Dear Senator Patrick

People named Katie are so smart!

Here are some excerpts from this great blog entry, posted on RH Reality Check.

Dear Senator Dan Patrick,

Didn't we just do this? Two weeks ago, the State Affairs Committee of the Texas Senate heard testimony regarding another one of those abortion-related bills that pop up like clockwork every legislative session. This one, sponsored by you, was a mandatory ultrasound bill; the original text of the bill would require not only that ultrasound images be taken and displayed to the patient two hours before an abortion took place, but that the physician provide an audible heartbeat and "a simultaneous verbal explanation of the results of the ultrasound images, including... the presence of external members and internal organs."

But this letter isn't about that bill, not really. It's not even about the 85,000 women who receive abortions in Texas each year (and will continue to be subjected to a 24-hour waiting period and state-endorsed misinformation linking abortions to breast cancer, whether or not the bill passes). This article is actually about Rachel in Bexar County, whose mother is 73 years old and hasn't been able to afford to see a doctor for the past ten years, even though she found a lump in her breast several years ago. It's about Ivonne in El Paso County, a single mom who can't afford health insurance for herself and drives to Mexico when she needs to see a doctor or fill a prescription. It's about Anjail in Bell County, who "was never educated that no means no" and didn't realize it was rape when her partner forced her to have sex with him.

Senator Patrick, if I've done my math correctly, it seems to me that each year there are at least 11 million women and girls in Texas who AREN'T getting abortions.

If you're really passionate about women's reproductive health (and here I will perform a gross suspension of disbelief and claim that you are), why do you choose to ignore everything that doesn't have to do with preventing abortion?

I have listened to you and other legislators discuss in great detail the nuances of a clause about whether or not the patient may avert her eyes when her doctor displays the ultrasound. Meanwhile, Cheryl hasn't had a pap smear in over five years. And Sharon needs transportation to another town for a breast cancer screening, since she can't afford any of the clinics in the city where she lives.

I wish you would join the Healthy Women, Healthy Families coalition, Senator Patrick. I know we have diametrically opposed viewpoints on abortion. But that's okay. Because sometimes, reproductive health really isn't about abortion.

Signed,

Katie Mahoney

HB 36/SB 182 would stipulate that a woman must review her ultrasound image with her doctor at least two hours before an abortion can be performed, even for victims of rape or incest or women who have chosen to end a pregnancy due to fetal abnormalities or to preserve their health. Let's be real clear about the purpose of this bill: there are no medical reasons for imposing this requirement. Rather, this is a not-so-subtly veiled attempt to shame women into not getting abortions, regardless of their doctor's opinion about what is best for their health. Period.

Leading medical organizations - run by doctors, not lawmakers (shocking, I know), are opposed to this measure. The American Medical Association and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists oppose requirements that use specific procedures for informed consent because they compromise a physician's ability to decide what information or treatment is in the best interest of the patient.

As a point of fact, all Planned Parenthood clinics do perform ultrasounds on women seeking abortions. This is done to date the pregnancy so that the doctor can decide the best course of action for the patient. Patients are given the opportunity to view the ultrasound, but are certainly not required to do so.

There's a common misconception held by those opposed to abortion that Planned Parenthood clinics (and presumable all abortion providers) for some reason want women to have abortions, that they run abortion factories and just love aborting little fetuses. Oh boy, guess what I got to do today! Sadly, they grossly misunderstand the vital services that PP's and other women's health clinics provide - necessary health care for women. Mammograms, pap smears, cervical cancer screening, STI treatment, and yes, sometimes abortions. The wonderful physicians who work at PP clinics do so because they have the best interests of their patients at heart, just like any other doctor. Shouldn't we let them decide how best to treat their patients, and not Senator Patrick or Representative Corte?

But as Katie Mahoney says, let's ignore abortion for a moment. Let's not focus on the fact that the vast majority of women getting abortions are already mothers, or intend to become mothers at some later point. Let's move beyond the fact that when women have made the decision to seek an abortion, they have already done the necessary critical thinking and soul-searching and have reached their decision with the help and guidance of friends, family and faith leaders.

Let's ignore all that and face the fact that healthcare in Texas is lacking. Women aren't getting the vital, life-saving screening and treatment they need. If we were all truly more concerned about women's health, as Senator Patrick says he is, then we would focus on increasing access to the healthcare services that Planned Parenthood provides.

Am I too old to play with stuffed animals?

Because these are awesome...

Food Chain Friends



These guys are hilarious/slightly scary - a winning combination! Hey, it's never too soon to teach your kids about nature!

Texas Schools Fail Teens

Today, the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund released the results of a study showing exactly what public schools in Texas are teaching teens about sexuality.

The results are frightening: Out of more than 1,000 school districts in Texas, only a handful – less than 40 – include even basic information about responsible pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention, including various contraceptive methods. Even worse, the information students do receive is often grossly distorted or completely inaccurate.

The report, called "Just Say (Don't) Know: Sexuality Education in Texas Public Schools" is the culmination of more than a year long examination of sexuality education in the state of Texas.

To view the report, click here.

Our kids deserve to know the truth about sexuality. Like it or not, kids are having sex, or they're at least exploring. As much as I think a 14, 15, 16-year-old should wait til s/he's older to have sex, well, let's get real. Shouldn't they be protected from potentially life-threatening STIs? Shouldn't they learn how not to get pregnant?

Poll after poll confirms that a vast majority of parents want their kids to learn about sexuality, contraception, and how to protect themselves from STIs. In fact, most parents think their kids are learning the facts. Sadly, this report shows that they are not - at least, not in public school.

Don't we owe more to our kids? We Texans have enormous pride in our great state. Let's make sure we really deserve to. JUST SAY KNOW!

Definitely NSFW

**Seriously, turn the volume down if you're listening at work...

Happy Darwin Day!

Here's some sobering food for thought:

On Darwin's 200th birthday, only 39% of Americans believe in evolution.

Anyone else fear for humanity?

*Source

Random Wednesday musings

So I have two bright pink post-its on my computer reminding me of my most important New Year's resolution: to consume less. Turns out it's hard work! Though I do have all this free time now that I'm not buying stuff online. It's quite liberating, actually, but I admit it's a struggle.*

Anyway, I've come across this fun website, called Daily Routines, that catalogs the, well, daily routines of famous people, like Charles Darwin, Jasper Johns, and Emily Dickinson, to name a few. I particularly like Flaubert's careful routine:

Days were as unvaried as the notes of the cuckoo. Flaubert, a man of nocturnal habits, usually awoke at 10 a.m. and announced the event with his bell cord. Only then did people dare speak above a whisper. His valet, Narcisse, straightaway brought him water, filled his pipe, drew the curtains, and delivered the morning mail....At 11 a.m. he entered the dining room, where Mme Flaubert; Liline; her English governess, Isabel Hutton; and very often Uncle Parain would have gathered. Unable to work well on a full stomach, he ate lightly, or what passed for such in the Flaubert household, meaning that his first meal consisted of eggs, vegetables, cheese or fruit, and a cup of cold chocolate. The family then lounged on the terrace, unless foul weather kept them indoors, or climbed a steep path through woods...

My morning routine looks something like this:

Wake to the alarm clock at 7:15. Pretend not to hear it so husband has to get up and turn it off. Sleep until 8. Walk and feed the dog, or pretend to sleep so husband has to do it. Say to myself: "I have to get up, I'm going to be late for work." Repeat until I get up, eventually. Shower, dress, and generally waste time, despite needing to leave the house 5 minutes ago. Arrive at work, late, as usual.

Well, perhaps if I become a famous French novelist someday, I can wake at ten each morning and have my own valet bring me some chocolate. Ah, to dream.

*In the spirit of full disclosure, I did just buy a book. Oh, sue me.

Happy 2009

"And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been."
~Rainer Maria Rilke

The holidays are over, 2008 is but a memory...and I, for one, am glad. Not that I don't enjoy the Christmas festivities - this Christmas was lovely, in fact - but I always looks forward to the fresh start that a new calendar year brings.

I managed to get through the holidays with a minimum amount of stress, amazingly. I didn't go overboard on gifts, got everything done early (including the wrapping - a first), and managed to enjoy several quiet nights at home with my husband and animals, in front of the fire, reading and watching movies. It was a quiet, peaceful season, all in all.

A post-Christmas trip to Colorado let us frolic in the snow with our dog, who, being a native Coloradan, loves the fluffy white stuff (pictures to come). He had more energy in the 10 degree weather than I've seen in a long time. Certainly more than me - I preferred the warmth of the fire!

New Year's Eve was quiet and we had to force ourselves to stay awake until midnight. (Perhaps that had something to do with the amount of champagne that was consumed early on in the night. Perhaps.) Regardless, it was celebratory and just what I needed.

So, here we are, 5 days into 2009, and I can tell it's going to be a good year (despite the rain and cold outside my window). This year, I resolve to find more peace in my life. I want to consume less - be grateful for the things I already have in my life, and be mindful of those who have far less, and not enough. I plan to clean out that spare bedroom full of junk, and organize the garage. I will feed the birds. I will simplify. I will be healthier, in mind, body and spirit.

Happy New Year, everyone. May good things come to you in 2009.