I'd love to share a story with you. This is a moment of radicalization for me. I've had many. Some say you get more conservative as you age, but this has been absolutely false for me. Events in my life and awareness of political realities has only made me more radical and wanting to change the structures in this world to be more equitable.
The year was 2009. I was living in Chicago with my baby. I knew very few people here except for my friend Kari. This was a very special friendship for me at the time. Kari had a baby too, so we would spend time together with our babies, usually with the babies in carriers.
One day, we went down to Springfield to support the Home Birth Safety Act. This was an act calling for Midwives to be recognized in the state, which would increase the ability for people to have home births if they wanted. When we arrived at the hearing of the committee considering the act, we were met by other activists and also a whole big group of Amish people who were tired of being forced into hospital births.
The room was packed. Standing in defense of the bill included people I knew, the woman who had taught my childbirth class and also Joy's pediatrician at the time. They argued with gusto and lots of facts. Home birth is actually quite safe, the disorders that can put a pregnancy or birth at risk detects problems before women go into labor. The panel of state senators who were listening seemed almost convinced. Then, these men in suits entered the room. Someone whispered that they were the American Medical Association lobbyists, and that they were paying for this bill to be rejected.
Sure enough, at the end of the day, the bill was struck down. I will never forget the sense of defeat and sadness that day. I saw an elderly Amish woman crying, perhaps crying for her family members who would still be forced into hospital births that were against their beliefs. And, I realized that the forces with money would always be there, would always be forces to contend with. And, I became all the more convinced that the way things are would have to change.
What events in your life have radicalized you? I'd always love to hear from you. And, I'm still up for you inviting me out to lunch, breakfast, coffee, whatever. Shoot me an email!
