#istandwithher

Dear Random Dude, 

Our first and only encounter was outside of a planned parenthood in Michigan (not disclosing for safety reasons) This planned parenthood is one of the only ones that offer abortion in my state, and i was not there for the reasons you blatantly accused me of upon entering your field of vision. I was there to get birth control, my boyfriend happened to be with me so i can understand your confusion there. You didn’t know that i am an experienced martial artist going on my 8th year of training in an intense martial art. You didn’t know that i am a college student with loads of student loans and medical bills from a recent surgery. You had no idea who i was, or why i was there, and yet you screamed, “Come and talk to me in the name of our lord Jesus” before i walked through those doors. I never once have been shaken to my core, until you screamed at me as i walked into the most welcoming place. I know your goal is to end abortion and all of its “monstrous practices” but what gives you the right to scream at vulnerable women who are struggling with their finances or are in an unstable relationship? Making them feel worse about a choice that probably weren’t making that day. Making them feel uncomfortable in their choice to get birthcontrol, or maybe, yeah an abortion. That choice is hard enough as it is, and for you to condemn women blatantly in the street making them think they are committing a monstrosity is abhorrent. You screamed at me as i left the parking lot that you were doing “God’s work”, and if so, you need a new god, because making a woman feel unsafe, worthless, scared, or like she is going to be punished for a choice, is not a loving and forgiving god that you claim to worship. It took all of my willpower to not scream at you “You are not wanted here! I am here for birthcontrol!” But i didn’t, i don’t even know why i didn’t scream at you. Probably you were trying your hardest to sound nice and sincere, but all you did was made me feel horrible for a choice i was making about my own body and made me feel scared. I felt scared to confront you, i felt powerless to do anything against what you were saying, and im not sure where your power comes from, but whatever the power is, it is wrong to use it in the way you do. Sir, you need to let women live their lives, you need to step away from the media and do some real research on women’s bodies and how pregnancy works. I wish you all the best, and i hope that one day you will experience the feeling that i felt when you screamed at me while walking into that planned parenthood. 

Sincerely,

#IStandWithHer showcases the work of remarkable women and girl human rights defenders and feminist movements fighting against the alarming backlash on human rights and gender equality. It also emphasizes how these discriminatory visions of societies – denying equal rights, dignity and choice – do not just rollback women’s rights but everyone’s human rights.

Here's Edvin to get attention