Well, for me and anyone who deals with this kind of stuff.
You probably aren't surprised that often, my email box isn't exactly only full of goodies. It's sometimes full of some really maddening stuff.
And often, I very much need NOT to directly respond to the person who mailed me, because a) I'd just be taking bait they want me to and b) it's nearly always totally fruitless.
But it would be helpful to me to just have a place where I could post some of them, post some of what I'd say back, and hear other people respond. because otherwise, some of this stuff just drives me nuts for the rest of the day: being able to unload it somewhere helps, a lot.
So, giving this a shot with one from today.
quote:I just read your article against Birthright, and I was shocked and horrified. I'm sorry to say that you are very wrong. Birthright is a wonderful organization which, unlike Planned Parenthood, helps girls who are pregnant and need help. Honestly, I do not understand how Planned Parenthood can carry out some of the practices that it does. I have been to the Planned Parenthood in Washington, DC, and my experience was extremely sad. I must say that I was there protesting, and praying for the end to the horror called abortion. I did not go in, but I witnessed many teenaged girls and young women entering, most dragged by older women or men. Every single girl or woman was crying and struggling. I am praying for your conversion, and can only hope that abortion is made illegal once again. I look forward to the day when Roe v. Wade is overturned. To quote Dr. Seuss- a person is a person no matter how small.
So, I don't know what I'm supposed to be coverting to. Or why she's sorry if I'm wrong. I also find it interesting she's not been IN the Planned Parenthood, but feels she has the ability to talk about PP's "practices." She may want to recognize that people who voice issues with CPCs are doing so based on reports from people who have been INSIDE them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiEgnfYPEXQ
I also know full well that the practices of CPCs are rarely above board (and in fact, I think that advice question on it I answered that she was responding to was a plant: I did at the time, too). I probably don't need to tell you how I feel about someone suggesting there is anything humane about suggesting abortion should be made illegal. Nor how I feel about people harassing women making choices about their own bodies and families.
But here's the line that really gets me in this:
quote:I did not go in, but I witnessed many teenaged girls and young women entering, most dragged by older women or men. Every single girl or woman was crying and struggling.
Really? And you didn't call the police, seeing this? Really?
I don't know about this person, but I know that whether I was at an abortion clinic, at the supermarket or getting on the bus that if I saw anyone being dragged by someone else, struggling to get away and crying, I would be grabbing the nearest cell phone to call for help for that person, without a moment's reservation.
But, apparently, she is SO concerned about those apparent young women, but didn't do anything to get them help?
Right.
Also? If that really was the case, then a clinic would have turned every single one of those girls away that day: that would have been one heck of a mass exodus, the likes of which I have never seen. If someone is bringing someone else into a clinic against their will, that patient will not be seen, and that person who did the dragging may well meet the police that day from the CLINIC calling.
Of course, one also has to consider that if, in fact, every single women that day was crying (doubtful), it may have had something to do with people on the sidewalk harassing them.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm amazed that people have the gall to send you this kind of stuff, Heather. Especially this kind of thing where they must know that you'll know it isn't true. I don't really understand what they're trying to achieve. It must be crappy for you to have to deal with, though. Posts: 156 | From: europe | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
She quoted Dr. Seuss?! ARG! (Sorry, I realize that's not the point, but it does make me a bit angry to see someone stealing him like that. Then again, it's not like I had a claim on him or anything.)
I really do have to question the sanity of someone who writes that kind of thing, though. It's so clearly false! But I wonder if they really believe it, if they are so deluded in their self-righteousness that to them it is reality. "Yes! We must liberate these poor women from the evil Planned Parenthood! They are crying! Clearly it's because they are being forced into an abortion, not at all because we are showing them pictures of dead fetuses and calling them murderers. Who would cry about the latter?"
[ 01-28-2010, 07:48 PM: Message edited by: orca ]
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Like orca I, too, am horrified by a Dr. Seuss quote used for evil. Not okay!
-------------------- The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you. - B.B. King Posts: 1180 | From: WA | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
wow... sometimes people destroy my faith in the world.
I am seriously appalled that Birthright and other CPCs are even LEGAL. I mean, DELIBERATELY MISLEADING PEOPLE...? That's absolutely illegal for other institutions, so why should CPCs be allowed to stick around, guilting young women into not having abortions?
And what I hate most about people like that woman who emailed you is that they are SO caught up in their self-righteousness that they completely close themselves off to proper medical information... when if they were to just LISTEN, it'd be so OBVIOUS that some/most of their arguments don't have any medical/factual merit whatsoever. They're just so deluded and there's no stopping them. They will forever screech in the faces of young women, telling them they're murderers and their cervixes will never be the same again.
And I mean... "during an abortion, your uterine lining can be pulled out, and once it's pulled out it cannot grow back". Umm... the uterine lining is shed every month during your period anyway...? Aaaand I'm pretty sure it grows back every month, otherwise women would only ever have one period Not to mention that just doesn't happen during an abortion ANYWAY. Just the completely obviously inaccurate information is mind-blowing. It's so unethical I just want to cry.
posted
I think it's great that you're sharing this here. I was just talking with a friend last night who's unsure what to do with all the frustration (and outright rage) that comes with being a vocal activist, something I'm often trying to sort out for myself. This strikes me as a great way to vent when crazy people are, well, being crazy. Actually, on the Roe V. Wade anniversary the other day, a professor at my school stopped me just to bait me into a conversation and call me "pro-abortion." The first thing I did after she stomped off was post about it on Facebook. 1) That way, people know this kind of thing happens. And 2) I got to hear all kinds of people I respect agree that THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Fight that good fight!
Posts: 4 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
It's really such a perfect answer. We have a similar bill here in WA right now.
In short, in some states, legislation is now in place or up for a vote which would require that CPCs have the exact same kind of transparency and protection of patient/client records as any other kind of medical service, most certainly including abortion services. It would require they honestly advertise what they do and don't, and would also assure that pregnancy tests done have results delivered in writing immediately (it only takes minutes to do a lab test, just like a home test, and many CPCs, as one tactic to try and influence women's choices, withhold test results).
It's good stuff, but lo and behold, CPCs by and large are very much opposed to this. Which, if they really are above board, they should have no problem with whatsoever.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ah, that's friggin' awesome! I hope this sort of thing spreads. Maybe I'll write a letter to the newspaper/mayor/prime minister/MP/planned parenthood/someone to suggest getting it started here in canada/my city :B Because I'm seriously a little surprised Canada hasn't come up with anything like that yet... then again, maybe I shouldn't be. Maybe I have too much faith in our government
Yeah, the CPCs opposing it just sort of proves how important it is If they weren't deliberately deceiving and manipulating women, they wouldn't have such a problem with having to be outright about what their actual services are.
Posts: 1123 | From: Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just came across this thread and wanted to add that I live in a country (Ireland) where abortion IS illegal and it is really irritating to see that there are people who would want to overturn RoevWade. I find it terrifying that if I ever had an accidental pregnancy I would have to travel abroad for the simple procedure and here we can't even access accurate information. Organisations claiming to offer it are actually pro-life and try to bully girls out of getting a termination. Since finding this site I have learned so much and I think it's great that we can get the info here and I hope people like you guys will continue to do what you do and that women in the US will not have their right to abortion taken away.
Posts: 10 | From: Europe | Registered: Dec 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, Drowsy: my heart's out to you and all other Irish women on this one.
Have you been keeping up with the recent activism around this there? because there's been some promising things happening lately.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
"I get the impression -- and I've spoken with some other sexologists and sex educators who get the same impression -- that a lot of guys, particularly younger guys DO see female ejaculation as a circus trick: as a sexual novelty. Obviously, we're all likely to experience some level of novelty with sex and partners, and that's fine, but I think we also have to watch the line we're walking where novelty crosses the line and becomes or is objectification. We're not toys, after all, or something made to order for someone else to play with, we're people and we're unique individuals. Our sexuality should be a reflection of who we are, not who or what someone else wants."
quote:yall need to come down off your "OBJECTIFICATION" and "CIRCUS TRICK" Bullshit...."Our sexuality should be a reflection of who we are, not who or what someone else wants." Where teh **** did you pull that shit from? HIT REALITY GIRLS ten out of all ******* ten times you do what you do to impress SOMEONE ELS, or becouse SOMEONE ELS told you to, or because its what SOMEONE ELS is doing too. I dont believe that women should be treated as toys or as some desposable *** whipe for men.... but thats what ******* happens. atleast i dont live in some dream land of womenistic bullshit with my head up my ***... get a clue... real life blows. Seriously everything you say to girls on this site is fabricated from some fanticy land where women arnt treated like shit and always have their voice.. Oh the choice is rightious.... No. The Ginger girl you wrote this for prolly went home from work that night and got fucked by her boyfriend and blew the **** up all over the bed... and she prolly thought it was amazing too. Stop acting like mommy and tell it how it really is.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, John certainly sounds like a sunny picnic of a person! I have to admit, however, that "womenistic" sounds like a VERY cool term that I just may have to co-opt. For real though, it sounds like he has a lot of really difficult stuff to unpack when it comes to partnered sex, and that's got to make life tough (too bad he's making it tough for others, too!) And it's also too bad more "mommies" and daddies didn't have your perspective on sex and sex ed! Would he fall into his misogynist demographic or would be be one of the "good guys"? I'm a bit confused where exactly he's coming from to be honest.
Posts: 3318 | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ugh. For some reason I'm reminded of a youtube "conversation" I had recently. Someone had posted: "Woman love to be dominated and told what to do". So I replied "I sincerely hope that's sarcasm...". Of course, it wasn't -_-. He replied with "You know it's true. You love having a man tell you what to do and control you."
So I thought I'd take the higher road, and call him out as the troll he is with a fantastic Harry Potter joke "TROLLL IN THE DUNGEONN! TROLLLL IN THE DUNGEOOONNN! ... Thought you ought to know!". Unfortunately it led to a particularily nasty reply on my PROFILE page about how he's "not a troll" and I "know the truth" and "laid in bed at night waiting for a man to control me" and how I should make him a sandwich. I just blocked him and deleted the comment.
I wonder if a lot of the time these people are just trying to get a reaction out of us. I sincerely hope so, because it's disgusting when people think like that...
Also, I think the ginger comment is un-called for. I hate this ginger-hating bullshit. Heather, you have beautiful red hair! Seriously, it's gorgeous Posts: 206 | From: Canada | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow. What a pity that HP joke didn't fly: that's a good one.
LOL, and thanks, though there's as much of it that's grey at this point as red. maybe that's what elicited the mommy comment.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
But then i don't troll all that often. Such an impressive and extensive vocabularly too, all those asterixes.
I kinda have to question their ability to comprehend what they're reading, because they've missed the mark so impressively with:
"this site is fabricated from some fanticy land where women arnt treated like shit and always have their voice"
oi vey. Coz that is EXACTLY what open and impartial sex education is all about: misleading young people with nifty interwebs rose-tinted Eglasses.
Did they miss the message boards completely devoted to abuse and abusive relationships/support groups? How about the articles devoted to increasing awareness to how abuse manifests?
the bit about choice be "rightious" made me lol actually:P what a twit.
Posts: 172 | From: Australia | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I can't believe people actually send you that kind of stuff. I really can't stand ignorant people.
-------------------- Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. -Abraham Lincoln Posts: 104 | From: U.S | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
also, Heather, I realize that you support right to choose. That's cool, I totally get that. However, as a Catholic, and also from personal belief, I'm going to respectfully dissent. I believe that abortion is wrong, that's all I'm gonna say, for fear of starting an internet war. So, although not to the extent of the email, I'm gonna agree with the lady in the first email. Sorry.
-------------------- I went through a McDonald’s drive thru and said “I can has cheeseburger?” There was a pause before I heard “Nom Nom Nom” on the other end. Posts: 22 | From: Northern Virginia | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
homerunman, it's not about starting an "internet war." Our users guidelines make clear this is a pro-choice site, and that while users may absolutely talk about their OWN reproductive choices with their own bodies and how they feel about them, we don't do discussions here on whether any given reproductive choice for people other than ourselves, and our own bodies, is wrong or right.
The lady in the email didn't agree to that policy by registering here, but you did.
So, we need you and any other user here to act in accordance with that policy as you agreed to it when you registered here. We expect everyone to honor the agreements they made with us when registering, but regarding this one in particular, we'd particularly expect male-bodied or other people who do not even have the capacity to become pregnant to go an extra mile in honoring it, since these issues have no impact on your own body, but on the bodies of the rest of us.
FYI? Not all Catholics oppose the right to abortion (just like many Catholics practice the use of birth control, despite what the church says), and even the Catholic Church hasn't always done so. Should you ever be interested in finding out more about that, Catholics for Choice is one place to start: http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/ and St. Jerome and St. Thomas Aquinas are others.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63423 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
fair enough, i was just stating personal opnion, which i believe im also entitled to. i know im not perfect myself, and even my mom whos a pretty diehard catholic told me 'if youre gonna mess around, visit CVS first". there are a lot of people on all sides of the argument that sway both ways, thats just how it goes.
-------------------- I went through a McDonald’s drive thru and said “I can has cheeseburger?” There was a pause before I heard “Nom Nom Nom” on the other end. Posts: 22 | From: Northern Virginia | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
Copyright 1998, 2013 Heather Corinna/Scarleteen
Scarleteen.com: Providing comprehensive sex education online to teens and young adults worldwide since 1998
Information on this site is provided for educational purposes. It is not meant to and cannot substitute for advice or care provided by an in-person medical professional. The information contained herein is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or for prescribing any medication. You should always consult your own healthcare provider if you have a health problem or medical condition.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Not to mention that just doesn't happen during an abortion ANYWAY. Just the completely obviously inaccurate information is mind-blowing. It's so unethical I just want to cry.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Actually, on the Roe V. Wade anniversary the other day, a professor at my school stopped me just to bait me into a conversation and call me "pro-abortion." The first thing I did after she stomped off was post about it on Facebook. 1) That way, people know this kind of thing happens. And 2) I got to hear all kinds of people I respect agree that THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Fight that good fight!
Printer-friendly view of this topic