Obviously, a primary goal of anti-choice protest is to shut us down and make all of our patients have children. But a secondary goal is to make us feel bad about what we do. Whole Woman’s Health has collectively decided that we don’t.

It would be easy to get caught in a slump when you’re greeted by anti-choicers when you arrive, and then you hear about the 1 million new anti-choice bills in session, and then you deal with Operation Rescue attacks, and then the pizza place won’t deliver you a pizza because of where you work, and then you find a picture of your Doctors on an anti-choice website, and then you have a utility malfunction that a business refuses to service, and then you leave at 5pm and you’re greeted by some more yells and waves...But we don’t.

In the midst of this TX Legislative session, and these Operation Rescue attacks, and the 40 Days for Life, my boss decided to roll out a week-long campaign that would remind us of our strengths and values, and bring the joy back to our workplace. I was thinking something along the lines of “cupcakes for all!” or “Pizza Party Fridays.” But being the strong, radical woman that she is, she had something more active in mind…

I’ll be honest. The younger ones among us were hesitant, in the “You’re going to put me up on Youtube doing what?” kind of way. But once we were outside and my boss put her whip away (just kidding!) I think we all came to the realization that we really were reclaiming our clinic. “Outside” wasn’t the place where you were yelled at and prayed for, anymore. It was the place where we were blasting Aretha Franklin, enjoying the weather and throwing a little positivity into the air. My co-worker even shared a little of that positivity with our protesters.

Even through the totally silly act of dancing on a table in our courtyard, I think it was an important reminder that our clinic doesn’t have to be surrounded and filled with the negativity that’s thrown our way. We can energize our clinic with as much Love, Laughter, Humor and Respect as we want. After all, those are the sentiments that change lives and empower women. Not the guilt, shame and condescension we see on the other side of the fence.

We’ll share some video of the whole week with you soon! Here’s something to hold you over:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yudUZ5oxVsc&w=560&h=349]

Can’t Touch This,

Whole Woman’s Health