The Future of Abortion Providers
| Tue Mar. 10, 2009 8:33 AM PDT
Today's feminists need to blog less and work more. If women want reproductive choice to remain more than rhetoric, they'd better stop assuming these clinics will be there when they need them. Because like priests and nuns, abortion doctors are not reproducing. From NYT:
"We worry about that a lot," said Sally Burgess, executive director of the Hope clinic, who is also chairwoman of the National Abortion Federation, the main professional support group for abortion providers. "Younger women have always had access to abortion care, they don’t fully appreciate the battle that was fought to have it available to them. And more important, I don’t think they know how precarious the option is at this point, even with Obama's election."..."What I observe for women in their 20s and 30s — there are fewer who really have the fire in the belly for this,” she said. At 50, Ms. Burgess is the youngest member of the Hope clinic’s leadership team, which includes Ms. Baker; Debbie Wiehardt, 57, the office supervisor; and the two doctors performing abortions (the only men on the 30-person staff), who are both in their 60s. A recent survey of 273 abortion clinics published in the journal Contraception found that 64 percent of their doctors were at least 50 years old, and 62 percent were men."
It's dangerous and gloomy. The pay sucks. Lots of people think you're a murderer. And, yeah, you might get shot. But you young chicks maybe need to go the Northern Exposure route, sending folks to med school in exchange for a few years running an abortion clinic. That feminist fire in the belly? I gotta say: Pole-dancing, walking around half-naked, posting drunk photos on Facebook, and blogging about your sex lives ain't exactly what we previous generations thought feminism was. We thought it was about taking it to the streets.
Harsh, you say? Uninformed? OK. Tell me exactly what today's feminists are doing for the struggle. Besides posting disses against old chicks like me. You got that covered.
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Comments
Day of Appreciation
Submitted by Christina (not verified) on Tue Mar. 10, 2009 3:57 PM PDT.
Submitted for your appreciation -- a list of abortion providers and some of their accomplishments!
Why thank you Christine for the 'appreciation list' of providers
Submitted by Lulu13 on Wed Mar. 18, 2009 2:14 AM PDT.
o my then just imagine what it would be like Christine, if it weren't legal any longer for women who seek these services........thank you for the article/blog as it continues to prove the point that women's reproductive health services - nation wide - need our continued support and attention to keep them safe and legal for all women who need them!
you're totally right
Submitted by Guli Fager (not verified) on Wed Mar. 11, 2009 1:43 PM PDT.
Debra,
I think young feminists do take for granted abortion access but one solution I see is pushing more states to open up the right to perform abortions to nurse practitioners. Physicians' lobbies continually try to maintain their monopoly over what, in private practice, is an incredibly profitable procedure and if more women's health NP's and midwives could do the abortions that most of them are, in fact, trained to do, we would have less of a shortage problem. Abortion, in most cases, is such a simple procedure that an OB/GYN's training is excessive and not really best applied to it. Or we could always go back to the self-help, menstrual extraction route if we wanted to get really radical...
NPs trained in abortion care
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu Mar. 12, 2009 11:26 PM PDT.
I am a women's health nurse practitioner and I agree with Guli. It is one of my long-term professional goal to lobby the Colorado State legislature to allow advanced practice clinicians (include NPs, midwives, and physician assistants) to include abortion care in their scope of practice. And then to learn to perform surgical abortions myself.
-Jennifer, NP
Alternatively, we should
Submitted by vinjay (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:28 PM PDT.
Alternatively, we should encourage women to enter med school, and those in med school to pursue the OB/GYN route. Fortunately, OB/GYN residencies these days are about 75% female... but unfortunately, the numbers of people pursuing OB/GYN residencies are not too red hot overall. We need to figure out what we can do to increase the appeal of OB/GYN (and from there, we'll have a bigger pool of future abortion providers and women's health experts).
Incidentally, I don't believe that we should encourage women to go the easy route of NP school to practice medicine -- instead, we should let them realize they can go the distance. Happily, word is getting out. Many med schools, including my alma mater, are reporting their latest entering classes are over 50% female. Going for an inferior degree and then lobbying the legislature to pretend it is equal to an MD, as the above poster is doing, does not do any favors for your patients. While NPs and PAs are great for many routine cases, the training is simply not at the same level. I encourage young posters interested in a healthcare career and a desire to be agents of change to not sell themselves short.
I think this is what Debra is talking about: Instead of contenting yourself to complaining about the system from outside, as in taking the easy road to an NP or DNP degree and then working from without... steel yourself and do what has to be done to change the system from within. Get your medical degree! The patriarchy can't ignore you if you have an "MD" or "DO" after your name. You can be an abortion provider (or physician for HIV patients, or women's health expert, or whatever you want!) without having to lobby a bunch of patriarchal assholes in the local state legislature. Even though it takes more work, it can be a far more rewarding path! So many of my classmates are going to be such kickass agents of social change within 5 or 10 years... heck, many were so doing med school too. Don't back down. Do what it takes.
-Mark, MD
Malpractice
Submitted by sneak (not verified) on Sun Mar. 15, 2009 10:07 AM PDT.
The OB/GYN community may not be suffering in numbers so much if OBs weren't paying to work... Malpractice insurance and the threat of lawsuit keep many a prospective med student out of the path of more debt after med school!
How can we take abortion
Submitted by Megan (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:52 PM PDT.
How can we take abortion access for granted when it is not guaranteed? Or when there are still so much red tape for women to go through to obtain an abortion? Or when we just had the global gag rule overturned? The climate of our society does not allow for complacency.
Feminist Blame Game
Submitted by Amie Newman (not verified) on Thu Mar. 12, 2009 1:02 PM PDT.
Hi Debra,
Thanks for the post. You've inspired a response from one of our younger bloggers on RH Reality Check (Reproductive Health Reality Check):
The Feminist Blame Game
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/03/12/the-feminist-blame-game
Amie Newman
Managing Editor, RH Reality Check
Awesome!
Submitted by SnarkyFem (not verified) on Thu Mar. 12, 2009 1:47 PM PDT.
Who said feminists weren't funny? Can't wait to see the stand-up version of this! You'll have 'em rolling in the aisles.
Harsh and uninformed sums it
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu Mar. 12, 2009 3:12 PM PDT.
Harsh and uninformed sums it up.
This is what we're doing: http://www.ms4c.org/
And we need support and encouragement, not ignorant rants.
We're Doing Things OUR Way.
Submitted by Kim (not verified) on Sat Mar. 14, 2009 9:23 AM PDT.
I couldn't have said it better.
For all the time spent calling us younger feminists names and making sweeping, derogatory statements about OUR activism in OUR lifetimes and how WE decide to accomplish it, Ms. Dickerson could have perused the healthy selection of websites promoting feminist agendas and maybe even left a few encouraging comments here and there. Or maybe offered to come speak on our campuses about abortion beginning to take a backseat to other issues. Or even simply written a respectful and insightful post on why she thinks our behavior is going to bite us in the ass later on down the road.
Instead she degrades us and everything we have accomplished so far (which is more than she can imagine).
Want to talk about being unproductive, Ms. Dickerson? Alright, then from a young feminist to an older one: situating yourself on a pedestal of feminist seniority and sneering down your nose at the rest of us in the field working just as hard as you ever did won't light the "fire in our bellies" again. All you're doing is taking a wedge to the age gap already in place in our movement.
Try talking TO us, not AT us. We're much more of a force to be reckoned with than you think.
For starters:
Submitted by Courtney E. Martin (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 12:55 PM PDT.
http://www.thirdwavefoundation.org/
http://www.4exhale.org/
http://www.differentavenues.org/
http://www.gems-girls.org/
http://www.girlswritenow.org/gwn/
http://www.sistersong.net/
http://servicewomen.org/
http://www.feministing.com/
Not a lot time for pole dancing when you're starting and running non-profit organizations, serving your country, providing support for child prostitutes, running blogs with hundreds of thousands of young readers who are galvanized about political and pay parity, sexual assault, reproductive justice, and other critical issues...
Not what I see
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 12:56 PM PDT.
I'm a 2nd-year medical student. In the Midwest, which is apparently devoid of engaged providers. Not so! Many, many of my classmates - participate in Med Students for Choice, shadow abortion providers and learn how to do the procedures, and work to ensure that they learn about terminating pregnancies during their clinical rotations. I see young women - AND men - working every day on this issue, in the field where it matters most. Not everyone is suited to a career in OB/GYN, but we're going to be well informed and know where to refer our patients. The NYT article also overlooks the fact that some OB/GYN clinicians do not choose to work at Planned Parenthood or an abortion clinic, but will provide abortions. Not all doctors want to do abortions (or appendectomies, or colonoscopies, or any one procedure) all day long.
I think you're missing the
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:07 PM PDT.
I think you're missing the fact that today's young feminists don't see abortion as the only issue for women. Instead, we're taking feminist analysis into electoral work, advocacy work, and grassroots community organizing on all issues.
Maybe we're not 'out in the streets' (which we are, anyhow) for abortion rights because we're too busy fighting for THE ENTIRE RANGE OF RIGHTS necessary for women to thrive.
Didn't you listen to any of the critiques lobbied at the mainstream women's movement from your own generation?
Why the acrimony?
Submitted by Amy Brown (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:22 PM PDT.
You read one article saying young women aren't engaged enough in one area, and say all young feminists are pole dancers? You have labeled us with the misinformed names the media invokes when trying to denigrate feminists. Didn't this happen to you when YOU were a young feminist? Think before you blog, please. I write about reproductive rights news in my state, live every second as a feminist and try my best to educate (without alienation) people around me about feminism and its perks. This post belongs on Fox News.
Harsh and uninformed sums it up
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:24 PM PDT.
I'm not even going to go in depth about your pole-dancing comment, it was inappropriate and you should know why. ( if you really do identify as a feminist)
Young Feminist do a lot, we fully appreciate the rights that previous waves of feminism have won for us and how precious they are.
We run organizations, we write letters to government officials, we try to spread the message that feminism is still relevant and not about "hating men", and we even show up for marches.
I suggest you should re think your ageist analysis of young feminists or perhaps
inform yourself before you blog.
I'm a 20 year old feminist,
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:25 PM PDT.
I'm a 20 year old feminist, one of the first declared Gender Study Majors at my small, liberal arts Catholic college--I'm a Political Science Major too. I've 'taken it to the streets' with my work for the Women's Rape Crisis Center, with my fellow women at the campus Center for Women and Gender, and by starting an underground condom distribution ring as my school does not deem it necessary to provide 18-25 year olds with condoms--even though they all blog about their sex lives so much. What have you done lately? Maybe you should blog a little less, and work a little harder--God knows I can't.
The Fire in My Belly
Submitted by Cora D (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:30 PM PDT.
I'm a young feminist and I'm taking it to the streets for abortion rights. I work for Planned Parenthood and I advocate for reproductive justice, including abortion rights, on a daily basis. I recruit other young feminists to volunteer and help keep them up to date on reproductive justice issues. I work with many amazing young feminists who are providing clinical services and educating our communities on how to stay healthy and have a positive sexual identity.
The fire in my belly might not look exactly the like that fire found in the women who advocated for legalized abortion. But it's there, burning every day, inspiring me to go the extra mile and make sure women not only have access to abortion services, but also preventitive health care that will allow them to pursue their dreams and break glass ceilings.
And if I could afford medical school and the time it would take to pursue such a degree, I would become an abortion provider. But, I have a family support and I live in an area with no medical schools. It's not a feasible option at this time - perhaps in the future.
Instead of putting down young feminists, why not explore and celebrate what they are doing? I think you'd find we're doing amazing things, building on the successes of our the women who came before us.
The Fire in My Belly
Submitted by Cora D (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:31 PM PDT.
I'm a young feminist and I'm taking it to the streets for abortion rights. I work for Planned Parenthood and I advocate for reproductive justice, including abortion rights, on a daily basis. I recruit other young feminists to volunteer and help keep them up to date on reproductive justice issues. I work with many amazing young feminists who are providing clinical services and educating our communities on how to stay healthy and have a positive sexual identity.
The fire in my belly might not look exactly the like that fire found in the women who advocated for legalized abortion. But it's there, burning every day, inspiring me to go the extra mile and make sure women not only have access to abortion services, but also preventitive health care that will allow them to pursue their dreams and break glass ceilings.
And if I could afford medical school and the time it would take to pursue such a degree, I would become an abortion provider. But, I have a family support and I live in an area with no medical schools. It's not a feasible option -- at this time, perhaps in the future.
Instead of putting down young feminists, why not explore and celebrate what they are doing? I think you'd find we're doing amazing things, building on the successes of our the women who came before us.
Wow.
Submitted by Lauren Paulk (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:39 PM PDT.
Um, to put it mildly, I'm offended. To be real, I'm infuriated. As someone who donates to, receives services from, lobbies for, protests in favor of, and yes, BLOGS ABOUT, Planned Parenthood, I can't believe you're using such blaming language against young feminists and accusing us, in so many words, of not working hard enough.
I am the abortion diaries distribution volunteer for Backline (www.yourbackline.org), and I know several young feminists who work, volunteer, and speak out in support of Backline and of choice in general. I don't know a single feminist (young or otherwise) who takes abortion rights for granted. No, we can't know what it was like to be in the shoes of those who fought for abortion rights before they existed. But we can be scared as hell that they'll go away. And that puts enough "fire in [our] belly", thanks much.
And abortion isn't our only cause. I work as a teen advocate, providing prevention education and support around dating, domestic, and sexual violence. I see many young teen women who espouse feminist ideals, and who speak out in class about it.
By the way:
-I'm not a chick (really?!)
-I don't choose to blog about my sex life, but I do consider that part of feminism, and I don't ever read a sex post without knowing that it was not always possible for women to be so free with their language/disclosure about sex and their sexual activities in general
-drunk facebook pictures are funny, and you can't begrudge me some self-care comedy now and again
-the internet IS part of the streets now. please understand that.
Intergenerational blaming is ridiculous! Please stop!
Everyday feminism
Submitted by konkonsn (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:43 PM PDT.
I'm sorry if it doesn't seem like activism to you, but I don't do too much social fieldwork. It doesn't suit me. Instead, I go to my favourite comic websites, post about what I enjoy reading, and discuss the sexism that's still always there. Or I read my favourite gaming magazine and write a letter asking why there are no female writers on their staff. Or, when one of my guy friends tells me my gaming penis is still too small because I'm sucking in a deathmatch, I glare and say, "I didn't realize a penis was required equipment for this game."
I read feminist books and blogs, and then I get online and talk about my sex life because I'm still not sure which sex I'm attracted to.
Sorry, no marching for me. I'll just write pop-culture fantasy with awesome female characters and continue trying to get an M.A. in English.
That is just such an
Submitted by Megan (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:46 PM PDT.
That is just such an intelligent argument. How do you consider yourself a feminist if you think that it is okay to belittle women's contribution to this world? Yes we are young, but what does age have to do with it? You were young once, I'm assuming, and were once a young feminist. If you had computers and the internet like we have today you would have been blogging, because blogging reaches more people than the news does in today's world. I was introduced to real feminism (not just the conservative view of "feminazis" by a blog), and blogging allows me the opportunity to affect more than just my community in the South. Ms. Dickerson, it is work, and on top of blogging we, young feminists, also work jobs for money, volunteer, and start campaigns and protest. So as you say, we do take it to the streets. Just sometimes we take it to a different kind of street. Your article is deeply upsetting, judgemental, and frankly shows your ignorance of this wave of feminism. I will just go back to my blog and my JOBS.
I am a "young" feminist and
Submitted by May (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 1:55 PM PDT.
I am a "young" feminist and I have never taken "advantage" of abortion providers, pole danced or posted drunken pictures of myself on Facebook. I do, however, work hard at a job I had to go through years of school to get, to work for a cause I believe is fundamentally important to human existence. I volunteer my time and energy to even more causes, advocate constantly for change both online and off-, write poetry, create art, work to make my community better and support other young feminists who are facing cruel discrimination and condemnation from men and women of all ages in all sectors of society.
Maybe you should stop believing patriarchy's bad press of us and start looking at what we're really doing with our lives. One of my best friends works for Planned Parenthood and, you know what? Thousands of young feminists are employed there. I'm sure you're shocked to discover that we are actually involved in what is going on in our society, but we most certainly are.
blog less?
Submitted by Munzi or just another 20 year old feminist aka pole dancer (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:13 PM PDT.
Maybe you should write less and talk to young feminists more?
Guess what's awesome about blogs. You can write for one or two or five, and still go to school, work a job, and volunteer at feminist organizations. I know it because that's what I do, and that's what all of my fellow feminist friends do.
Just curious as to when the last time you actually spoke with a young feminist and took to the streets side by side? Maybe it's time to start working with the youth and finding out exactly what we do instead of complaining about how you can't relate.
And maybe we complain about old feminists because they continuously call us pole dancers instead of recognizing what we really do (even us crazy pole dancing ones).
Stop calling your fellow feminists sluts, and realize that we're in this together.
One young feminist...
Submitted by Heidi (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:25 PM PDT.
There's a lot I could say, but I'm going to keep it positive, so because you asked:
Yesterday:
1) Since I run the books for my local feminist organization, I reconciled the accounts. (don't know how to provide abortions, but I do know about accounting)
2) Last night, I attended an information and organizing session (run by a young feminist in fact) about the backlog of 11,000 rape kits in Los Angeles and how we are going to get funding to process them and make sure a backlog doesn't occur again.
3) I wrote my congressperson about the dangers of abstinence only education, to try to counteract the "abstinence only education" day the day before.
I also went to work. I work full-time not as a professional feminist or politician or activist, but in a field that I'm passionate about. I'm not about to drop my entire life for a cause, though I definitely have respect for people who do. I try to bring feminism to my daily life through the standards of treatment I expect from my colleagues and reflected in the work that I do. Although I can't speak for all of us, I think a lot of young feminists are like me, trying to balance the career we were told we could always have and the activism we want to change the world.
I volunteer at a center on
Submitted by Ami (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:35 PM PDT.
I volunteer at a center on my college campus. I have helped people in crisis situations, written restraining orders, and helped eductae the campus commnity about sexism and violence against women. I, along with another volunteer, am currently in the middle of planning events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April...that's not "doing nothing," in my book.
what do feminists do?
Submitted by Grace (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:43 PM PDT.
Young feminists are out at work, both about feminism and about their own sexual orientation, whatever it may be. Young feminists are attending universities. We are preparing for nursing school, or med school. We are educating our campuses and the towns around them about safe sex. We are educating our parents and family members on the importance of marriage equality. We are being active members of our churches while also not being shy about our liberal politics. We are spending our summers working for Planned Parenthood in places in Utah. We are talking to our mothers about the anatomy of the female genitalia, because they never learned properly. How can you say I don't do anything to promote the cause? How is it that I am dissing you?
Join some feminists who communicate
Submitted by GloriaFeldt (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:50 PM PDT.
If you're in the NY area, come to the WomenGirlsLadies intergenerational feminist panel at the 92Y Tribeca, 7pm, Warch 18. We don't always agree but we try to keep our vision on the unfinished business and what we need to be doing for women now. For more info on who the WomenGirlsLadies are and links to event tickets and our blog:
http://www.gloriafeldt.com/powered-women/2009/3/7/womens-history-month-7...
As a young feminist of 17
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:51 PM PDT.
As a young feminist of 17 years, I'm insulted by the claim that we don't do anything for the cause. It may not seem big to you since you don't hear about it, but any time I hear about a girl being mistreated in our school because of sexism and related discrimination, you can guarantee that my opinion will be heard. My words are my actions and they do make differences. They generate conversation and conversation leads to not hiding from the issues. So to you, you think young feminists are not doing anything. They are. I'm teaching my parents about gender roles and women's rights. Changing two people has helped branch out the education to their friends.
in the nation's
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 2:59 PM PDT.
in the nation's capitol:
http://readytoserve.ning.com/
http://www.american.edu/cas/anthro/lavenderlanguages/index.html
oh, and also i research indigenous bolivian women's resistance to neoliberal economic forms imposed upon them, encouraging and supporting alternative, nonviolent, solutions to the symbolic and physical violence they endure daily.
Obama's health care plan would not cover abortion
Submitted by Sophia MD (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:02 PM PDT.
So, when are we feminists going to stand up and insist on getting rid of the Hyde amendment - which forbids federal $$ for abortion? It is NOT something that has been passed and has to be reversed. It is something that is renewed EVERY YEAR, but we can't stop it? even now with Obama in office?
The federal health insurance covers almost THE most people in the US. and under Obama's plan, to open it up to anyone/everyone, it would be THE largest expansion of abortion denial of coverage... Let's get cracking and make sure that doesn't happen!
Also, as an MD, I was part of MSFC as were many of my colleagues but that did NOT mean I wanted to be a provider. I thought I did. but then after all that school, I was like NO WAY am I willing to die for this. Let someone else.
AND the crazy "students for life" are all applying to med school... NOT good...
How can you be an MD and not realize that people die if we don't allow legal, safe abortions? How many feminists are going to med school and sticking to being an abortion provider? I let that go but am still a feminist.
I agree that NPs should totally be able to provide abortions. But disagree that abortions are profitable. They are NOT profitable with all the legal crap that goes with it... and risk of law suits etc. Don't propagate that anti-choice myth.
As one poster said, there's
Submitted by Steph (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:02 PM PDT.
As one poster said, there's a lot I could say, but since you asked...I'm a 21-year-old feminist who:
- currently works full time as a counselor at an abortion clinic
- founded and ran the women's center at my college
- spent my college years working at an abortion access fund
- attended the march for women's lives while in high school
I could go on. Please SHOW US SOME RESPECT. We appreciate what your generation has done. Now please retire so we can take over from here.
What are young feminists doing?
Submitted by Morgan (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:20 PM PDT.
"Harsh, you say? Uninformed? OK. Tell me exactly what today's feminists are doing for the struggle."
Debra-
Your post is so incredibly ageist it took me a moment to realize that you weren't joking.
What are young feminists doing?
Running not for profit art galleries dedicated to highlighting women and trans artists:
feminapotens.org
Organizing rallies at UC Berkeley to raise awareness about a sexual predator on campus:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=6689734
And then writing letters to the editor when people dismiss our actions:
http://www.dailycal.org/article/104740/campus_needs_dialogue_about_attacks
We're putting together amazing Vagina Monologues performances
vday.berkeley.edu
Teaching classes on women's empowerment that have been successfully student run for 15 years:
femsex.net
Blogging about our sexualities to challenge what society sees as normal:
morgasm.wordpress.com
kinkyfeminism.com
jizlee.wordpress.com
Redefining porn and recreating it to fit our sexualities and our feminism:
pinkwhite.biz
nofauxx.com
madisonbound.com
And that's just recent stuff in the bay area.
Personally? I do grassroots outreach to young people educating them on emergency contraception. I'm involved in feminist organizations on my campus. I work at the aforementioned gallery and teach the aforementioned class. I talk to my peers about sex and relationships and their role in the world and how they can challenge sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia. I take to the streets and get involved in actions that protect a woman's right to choose. I'm EDUCATED, INFORMED and ACTIVE in society and doing everything I can to change our culture to one that celebrates and respects women.
And I speak up when older feminists think that younger feminists are somehow not doing enough just because we're doing it DIFFERENTLY.
What does a young feminist do?
Submitted by Juris Prudence on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:25 PM PDT.
Since you asked, I run two on campus feminst organizations that celebrate and promote contraception and reproductive freedom, I volunteer as a legal researcher and fundraiser for a non-profit legal education fund which intervenes in women's rights issues (including access to abortion and privacy zones around abortion clinics). Last year, I ran a sexual consent workshop on campus, headed a domestic violence legal clinic and an on-campus dance to celebrate the anniversary of the right to choose. Hi! How are you? I am a young feminist. I post on facebook, I blog. The only stripping I would like to do is to strip away your sweeping generalizations.
Would be insulting...
Submitted by Mollie (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:29 PM PDT.
This post would insult me if I knew for a fact it wasn't true. My introduction to feminism was through a blog (feministing.com, RESPECT!) and my activism (yes, activism) has only grown stronger and more effective since then. I work at Planned Parenthood, I'm a future political science and women's studies major, I'm an active lobbying constituent in my state government, next week I'll be attending the NATIONAL YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE in Washington DC, and I raise general awareness all around my high school. And I'm 17-years-old.
We would get so much MORE done if all of the waves of feminism came together, now please, we show you respect, show us ours.
Ditto Courtney's list, and
Submitted by Anjali (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:30 PM PDT.
Ditto Courtney's list, and also go to girldrive.blogspot.com. There's hundreds of women (including three who work at the only abortion clinic in North Dakota) "taking it to the streets" computers, whatever will force people to pay attention.
Not only that, this blog asks older feminists for their words of wisdom--they don't "diss" the "old chicks." (did you really say "old chicks"?)
Nothing wrong with harsh, but uninformed is the biggest sin you can commit while blogging for a nationally circulated magazine.
Dear Mama Feminist, This
Submitted by citymaking (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:39 PM PDT.
Dear Mama Feminist,
This post was really discouraging. I am 22-year-old feminist, so I guess it is directed at me.
I just came back from a difficult meeting with City Council staff where I felt two men tried to use their physical presence and political power to intimidate me, even though they had asked me and my group to volunteer on the committee after our wildly successful organizing and even though they actually are excited about the policy innovations we are bringing to the table, they still belittle me and attempt to silence me. So it was, needless to say, TOTALLY SHOCKING and disappointing to come back from that experience only to have the same experience on a "feminist" blog.
I want to be nice and educational with you but all I have energy to say is: no thanks to your world view, sis! What are you trying to accomplish? So uninspiring.
Thanks to www.Feministing.com for the heads up BTW.
whoops - i'm 26. weird.
Submitted by citymaking (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 3:43 PM PDT.
whoops - i'm 26. weird.
Ignorance
Submitted by Victoria (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:17 PM PDT.
Well, I am a young feminist, 22 to be specific. I just organized Take Back the Night on my campus with a number of young feminists, and we took "it" to the streets in a march for sexual violence awareness. If that's not literal enough for you, I also "take it to the streets" by being a sexuality educator for teens at high schools all around Los Angeles. Now, I know the older generations have NO IDEA what they're talking about when they talk about young feminists, so I'm sorry you had to broadcast your ignorance in such a public forum. Let me assure you that my friends, a large number of other young feminists, and I are continuing to further the righteous goals of your and prior generation's fight for equality.
What do young feminists do?
Submitted by Pedgehog (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:19 PM PDT.
I can't speak for all young feminists, but since you asked, here's what I'm doing! (I'm 24).
- working in an abortion clinic
- actively recruiting volunteer patient escorts for said clinic
- volunteering as a media spokesperson and columnist for a national pro-choice org
- taking part in a feminist group I co-founded, that forms alliances with other feminist groups in our province to organize events, lobby, and raise awareness
- attending feminist conferences, workshops, and lunch and learns
- writing letters....so many letters!
- organizing and attending demonstrations regarding abortion rights/access, pay equity, and various other social justice issues
- donating my time and work to a RAWA benefit in my community
- creating feminist art
- reading feminist literature
- encouraging my friends to think critically
- making contacts and networking with other young feminists across Canada
- voting for feminist-friendly candidates
....and OH YEAH, BLOGGING!
Your column was offensive. Not to mention really disappointing for young feminists who are not only working tirelessly on these issues, but who are reaching out to for intergenerational feminist groups and networks, and who look to the older generation of feminists for advice, examples and mentoring. How discouraging for us that you have no interest in finding out what we are up to and how we can help.
I won't point out the obvious here about blogging about blogging
Submitted by SueBee (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:49 PM PDT.
As a clergywoman in training, I facilitate all kinds of feminist action for both women and men, and have done so in myriad capacities for the last 15 years. Rather than only write about it, I live feminism 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have worked in male-dominated industries since I was 16, and because of my diligence and willingness to train other young women and guys with a clue, I'm changing the world one person at a time. The women and men I have taught then go on to train others, or to at least live their lives differently. Aside from short herstory-based blog posts once a day, everything I do is action-oriented.
Perhaps one of the reasons the older generation doesn't know as much about what we're doing is because people like yourself have become complacent, and rather than nurture the Third Wave -- which you don't seem to know much about -- all many of you can do is whine like old men, bummed out by girls with tattoos and how fast the traffic moves outside your windows.
Get back in the trenches with us, and we'll welcome your input. Your fear of the world we live in does nothing to serve the cause. Come home to us, and we'll hold you up as a great mother to the cause.
This is no time for ANY Second Waver to rest on her laurels, which is something I've seen a lot of lately, speaking of "people doing nothing". What you accomplished in the 1960s and 1970s was incredible, but it's the 21st century, and now it's time for you to stand with your daughters and granddaughters and FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!
We promise we won't bring up Ronald Regan or shoulder pads.
This young feminist
Submitted by Kate (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:49 PM PDT.
Spent her first year working at Planned Parenthood, and subsequent years talking to middle/high school kids about sexual and teen dating violence prevention. So far no poles in sight, though perhaps that would pay off my student loans a bit quicker...
I'm a 24 year old woman
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 4:54 PM PDT.
I'm a 24 year old woman working at Planned Parenthood to make sure that women (and men) not only have access to abortion services, but also that they have access to preventative health care services and birth control.
If you don't think that young women are engaged and part of this movement, then it's because you're choosing not to see us. We're here, and we care, and no matter how much you may want to believe otherwise, we're not going anywhere.
I'm young, only 31 - I work
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 5:22 PM PDT.
I'm young, only 31 - I work 40+ hrs a week at a hospital, struggling to get finances together to get yet another degree. I volunteer as a face to face & hotline advocate for the Rape Crisis Center. I'm not married, I'm not having kids. The child I nannyed for/raised is in college with a solid balanced head on her shoulders. I've done AIDS taskforce/hospice work since highschool, volunteered with Planned Parenthood thru college. When I'm not at work - I see private patients for chronic pain issues 24/7 oncall for them. The majority of my career as a licensed massage therapist has been spent working on AIDS and cancer patients. My clinical focus is teaching patients post-op mastectomies/lumpectomies how to reestablish their relationship with their bodies: scar massage and manual lymphatic drainage. I don't have words for the scars I've seen and assisted in healing. I use my blog to babble out whatever is on my mind. I use Facebook & most of the social networks I am a member of to keep track of friends & keep my geographically widespread world closer to me. I consider myself a feminist. I speak, I vote, I scream, I read, I learn, I teach, I fight, and I work. The time I spend thinking about previous generations is gratitude and hope for the future as the world continues to change. I hope that helps.
Young Feminists
Submitted by Andreya (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 5:30 PM PDT.
As a 22 year old woman I've been taking it to the streets since I was 4 years old attending pro choice rallies with my mother, the march for women, and lobbying for EC in NY meeting with senators and legislators, writing letters and then when I moved for college in VA I lobbied for over the counter EC there bc that is the state I went to school in. Before you write such ignorant unencouraging rants get off your butt and try to mobilize young girls instead of demeaning them as strippers or facebook photo whores. Have a great day Debra and grow up.
Well, it's frustrating to
Submitted by Bianca (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 5:50 PM PDT.
Well, it's frustrating to see a post like this coming from a feminist writing for MJ. (I have the ultimate respect for MJ and hope to write for it one day in the future.)
So. We're not doing enough about abortion. We've always had "access" (I use the word relatively) to abortion, but we damn well know it's not guaranteed. I think a previous commenter hit the nail on the head when she said that the younger generation of feminists focuses on many different issues, not just reproductive choice.
That said, I'll fill you in on what I'm doing. I'm a 20 year old student with a minor in Women's Studies (the major isn't offered yet). The feminist gals and guys in our community have formed a coalition of the major feminist groups - NOW, Codepink, Femnomena (a radical feminist group), and yes - Voices for Planned Parenthood. Our community is very alive and strong on campus and while we all have different issues, we always work together and support each other. We attend conferences together, hold our own conferences, stage protests (on many issues), constantly dispense information and condoms and sometimes even coupons for birth control, we started a radio show and now we're working on a zine library.
So, if you don't mind me asking, what is the problem with blogging? You seem to do a lot of it as well.
I'm a 19-year-old feminist.
Submitted by Kayla (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 6:05 PM PDT.
I'm a 19-year-old feminist. In the past year and a half I have:
-volunteered for Planned Parenthood
-petitioned for lower birth control prices when legislation passed that took hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding away from college and low-income health clinics
-tabled, hand-billed, given out condoms, discussed STIs and promoted various barrier/birth control methods for safe sex
-trained as a peacekeeper during the protest anti-choicers put on last spring
-helped organize a grassroots t-shirt sale that said "THIS IS WHAT PRO-CHOICE AMERICA LOOKS LIKE" when a group that compared abortions to genocide came to campus
-voted for a President that promotes women's rights, particularly reproductive rights
-volunteered my time, effort, and support into helping prepare for a three-day Abortion Speak Out that included Jennifer Baumgardner as a speaker
-joined the Women's Empowerment and Violence Education, also known as WEAVE
http://www.wwu.edu/chw/preventionandwellness/la_weave.html
-faciliated programs that address the role of masculinity and feminity in gender violence and inequality
-facilitated a Survivor Speak Out panel where survivors spoke about their experiences and discussed with the audience what helped or hurt them throughout their healing, particularly through the lens of how to be an ally
-gone door-to-door handing out safety whistles and promoting CASAS (Crime & Sexual Support Services
http://www.wwu.edu/chw/preventionandwellness/vp_casas.html
For Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, alongside WEAVE I will be:
-facilitating Night of Testimony for women to speak out about their experiences
-peacekeeping and speaking at oue Take Back the Night
-facilitating a week-long series of events for Western's Women's Festival
-helping prepare for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an event put on by the Western Men Against Violence (WMAV) group on campus
http://www.walkamileinhershoes.org/
If that ain't fire, I don't know what is.
Center for Bio-Ethical
Submitted by Bianca (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 7:00 PM PDT.
Center for Bio-Ethical Reform? Yeah, they came to our campus too and we worked hard against them.
I'm a young feminist...
Submitted by Natalie C (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 6:09 PM PDT.
...and I didn't realize the ONLY acceptable career path was to go to med school and become an abortion doctor. Instead I'm getting a PhD in community psychology, I've done research on child commercial sexual exploitation, and culturally appropriate education and I work in treatment foster care with very at-risk teens. So, um, I guess working to improve the well-being of youth in my community isn't feminist enough...? Maybe I should do more pole-dancing and drunken picture-posting.... OH WAIT, I'm already way too busy.
not all of us work in feminist activism
Submitted by Sarah the Librarian (not verified) on Fri Mar. 13, 2009 6:36 PM PDT.
I'm a young feminist and I would like to tell you what I've done in the last few years.
In college I organized GLBT socials where we raised money for marriage rights in WI and breast cancer research. I marched in pride parades, take back the night rallies, out of Iraq rallies, and local labor actions. I wrote letters to the editor of several papers and I organized donations for a local battered women's shelter.
Since I started grad school to be a librarian three years ago I have constantly worked for gender equality in library collections. When I was in grad school that meant working with a GLBT collection and pressuring the gay men who controlled it to buy and promote books about lesbians, bisexuals, especially bisexual women, and transgender folks. Since I started working at a small public library district I have constantly fought for more diverse programming and collections. One branch in particular serves a low income community and I CONSTANTLY run up against my well meaning coworkers who don't examine their own racial and class privilege. I work my ass off to educate them and to empower the people in my district. I buy more books about feminism, particularly WOC feminism, and I promote the hell out of those books.
I'm proud of everything I've done and I'm only 26. Which is my way of saying that not everyone works in traditional non-profit abortion rights activism you self centered jerk. Young feminists bring our activism to a variety of fields. Maybe if you weren't such a jackass you wouldn't need to have your comment section flooded with comments to learn this basic and vital fact.
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