yourbackline.org

Dine for Backline on October 20!

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:28:00 +0000

There’s nothing better than eating well for a good cause!

On Tuesday, October 20, the legendary and irresistable Bernie’s Southern Bistro will be donating 15% of the evening’s sales to Backline! Bernie’s offers romantic Southern cuisine with an extensive wine list and the best cocktails in town, perfect for indulging during this crisp fall weather. Bring your family and friends for a night of good food and celebration of Backline, a Portland-based nonprofit organization that offers connection, conversation and support around all aspects of pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption.

Bernie’s is located at 2904 NE Alberta in Portland, Oregon. Reservations are not required but are recommended – we are hoping for a full house of supporters enjoying scrumptious fried chicken while supporting Backline’s important work! For more information on Bernie’s Southern Bistro, visit their website at < http://berniesbistro.com/>.

Backline is dedicated to addressing the broad range of experiences and emotions surrounding pregnancy, parenting, adoption and abortion. We provide a forum in which women and their loved ones can engage in discussion that goes beyond political rhetoric. We are committed to addressing the individual and diverse realities within our communities. Our vision is of a society in which pregnancy options are discussed with openness, honesty, and the deepest respect for reproductive justice. For more information on Backline, visit our website at <http://www.yourbackline.org>.

Hope to see you there!

Portland Vigil in Honor of Dr. Tiller

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:48:00 +0000

Thank you all for being here today, to honor the amazing life of Dr. George Tiller and mourn the loss of a man who was my friend and hero.

There is so much to be said about a life that touched so many. Dr. Tiller was a man of wisdom, humility, and deep spirituality. Much has been said this week about the opposition and assaults that he faced throughout his life, as well as the grace, optimism, and even humor that Dr. Tiller never lost even in the darkest of times, and the passion with which he continued his work in the service of women and families. It is this piece – the kindness, courtesy, justice, love and respect that was his mantra – that I hope will live on as Dr. Tiller’s legacy, and continue to inspire us as we work through the grief and righteous anger that has followed this devastating and immense tragedy.

Dr. Tiller did not set out to be an abortion provider. He was raised in Wichita, and his father was a well-respected physician. Dr. Tiller served as a physician in the army, and when his father was tragically killed in a 1970 plane crash, Dr. Tiller returned to Wichita to run his family practice. He started being asked by his patients if he would provide the abortion services that his father had. It was pre Roe v. Wade, and Dr. Tiller had never known this part of his father’s service. He later learned that his father had once turned away a patient who then sought out unsafe abortion services and died. And so Dr. Tiller, like his father before him, resolved to help women in the most vulnerable times of their lives, not only by providing much-needed medical services but by ministering to their hearts as well, treating them with the dignity, compassion, and respect that they deserved when making the ultimate decisions about their lives, their families, and their pregnancies.

I tell this story because some of us, like young Dr. Tiller, still believe that abortion does not happen to us or to those we know. Some of us have remained ignorant of the desperation and conviction that women feel when faced with a pregnancy that they cannot carry to term. Some of us have believed that this is someone else’s issue, that it is okay to remain silent, or that there is nothing we can do in the face of such heated debate about this basic medical procedure. Dr. Tiller did not come to his work because of political righteousness or abstract opinions – Dr. Tiller listened to the hearts of women, bore witness to their stories and their lives, and acted from his deepest convictions about humanity, love, faith and patriotism to offer abortion services to those most in need. He was a lightning rod for the anti-abortion movement but considered a saint by many of his colleagues because he refused to back down, refused to hide, and spoke with courage and honesty about the complexities of pregnancy, parenting, abortion, the lives of his patients and the circumstances under which they came to him.

Dr. Tiller was a man fond of witticisms, of pearls of wisdom that he offered us all as quick but important reminders about the way life is and the way he believed in living it. Several years ago he made tshirts that read “Ice Cream, Apple Pie, Motherhood and Abortion – 43% of American Women Can’t Be Wrong.” It is a fact that at least 45 million women have had abortions in this country since Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in 1973. At this continued rate, one in three American women will have an abortion in her lifetime. These women have partners, children, parents, friends and other loved ones, meaning that there is no one in this nation not touched by a woman who has made the choice to end a pregnancy. There are as many reasons that women choose abortion as there are women, and I have had the honor of speaking to thousands of these women during their decision-making process, during the procedure itself, and anywhere from moments afterward to decades later. The women I have spoken to come to their decision from a place of love, courage, sadness, faith, and gratitude. They come with a broad range of emotions and a broad range of experiences. In the best circumstances, these women have someone to talk to, people they love who offer unconditional support. But more often, women say that they have no one – that no one would understand, that people would think less of them, that they have never known anyone else to have an abortion or think that the choice is only made by those who are somehow different than they are. This stigma that surrounds abortion and women’s lives inevitably carries over to the clinicians who serve them, fueling the notion that we should all remain silent, hidden, and keep abortion out of the public discourse and polite society.

Dr. Tiller’s life mission was not only to provide safe medical services but to create a world in which abortion was honored as a courageous act of motherhood. It will be our greatest tribute to him to move forward from this tragedy with a commitment to speaking truth to power, a commitment to celebrating and protecting our heroic providers of abortion care, a commitment to acknowledging the universal experience of pregnancy and abortion and supporting the women in our lives who have made these heartfelt choices. I would like us all to leave here today reminded of Dr. Tiller’s famous words:

“Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue. 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.”

We will miss you Dr. Tiller. May your message of compassion live in our hearts and carry us forward in our work. Rest in peace.

Grayson Dempsey

President, Backline

June 7th, 2009

The Blessing of Abortion

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:25:00 +0000

These powerful words of Reverend Katherine Ragsdale ring especially true in the wake of the the assassination of our friend and hero, Dr. George Tiller. Thank you, Reverend Ragsdale, for speaking to the hearts of all of the women who make the brave, loving, and courageous choice of abortion, and for reminding us of Dr. Tiller's famous words: Abortion is a matter of the heart.

Let's be very clear about this: when a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.

When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion — often a late-term abortion — to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.

When a woman wants a child but can't afford one because she hasn't the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.

And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion — there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing.

These are the two things I want you, please, to remember — abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

Backline Mourns the Loss of Dr. George Tiller, Friend and Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Dr. George Tiller, a friend to Backline and a hero to all of us who care about women and families, was assassinated on Sunday, May 31, 2009 while serving as an usher at his church in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. We are devastated to lose such a wonderful friend, a brave man, and an inspirational colleague. Dr. Tiller embodied the core values of Backline - he knew that women who had abortions and women who had children were not separate but were often the same women at different points in their lives. He listened to women, offered them peace and strength, and constantly reminded us all of the love, sadness and courage that brought women to his door. It was Dr. Tiller who said: "Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue. 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.”

Backline sends our deepest love and condolences to the family of Dr. Tiller as well as his brave clinic staff. We will honor his memory by continuing to provide a place for women to speak their hearts, and will work toward a day when abortion providers are honored and can live free from fear. We are all poorer for the loss of this great man.

Backline Honors All Women's Choices This Mother's Day Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Sun, 10 May 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Thank you to all the Portland businesses who donated to Backline and helped make our First Annual Mother's Day Brunch a success!

BEAST

ZENANA SPA & WELLNESS CENTER

MILAGRO’S BOUTIQUE

GRASSHOPPER

LILY TOAD

SHE SAW THINGS PHOTOGRAPHY

WHITE BIRD DANCE

BINK’S

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE

RUBY VIOLET

GARNISH APPAREL

BITCH MAGAZINE

RYAN CROSBY, RYT

JAY ALVARO, LMT

ORIGIN FLOWERS

TUMBLEWEED

RANDOM ORDER COFFEEHOUSE + BAKERY

NANCY RICCI, GETTING PURLY WITH IT

SALLY HESS, SEW SALLY

CLOSE KNIT: A NEIGHBORHOOD YARN SHOP

MOONLIGHT GARDENS

Shop Local, and Support Those who Support Backline!

10 Reasons We Love Our Local Abortion Providers

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:31:00 +0000

March 10 is National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. Backline works with abortion providers throughout the U.S. and Canada to offer women and their loved ones the most comprehensive support available before, during, and after their abortion procedure. Here are the top 10 reasons we love and are grateful to those who provide abortion services:

1. Abortion providers support women in making the choices that are best for themselves and their families, whether that choice is abortion, parenting or adoption.

2. Abortion providers support healthy communication between young people and their parents, as well as between women and their loved ones. Visit http://www.momdadimpregnant.com and http://www.menandabortion.com for examples of this work.

3. Abortion providers go to work every day despite security threats, protestors, and legislative restrictions. Despite all of this, they give women high quality medical care and emotional support.

4. Abortion providers listen to the voices of women and carry their stories in their minds and hearts.

5. Abortion providers work with the National Network of Abortion Funds to help women who can't afford their abortion procedures raise money for medical services, transportation, and other necessities.

6. Abortion providers offer training to the next generation of doctors and clinicians so that women's ability to access abortion care is ensured in the years to come.

7. Abortion providers advocate for access to contraception and comprehensive sexuality education.

8. Abortion providers work with their allies to promote legislation and policy that is beneficial to women and families.

9. Abortion providers are not just doctors and clinicians but administrators, counselors, and medical staff who support women throughout their abortion experience.

10. We love abortion providers because they make reproductive options a reality for women.

Backline thanks you for all you do!

Roe v. Wade Speech from Backline's President

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:05:00 +0000

The following speech was given by Grayson Dempsey in Charleston, West Viriginia, at a gala event celebrating Roe v. Wade, hosted by West Virginia Free.

###

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been thirty-four years since the landmark Supreme Court case making abortion legal in this country was decided. As a woman who is 27 years old, it is almost unfathomable that it is so recent in our nations’ history that a woman’s right to determine the most intimate and important decisions of her life was recognized by the law. I am often asked why it is that more young women, women born after 1973, don’t realize how precious and tenuous this right is, why they are not as outraged and motivated as those of us committed to this movement believe they should be. I believe that the answer to this question, as well as the catalyst for moving our progressive, feminist, pro-choice agenda forward, lies not just in celebrating the important victory of Roe v. Wade, but also in examining how it is that this important decision was won and what has happened since then that has brought us to this day.

While Roe v. Wade is indeed a significant political and social milestone, I believe many of my generation believe that it was a decision that happened in a vacuum, a gift from a benevolent government. What it less commonly understood is the grassroots conversation and activism that lead up to this important decision. Many of you know that abortion has gone through periods of legality and illegality since the founding of our country, and has been more socially acceptable or less socially acceptable depending on the beliefs and zeitgeist of the time. But what started happening in those years leading up to Roe is that people started talking about abortion – and not just talking about abortion, but talking about family planning, and sexuality, and the realities of life for women and their families. It was clergy, doctors, family and friends, and the women who had abortions started that talking about these issues. They put a face and a life story with the tales of traveling to far away states or even countries for a simple, safe procedure; they talked about the desperate need to choose when and if to have children, and to control the size of their families … Emergency room doctors and nurses talked about the women coming in septic and bleeding, and family physicians talked about the patients they had treated for years that they had to send away during this vulnerable and scary time. Some of these people also organized politically, leading to a groundswell in which the Roe case was chosen to be argued before the Supreme Court, but it was the stories that were told and the realization that women who had abortions were our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends that began to turn the social tide in favor of legalizing the procedure.

After Roe was decided, however, something happened and we stopped talking about abortion. From the 1970’s until today, the primary people talking about this issue were the people who wanted abortion, and even birth control and sexuality education, to be criminalized and forced back underground. The pro-choice side talked about legislation and strategy, and forever about the Roe decision, but in many ways we forgot about the emotional resonance of this issue and the way that people vote on this issue – from their hearts, from their experiences, and from their moral and religious beliefs. We were on the defensive and so we appealed to people’s rational nature, and forgot the words of one of my heroes Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas, who says:

“Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue. 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.”

I am the founder and President of Backline, an organization that works to address abortion not just as a matter of the heart, but also as just one part of women and men’s life story and reproductive experience. Our national talk line serves women and their loved ones who want to talk about all aspects of pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption, and we hear every day the ways in which all of these issues are inherently interconnected, and how intimately they tie in to our callers’ hopes, dreams, relationships, spirituality, and every other aspect of their lives. We have a saying, that pregnancy often shines a “bright light” on women’s lives, and illuminates all of the really big issues that are so important in self-actualization and self-determination, regardless of what she decides to do. It is these “bright light” issues that we need to talk about as a movement – not just whether women have had an abortion or how they feel about that abortion, but how women and their loved ones are honored and treated in their whole lives … How we support access to education, and health care, including contraception ... How we keep women and their families from violence, and support education and professional opportunities. We need to talk about how we support parenting with dignity, and how we value our nation’s children. We need to talk about how women are large enough to embrace complexity, to feel sad about a decision but still know that it is the best choice for their loves and their families. When we can really talk about all of these issues, at the grassroots and political level, we can truly say that our country is supporting a culture of life, and recognizes women as strong moral decision makers rather than wards of the state. We must remember that those of us in this room, those of us fighting for human rights and respect for women, those of us working to prevent unintended pregnancy rather than punish women who choose abortion, WE are the moral high ground, and we can stand proud from our pro-choice position.

And so, with all of this said, I know that there are some in this audience still wanting to know – how does all of this conversation help us in the Legislature and in Congress, where even one misguided bill can compromise the health and humanity of the most vulnerable women and families? How can we talk about “trusting women” when we know that this is a message that still polls miserably with a significant block of voters? I am not suggesting that we step away from our carefully tested talking points and strategies for political victory. I am suggesting, however, that long-term success requires more than just putting out the constant fires that the opposition is so inclined to ignite, and involving young women and new supporters in this longtime movement means that we must make this issue relevant to their lives, and accessible and understandable to those who may not have paid attention in the past. Long-term success also means that we must work in partnership with our elected officials, educate them about our stories and our messages, and assure them that the “middle ground” does not mean stepping away from abortion rights but rather expanding reproductive rights as a whole to encompass the totality of women’s needs. We must continue to focus on the battles immediately in front of us while also planning for the grassroots change, and the truly pro-choice world, that we envision for the future.

In 2004, the Feminist Women’s Health Center in Washington state released a report entitled Listening to the Women We Serve: Young Women’s Attitudes on Abortion and Choice. In this fascinating study, in a pro-choice, blue state I will remind you, FWHC found that the majority of the young women coming to their clinics for abortion services felt that everyone around them was surely anti-abortion. They said that the only time they ever heard anyone mention abortion was when they were protesting the procedure. They had no idea that 1/3 of women in the US would have at least one abortion in her reproductive life cycle, and when asked about “saving Roe”, many asked “Who’s he?”. The women having abortions in these clinics largely did not vote, and largely did not identify as pro-choice. And yet, when put in focus groups with other women where they could talk openly about their experiences, these women became connected, became outraged at the restrictions on abortion that were being introduced and passed at the state and federal level, and finally – these women got mobilized and became activists and pro-choice voters who will hopefully carry the fight for abortion rights for the next thirty-four years and beyond.

In California, in 2005, voters were faced with a parental notification measure, one of the most widely accepted and yet most dangerous abortion restrictions that a state can adopt. Pro-choice activists in this state polled their constituents and listened to the concerns that even pro-choice voters had – those who believed in abortion rights and yet believed that young women faced with an unplanned pregnancy should seek out the support and counsel of a parent or trusted adult. Rather than brush these concerns aside, the politicos in this state developed messages that spoke directly to the need for family communication, the need for supporting teens and parents and strategies for how communication could be improved during times of crisis. And in these messages they stressed that this communication could not be legislated, and that young women’s safety would be compromised if the parental notification bill passed, and they WON this important victory by working outside the traditional message boxes and speaking to the points that voters needed to hear – that we care about parents, that we care about teens, and that we care about the health and safety of all women.

A similarly contentious issue, and one that I know West Virginia will be facing this session, is Medicaid funding for low income women seeking abortion services. This issue has traditionally divided even those in the pro-choice camp, and has historically been abandoned by pro-choice activists seeking to maintain the “greater good” of abortion care that is legal but not accessible. This year, in recognition of the 30 year anniversary of the Hyde Amendment which made it illegal to use federal funds for abortion services, pro-choice organizations have launched a campaign to tell the stories of those most affected by this law – those who must choose between food for their children or paying their rent and their desperate need for an abortion procedure. Rather than shy away from this issue, activists are telling these stories and encouraging a dialogue that says that a woman’s constitutional rights should not be determined by her wealth or lack thereof.

These conversations have begun, and we have begun to see change. In November, we saw pro-choice victories across the nation and for the first time in many years we are looking forward to allies at the state and federal level who will stand up for the rights of women. In the current Congressional session, we have already seen bills such as the Prevention First Act introduced with bipartisan support – a bill that would not undermine the right to abortion when needed, but rather would support a wide-ranging family planning initiative. This bill, and others like it, actually talk about supporting contraception AND supporting parents, language that is rarely heard from those who supposedly support “life”. And here in West Virginia, pro-choice activists will gather tomorrow at the state capitol to proactively speak to their elected officials about the issues most important to their hearts and their lives, and you will tell the stories of the women and men who you represent, and talk about how the issue of choice affects the most basic of American promises – that we will be free to determine the most private and most intimate issues of our lives based on our own moral judgment, and will not be ruled by fervent extremists who believe that these decisions can be made by those most distanced from our personal realities.

As you leave tonight, as you lobby tomorrow, and as you spend this week in celebration of 34 years since Roe v. Wade, I want you to think about not just protecting this important decision, or about the restrictions that you are fighting against – I want you to think about what a pro-choice world would really look like to you. I want you to think about the experiences and stories that brought you to your position, and I want you to talk about these experiences and listen to others whose stories may be similar of vastly different from your own. I want you to articulate and mobilize not just around the things that you think are wrong, but just as strongly for the things that you think are right and good in this world. And I want you to sleep well knowing that you have done your part today, but to always be thinking about what you can do tomorrow, and the next day, to ensure the right to choice and the dignity of women and families.

Thank you.

Response to NYT Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Grayson Dempsey) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:53:00 +0000

The letter below was written by Backline Advisory Board member Charlotte Taft, who has provided counseling to women pre- and post-abortion for over 30 years. The letter was written in response to the article "Is There A Post-Abortion Syndrome?" by Emily Bazelon (New York Times Magazine, January 21, 2007).

January 23, 2007

To the Editor,

Thank you for Emily Brazelon’s sensitive article on the complex spiritual and emotional issues surrounding abortion. But even the title of the article, “Is There a Post-Abortion Syndrome?” reveals how thoroughly we have been manipulated. Having counseled with thousands of women both before and after abortion, I think we are asking the wrong questions. Not by coincidence, political polarization has tricked us into focusing on abortion, when the fundamental issue is really a constellation of emotional, spiritual, social, physical, psychological and political experiences that can surround pregnancy and motherhood. Devastating emotional distress can be associated with childbirth, adoption, parenting, stillbirth, infertility, and, yes, abortion. Some women have abortions they expect to regret because they feel deeply that they are not qualified to be the kind of mothers their children deserve. This is an extraordinary act of conscience and love, but it can leave them desperately aware of all that is wrong in their lives. They have very little support or help in mourning their losses or making changes, and, like the rest of society, they are encouraged to blame abortion. It may feel as though regret is all they have left of their unrealized dreams.

We don’t know all the factors that make some women more vulnerable than others, but it’s not hard to guess that lack of support, poverty, abuse, depression, desperation, powerlessness, cultural demands, perfectionism, and even genetic factors contribute--not to mention a host of cultural myths about pregnancy and motherhood that put most women in an impossible bind. Again because of politics, most of the devastation is secret. It only comes to our attention when a woman drowns her children in the bathtub, or when a celebrity is brave enough to talk openly about post partum depression. Our greatest chance of healing healing requires telling all the truths, and unmasking control in the guise of caring.

Beware the tricksters.

Charlotte Taft

Hyde: 30 Years is Enough!

noreply@blogger.com (ada) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 01:45:00 +0000

Backline is proud to have joined the National Network of Abortion Funds in supporting the Hyde: 30 Years is Enough! Campaign as part of our deep commitment to all aspects of reproductive justice.

The Hyde Amendment, enacted in 1976, forbids abortion from being included in the full range of health services covered by Medicaid. Excluding a procedure that almost 40% of women will have in their lifetime means that “choice” is a hollow promise for women who do not have the money to pay out-of-pocket for an abortion procedure.

Backline’s nationwide toll-free Talk Line takes calls from women of all political persuasions - from those who identify as pro-choice, pro-life, Republican, Democrat, and any combination thereof. Regardless of their position on the abortion debate, however, women who experience an unintended pregnancy often realize the extent to which their privilege – or lack thereof – play into their ability to make the decisions that are best in their unique situation. Throughout the country, women in rural communities suffer from lack of access to abortion providers and from state-mandated waiting periods; young women put themselves in harmful situations to avoid parental involvement laws; and poor women are punished by a healthcare system that refuses to pay for abortion procedures. Restrictions such as these undermine women’s role as moral decision makers and put politicians in charge of determining the most intimate aspects of womens’ lives. Backline strongly opposes all legislation that denies women the resources they need to access the full range of abortion, prenatal, and general healthcare services.

To find out more about the Hyde: 30 Years is Enough! Campaign, visit The Center for American Progress, or visit the Hyde Campaign website for information on your state and how to contact your representatives to let them know that 30 Years is Enough!

Pregnancy, Parenting, Abortion and Adoption

noreply@blogger.com (ada) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 23:06:00 +0000

"Pregnancy often shines a bright light on women's lives. They look more closely at their relationships, their desires, their plans and their beliefs. It is a time when women come to terms with their own ability to make powerful decisions, and realize that only they can choose when to bring new life into the world through their body."

Things can look very different when you're pregnant. Pregnancy is an opportunity to examine your hopes and dreams, what is good for you and your family, and who you trust and want to talk to - all of the really big issues in life! Backline's purpose is to help you, and your loved ones, explore these issues in a safe, supportive, and confidential environment.

Backline is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the broad range of experiences and emotions surrounding pregnancy, parenting, adoption and abortion. We provide a forum in which women and their loved ones can engage in discussion that goes beyond political rhetoric. We are committed to addressing the individual and diverse realities within our communities. Our vision is of a society in which pregnancy options are discussed with openness, honesty, and the deepest respect for reproductive justice.

Here you will find posts relating to the full range of stories, politics and emotions surrounding pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption.