Having recently moved I found myself with a new job. As with any new job and when you are the new kid on the block the questions are numerous. My profession as a nurse always lends to just what type of nursing have I done and/or what is your favorite.
Of course this answer is multifaceted in nature however it did bring me back in time and my humble beginnings.
My first passion and love was with regard to women's health. I was an employee of Planned Parenthood for twelve years. I was working there before, during and after I finished college. I loved what I was doing. I felt empowered to help educate women on their choices with respect to birth control. I taught them about things such as anemia and the importance of practicing safe sex if the need arose.
I saw the organization grow and felt proud that I was a part of women's rights and the right to decide choices on their reproductive healthcare. I did not however wave a flag to Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. Her rationale and beliefs with respect to racial purification did leave me feeling quezzy at best.
By the time I jumped off that lily pad to pursue another nursing avenue I was confident that the freedom bell would keep ringing and women would not have to go without quality medical care. Educating women would stay in the mainstream and the right to make personal choices was a done deal.
How wrong could I have been? It was in the moments of answering those questions about my nursing history I suddenly realized that here and now in 2012 women are fighting for their rights- again. Here and now I have been resting on my lilly pad too long. What can I do? Haven't I paved this road before? How can I help the cause? Does anyone remember the Declaration of Sentiments?
The Republican viewpoint is to take away these privileges in some fashion. Can this be real? Even if attacking social issues is a means of skirting around the issues on economy and war and taxes and the like, it becomes a two-fold objective for them. In other words here we are again trying to protect women's rights. Here we are again trying to prove the worth of women and that they have the brains to make decisions. Here we are again in need of educators to help not just those that fall through the cracks of the medical care and treatment arena, rather a multitude of areas where one by one women are being treated like second class citizens. I am a croaking toad here! I am croaking the song of injustice and loss of identity as well as James Brown singing in the back of my cerebral cortex, "It's a Mans World."
I am determined to do something and sounding off with respect to the Republican mindset that they truly are on the right side of the Almighty whoever.
What a befitting way to start then to start on this web site. Let each of us remember who wanted to bring this issue to the table again. Let each of us educate each other on how not to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Let each of us continue to fight for human rights from the left side of the Almighty whoever!