Wednesday, March 10, 2010

National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day

Today, March 10th, marks the National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day. The Nation did a great job covering the politics of this year's appreciation day, but no one captured the emotion of the day better than Alexis Zepeda:

For all abortion providers, clinic staff, volunteer escorts and local fund volunteers...

When she looks at the piece of paper with your phone number on it, she wonders who will watch her kids, will she have to travel to a different state, does her credit card have enough space on it, how much will she get when she pawns her TV, will he come through with the $300 he promised her…can she do this?

She walks through the gauntlet of protesters – the same people some of you walk past every day at work and at home – but remains resolute in her decision. This choice of hers is only a real possibility because of your dedication to the notion that as long as there are unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, there must be access to safe and legal abortion care.

Your work is revolutionary and empowering. Your goals are simple: value women, trust women, listen to women. By providing the compassionate and skilled abortion care that women and their families need, you save women’s lives. You are heroes. Thank you for all that you do. Hearing that every day would still never be enough. On March 10, 2010, know that you all play a critical role in our movement’s struggle to fight stigma, judgment and prejudice.

Thank you!!

Abortion is a matter of the heart: for until one understands the heart of a woman, nothing else about abortion makes any sense at all.
- Dr. George Tiller

Reproductive health care is under attack in America, but today we can celebrate that it is mostly safe and legal right now.
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