I have the privilege of being a clinic escort at New Orleans’ sole abortion clinic with NOAF. It has been an amazing, and at times, emotionally challenging experience. I heard a lot about the difficulties women faced when they are trying to get an abortion. This experience allowed me to see first hand the harassment and verbal abuse women faced when trying to get an abortion. Every Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and sometimes Saturdays, anti-abortion protesters from different religious denominations would stake out in front of the clinic (on a street corner) handing out brochures with unscientifically information regarding abortion. They would scream at the patients pleading with them to not “kill innocent babies” and even try to guilt the patients about getting abortion. When there are no patients coming in and out, they would direct their anger at us calling us “deathscorts” and “accessories to murder”. As escorts, we are there to serve as a source of comfort for the patients and their companions. We direct patients to and from the clinic and walk with them to their cars if they so wish. Our responsibilities may seem minimal, but patients have told us how much they appreciate our presence. We defend women’s reproductive rights with our presence at the street corner and our bright green neon vests.
Besides escorting, I am also involved in other reproductive justice projects with NOAF. On March 16, I will be leading a clinic escorting training event on campus. I am excited and anxious about this opportunity. I look forward to training more escorts so they can join me at the corner and defend women right to choose. I am also working with Amy on a neighborhood canvassing project to see how the surrounding area is impacted by noise from the protesters.
My fellow escorts and I with our wonderful neon vests.