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moominmuppetA whole run of interesting and infuriating articles on feministing and feministe recently, especially as relates to clinic escorting, and to murderous fuckwad Roeder.
On "voluntary manslaughter" and the encouragement of future murderous fuckwads -- I cannot begin to express the extent of my rage over Dr. Tiller's assassination, or over the fact that we're suddenly happy to surrender civil liberties left and right, endorse torture, and profile people with the "wrong" religion or skin color, but we still don't take the homegrown terrorists seriously enough to apply the actual legitimate laws to them.
Always fascinating: What antis say about their time spent harassing women outside clinics -- I like listening to them introduce new members to the fold by telling them about us, and who we are, and what we're like. In our case, as at most clinics with escorts, there's a strict no interaction policy on our side (not on theirs). The only things we can say to them involve informing them if they're breaking a law. Everything else, they extrapolate from what they can overhear of our conversations. And in terms of dealing with the insults and threats, nothing prepared me better for clinic escorting than getting bullied in middle and high school. A reaction is what a bully wants, more than anything else. If you can't make me react, you have no power over me. And if I do react, I'm damned well going to be laughing at you.
stories from clinic escorts "Your job is to make sure the situation doesn't escalate, and you're trained to make it happen. In the rest of my life, I have no problem yelling at people like this. But when I'm at the clinic, I have different priorities." -- Yes. This.
And this is so stupid, and offensive, and idiotic in every possible way: Carrying condoms could get you arrested. More than three equals possible charge of prostitution (much like the stupid texas law about how many sex toys -- 6, I believe -- meant you obviously intended to sell them). I can't think of a time in my life when my idea of a sensible number of condoms to carry, especially if traveling, was 3 or less. Polled the household got unanimous agreement on the point from everyone present. (and don't get me started on targeting of prostitutes, and our stupid laws, and anti-harm-reduction practices like scaring women _out_ of carrying protection! *headdesk*) Correction: Here's a closer look at what's actually going on
A little-discussed provision of the Senate bill allows insurers to penalize subscribers by hundreds -- and even thousands -- of dollars for not meeting certain "wellness targets." : I will be _pissed_ if this makes it through, especially given the amount of biological variation that's genetic. They're already doing it here at my job, so I'm fucked either way.
And because everyone needs something cheery after all this crap, have a chlorophyll-containing slug -- I love this planet!
On "voluntary manslaughter" and the encouragement of future murderous fuckwads -- I cannot begin to express the extent of my rage over Dr. Tiller's assassination, or over the fact that we're suddenly happy to surrender civil liberties left and right, endorse torture, and profile people with the "wrong" religion or skin color, but we still don't take the homegrown terrorists seriously enough to apply the actual legitimate laws to them.
Always fascinating: What antis say about their time spent harassing women outside clinics -- I like listening to them introduce new members to the fold by telling them about us, and who we are, and what we're like. In our case, as at most clinics with escorts, there's a strict no interaction policy on our side (not on theirs). The only things we can say to them involve informing them if they're breaking a law. Everything else, they extrapolate from what they can overhear of our conversations. And in terms of dealing with the insults and threats, nothing prepared me better for clinic escorting than getting bullied in middle and high school. A reaction is what a bully wants, more than anything else. If you can't make me react, you have no power over me. And if I do react, I'm damned well going to be laughing at you.
stories from clinic escorts "Your job is to make sure the situation doesn't escalate, and you're trained to make it happen. In the rest of my life, I have no problem yelling at people like this. But when I'm at the clinic, I have different priorities." -- Yes. This.
And this is so stupid, and offensive, and idiotic in every possible way: Carrying condoms could get you arrested. More than three equals possible charge of prostitution (much like the stupid texas law about how many sex toys -- 6, I believe -- meant you obviously intended to sell them). I can't think of a time in my life when my idea of a sensible number of condoms to carry, especially if traveling, was 3 or less. Polled the household got unanimous agreement on the point from everyone present. (and don't get me started on targeting of prostitutes, and our stupid laws, and anti-harm-reduction practices like scaring women _out_ of carrying protection! *headdesk*) Correction: Here's a closer look at what's actually going on
A little-discussed provision of the Senate bill allows insurers to penalize subscribers by hundreds -- and even thousands -- of dollars for not meeting certain "wellness targets." : I will be _pissed_ if this makes it through, especially given the amount of biological variation that's genetic. They're already doing it here at my job, so I'm fucked either way.
And because everyone needs something cheery after all this crap, have a chlorophyll-containing slug -- I love this planet!
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 03:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 03:38 am (UTC)Seriously. With you on the rage!
And I think I almost always carry about a dozen, too, for the same reason. Pleasure Plus even comes in a nice little metal tin for their 12-packs (which, along with Altoids tins, now help store the assorted small oddments of the house).
no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 03:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 04:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 04:56 am (UTC)We used them all. Yeah, lawmakers obviously don't ever have sex. Especially when you have to change condoms a few times in a session. "Eh? What's this session you speak of?"
no subject
Date: 2010-01-14 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 05:00 am (UTC)Also, scroll down on that second "PLEASE" -- lots of nice ones there!
no subject
Date: 2010-01-14 03:22 am (UTC)However, apparently it's not as cut and dried as first appeared -- I've updated with a new link with more info...
no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 09:15 am (UTC)I've always thought the "culture war" was a silly idea, but I have come to understand over the past several years that that is exactly what we are fighting. Electing Obama has not changed any of that, it has just given us a reprieve from it's advance.
We need to turn the debate around. I think the pro-choice movement needs to take a page from the gay liberation playbook. I can remember a time, not too long ago, that even within the queer activist community, the people in favor of same-sex marriage were considered the lunatic fringe, who only wanted us to waste our time and money on a hopeless cause. As the past several years have shown, pushing for marriage equality has made other gay rights issues an even easier win. It is time for the pro-choice community to go on the offensive. We should make providing comprehensive reproductive health services a requirement for any hospital that receives Federal money of any kind. We need to make access to comprehensive family planing a part of all Federal aid.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-14 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-14 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-14 05:33 am (UTC)Hmm, another reason...
Date: 2010-01-13 04:51 pm (UTC)For that matter, how the hell are they getting to search women's purses, anyway? Anybody who ever consents to a search is screwing him- or herself.
Re: Hmm, another reason...
Date: 2010-01-13 11:09 pm (UTC)Amen. Sadly, too many don't know that, and when a cop says things'll go better for them if they agree, they do. *sigh* ACLU pocket-card, people! Love it!
Re: Hmm, another reason...
Date: 2010-01-14 01:57 pm (UTC)