said...

Nice 69 second video. What the anti-choice protestors/terrorists did to that patient is despicable, and that kind of harassment should be against the law.

Unknown said...

These protesters should have the police called on them for not minding their business. If some group of nuts protested in front of a hospice they'd be arrested. I work in health care and when I moved from PA to CT I had no insurance and I didn't have a clue as to who to go to for a general physical let alone my yearly exam. Planned Parenthood was there for me, for my yearly pap, and my options that fit into my budget. I use birth control not just to prevent pregnancy (now that I'm married and we can NOT afford to bring a child into this world right now) but also because I have hormonal imbalances that not only make me ill but make me psycho. Not to mention migraines that have made MD's question stroke. These are all reasons that Planned Parenthood needs to keep up the good work they do. Those nuts can spout their BS and hot air all they want, it doesn't change the fact that they don't know what they're talking about anyway. When their kids become parents at 14 we'll all see their tunes change.