Comments Off on Policy Updates in Response to COVID-19
October 23, 2020
As we approach winter during the ongoing pandemic, we continue to follow CDC guidelines and prioritize staff and client safety. Please review our updated policies prior to your appointment.
We continue to require masking and recommend frequent handwashing/sanitizing for all visitors. Most clients have the option of virtual visits using telehealth when possible. We are not allowing any support people into the clinic and are limiting the number of staff onsite. If you do need to come to the office, please be sure to follow these policies:
For all clients –
Staff will continue to ask you to report any flu-like symptoms (fever >100.0, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches, unusual fatigue, nausea and diarrhea) when you schedule your in-person appointment. Additionally, we will be checking temperatures as part of our check-in process to screen for fever (temperature >100.0).
For non-abortion care clients: If you have a temperature of >100.0, we will recommend you visit walk-in-care or reschedule your appointment. Alternatively, our provider may be able to see you in your vehicle.
For clients seeking abortion care or who have been seen for abortion care and have follow-up needs:
Abortion care clients with flu-like symptoms may be seen in the office, based on individual needs and at the Director of Clinical Services’s discretion. If you have a fever or other symptoms, but still require in-person care, we will room you immediately and staff will use enhanced PPE during the visit.
Expected Waiting Times and Client Communication
Please also be aware that we anticipate increased demand for time-sensitive services and possible staff outages this fall and winter. Due to these factors, we want to make you aware that your wait time may be longer than usual and that we may need to contact you to change or reschedule an appointment.
Here’s what you can do to make the process work better:
Make sure we have your up-to-date contact information, including the best number to reach you and that you are able to accept voicemail.
By Catherine Chavaree (she/her), Office Assistant and Community Organizer, Mabel Wadsworth Center
What notions do the word “voting” include for the American citizen? For some, it may be long lines and perhaps even (pre-COVID) a social outing; for others, it may conjure up images of career politicians engaged in spirited debate, or perhaps mudslinging ads that dominate television and social media. I grew up hearing the phrase, “it’s one’s civic duty to vote.” For many people, I suspect, voting is not at all a glamorous task; it’s a daunting chore. It’s off-putting to devote spare time from our already limited reserve to research issues that, on their surface, are certainly not as intriguing as celebrity drama, a favorite hobby, or a binge-worthy show. It might seem fruitless to engage in something that will seemingly have little effect on our day-to-day existence. When I bring up the topic to friends and loved ones, it’s usually in the context of “when are you planning on voting” or “have you voted today?” I am often met with an embarrassed or shameful reaction when they admit they have no plan to do so and have “not had time to do enough research,” or “I’ll do it next time.” As we have seen even more markedly in recent years, this can have detrimental consequences on major elections (e.g. the presidency). The word apolitical, defined as “not interested or involved in politics” according to a cursory Google Search is a behavioral stance among many citizens that is too prevalent to ignore. Only 51.8 percent of eligible voters that could have cast a ballot in the last presidential election did so. Historically, millennials, the cohort I belong to, have a reputation of being less engaged with the voting process than our predecessors. According to data from the U.S. Census website, roughly 46% of people aged 18-29 voted, compared to nearly 71% of those aged 65 or older. It can be deduced that people of this age will have a greater influence on the outcome of elections. Smugly declaring “I stay out of politics” is possibly a misguided attempt at seeming carefree and avoiding conflict. Desmond Tutu’s oft-cited quote “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality,” perhaps best destroys the idea that not voting is cool, nor should it even be acceptable. I took to Instagram and did a light polling of my followers (all millennials) and asked them to send me a few sentences on the importance of voting. Some of these are as follows:
“Because others before me [sic] risked their lives for unknown people and unknown futures, a sacrifice I’m able to honor by voting” – Dani F-B
“Voting is a way to advocate for myself and others less fortunate than me and directly impact my community.” –Sam B.
The best way to hold our peers accountable is by confronting each other and asking our friends to show up. Voting is a process that grants us a means to reclaim power and directly impact our society. In light of George Floyd’s murder, a perceived awakening to the realities of power systems seems to pique the interests of the younger generations. These systems of power that allow officers of the law to murder people based on their skin color and facial features were put in place by a society that also has the ability to dismantle it. Apathy is dangerous, caustic and completely avoidable. It’s also important to keep in mind that voting is for far more than just a presidential seat; from the school board to the city council to US Senate seats and more, voting can lead to change on a range of levels.
The topics central to voting can seem tricky to navigate, inflammatory or just downright boring but yours and future generations’ fate should be at the forefront of what interests you. It was not until recently that I considered factors beyond myself, but also factors that are intrinsic to who I am that the sheer magnitude of why I and everyone else needs to vote. I am a member of one of Maine’s four federally recognized tribes. My father, who gave me this heritage, was born in 1962 and is a member of the Boomer generation, current popular meme fodder that is largely justified (if you ask me). His uncle, my grandmother’s older brother, was only 19 when he lost his life fighting in a war for the USA in 1945. However, my great uncle was not able to vote in the very country he gave his life for, because Native people in Maine were not considered citizens, thus not granted the right to vote until 1968. How could I justify to myself not voting when my ancestors only two generations before me were denied this ability simply for existing? I vote in their honor. This is when I realized voting is a right, while choosing not to vote is a privilege. This is not to say everyone who doesn’t vote is blowing it off out of apathy or laziness. Some individuals face much larger barriers to voting, including but not limited to, larger distances to travel to vote, difficulty or inability to access transportation to a polling place, or lack of accurate voter information. Voter suppression, defined by Wikipedia as “a strategy used to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing specific groups of people from voting” that historically harms disenfranchised groups of people. For example, according to the ACLU, several states have some laws or practices in place that particularly target BIPOC, students, and the elderly. Laws requiring people to bring specific types of IDs simply to vote are a barrier for many folks to vote. Fortunately, Maine does not use this practice. Also fortunately, Maine is one of 21 states, along with the District of Columbia that allow same day registration. I am fortunate to have several co-workers who offer a wealth of knowledge on a huge span of issues. One of these I have only learned in the last few weeks involves voting rights for incarcerated individuals, particularly here in the state of Maine. Maine allows all current and former incarcerated individuals to vote! As encouraging as this knowledge is, the fact that this is not the norm nationwide is a sobering fact, and indicative of a larger problem. I understand that becoming invested in any one thing leaves you vulnerable to disappointment, and simply deciding to sit out and avoid the headache that accompanies the research regarding candidates and policies can seem like an appealing option. Some argue that those with more liberal ideologies are only virtue signaling. Some believe once their preferred candidate is elected, many “activists” will become comfortable and likely to take a seat once, feeling less engaged to fight for issues that don’t affect them; especially for a greater quality of life for BIPOC and LGBTQ plus individuals. The fear that complacency will replace dreams of a revolution seems unlikely, though I sympathize with that worry. I have to believe that those who truly care will not quietly fade into the background once November 4th shows up. I have to believe that whatever the outcome, the knowledge and hardship of this past year will embolden those to seek further action until we are truly an egalitarian society for all. Voting extends beyond an item on our to-do list. Voting is harm reduction, and a means of telling our community “you matter to me”.
Comments Off on Using Inclusive Language in Abortion Care is Essential
By Aspen Ruhlin (they/them), Client Advocate at Mabel Wadsworth Center
The current political climate is saturated with problematic sound bites and overly simplistic messaging about abortion rights, leading to confusion, division, and stigma. Well-intentioned politicians and supporters can unintentionally harm marginalized groups, at a time when we should be centering those communities. The topic of using inclusive language to discuss reproductive and sexual health, particularly around abortion care, is not a new one by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone involved in this movement or work has had this conversation before, be it at conferences, in activist circles, or at their local clinic. It is because of these long-term conversations, along with feedback from our trans clients, that Mabel Wadsworth Center decided to shift towards gender-inclusive language when describing all of our care. While this conversation has been long-lived and the importance made clear, there are still those who choose to use language that not only prioritizes cis women in a way that erases the experiences of trans people, but also centers whiteness.
For many pro choice cis white women, their stance can be boiled down to the often heard phrase, “a woman’s right to choose [between abortion and continuing a pregnancy].” While the right to choose between those options is absolutely important, it simplifies a large topic in such a way that many relevant parties are left excluded. One example that we can see with this is the framework “reproductive justice,” coined by SisterSong, a women of color reproductive justice collective. They define the term as: “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” Black, Indigenous, and other women of color are far more likely to have their children unjustly removed from them by a white supremacist state, whether that is by Child Protective Services (CPS) or police violence. It’s important to note that SisterSong’s vision of reproductive justice not only centers the experiences of BIPOC folks, but also deliberately uses gender-inclusive language, recognizing the importance of including trans people in the conversation.
Trans people have abortions, continue pregnancies, use birth control, parent, and choose to be child-free, just like cis people. One major difference is the barriers experienced by trans folks, from transphobic healthcare providers who provide subpar care or deny care outright, to transphobic social workers that view simply being trans as proof of inability to parent. Another barrier is exclusive language–still transphobia, but in a more subtle form.
First, let’s back up and explain how exclusive language is transphobic. Most people, when hearing the word “transphobia,” immediately think only of violent, overt acts of transphobia, such as slurs or murdering someone for being trans. However, transphobia also includes more covert acts that frame being trans as wrong or non-existent. A sub-sect of transphobia is cisnormativity, or the framing of cisgender identity as being normal and natural. This, of course, places being trans as being abnormal and unnatural. When broken down in this way, it becomes much more obvious how cisnormativity is an extension of transphobia.
When discussions and language around abortion access only include cis women, trans people are excluded, which is an example of transphobia, even if it is unintentional. Most feminists would agree that a key tenet of feminism is that people should not be reduced to the body parts they do or don’t have and their reproductive capacity. This extends beyond cis women being discriminated against in the workplace because they may become pregnant in the future, what we typically think of as gender discrimination, and includes recognizing that simply having a uterus does not make one a woman. Men and nonbinary folks need abortion access, as well as access to all other reproductive and sexual healthcare, and inclusive language is one piece of assuring that access. In the same way we use non-judgmental language around abortion to reduce stigma and shame for people who need abortions, we must do the same to include trans folks who already face obstacles in seeking care.
At this point, many abortion activists who only have familiarity with fighting for abortion access for cis women may feel overwhelmed at what exactly they are meant to do. Some even worry that taking steps to include trans people will somehow exclude cis women. Just like in countless other examples, taking steps to support the most marginalized among us benefits the whole, though those with some amount of privilege may feel threatened. The good news is that shifting our language around abortion access and all reproductive care is easier than many expect. Below, see a few examples of gendered language and how to change them.
Lady parts–name the part you’re referring to: uterus, clitoris, vulva, vagina, etc. Along with being vague and unhelpful, many cis women find this term infantilizing.
Some trans folks may not use the “medical” terms for their body parts, and may instead use alternate, gender-affirming language.
“Abortion is a woman’s choice”– “abortion is a human right”
“We support a pregnant woman in however she chooses to manage her pregnancy”– “We support a pregnant person in however they choose to manage their pregnancy”
Along with changing messaging and discussions around abortion and other reproductive health access, shifting our language for interpersonal communication and informal conversation is vital as well. A clinic that posts on social media using inclusive language but has staff that refer to transgender abortion patients as “ma’am” is not doing justice to the trans community. These language changes are easy at their root, but can be difficult for some if they do not understand or consider inclusion of the trans community important. The best way to make these changes in how we use language are to practice and to view these changes as important. As a trans person, it takes me just as much effort and practice to adopt the use of gender-inclusive language as it would for any cis person, as we have all been socialized in a cisnormative culture.
Some may complain that trans folks make things too complicated, or that language around the trans community changes too often, but those same individuals would be hard-pressed to find any field or facet of life that is static or simple. New literature is published, scientific discoveries made, and medical treatments developed every day; change is constant. Over time, all abortion activists have shifted language related to abortion, making our movement even stronger. Making a shift towards gender-inclusive language in abortion care is vital to assuring access to all essential healthcare for trans folks.
There will always be mistakes made, as there is no person or organization that is perfect. That is why, in all fights against oppression, effort and accountability are key to not only supporting marginalized communities, but also our own growth. This is why we at Mabel Wadsworth Center work to make the changes needed to truly support the trans community, while also recognizing that we are likely to make mistakes, and so always remain open to further growth and change. Any feedback we receive about how to better serve the communities we hold dear is a gift.
Feedback? Questions? Email our Director of Education and Community Engagement Abbie Strout-Bentes at abbie@mabelwadsworth.org
Aspen Ruhlin (they/them/theirs) is the Client Advocate at Mabel Wadsworth Center, where they help clients overcome barriers to accessing healthcare. They are passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, intersectional feminism, and fighting the power. In their off time, you can find them embroidering or gardening.
Mabel Wadsworth Center strongly condemns police brutality, racism and the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others. We are also outraged at the unnecessarily brutal attacks on peaceful protestors and support all who are fighting oppression and injustice in response to centuries of state-sanctioned racism and violence.
As a feminist organization founded by, led by and staffed predominantly by white women, we wish to acknowledge our privileges and biases. We cannot truly understand the implications of this crisis on the lives of black and brown people or speak to their experiences. But, we are willing to listen and learn.
Now, more than ever, we must lift up and amplify the voices of black leaders. Here are the words of several powerful and inspiring black women we are listening to:
Fatima Foss Graves, CEO and President, National Women’s Law Center “I am choosing hope. It is a deliberate act. It is a choice. We have a modern-day George Wallace in the White House, so I am choosing to fight for the soul of this country. I am choosing to believe that people and institutions can change. And I’m doing that knowing none of it is fast work. You do not do this work without a measure of hope. Hope is the work of justice.”
Angela Okafor, Bangor City Councilor, lawyer and business owner
“I can’t breathe because your silence and inaction is killing me.
I love my community and I don’t want violence but it is not our place to judge people’s anger and how they show it.
Please I can’t breathe because your white privilege is causing me so much pain.
I can’t breathe. I need air. Please, I need water to quench the thirst caused by the gross injustice against my kind.
I can’t breathe until you understand that it is not okay to tell me at a job interview that I am overambitious and it is concerning.
I can’t breathe until you understand that given the same opportunity, I will thrive and our wider community will thrive.
I can’t breathe until we understand that if one of us can’t breathe, all of us can’t breathe.”
Read her full statement at the June 1 Black Lives Matter event in Bangor here.
We believe we can and should do more. While we are proud of our work to advance reproductive justice in support of local, statewide, and national organizations led by and for women of color, we must also look within. Being publicly supportive is not the same as doing the work to examine and dismantle white supremacy within our organization and out in our community. We truly believe Black Lives Matter and that we have a critical role to play as our community, state, and nation grapple with a legacy of systemic racism and state-sanctioned violence.
Your financial support of Mabel Wadsworth Center is always appreciated and essential to our ongoing work. At this time, if you are able to share that generosity, I encourage you to join me in making a donation to the EMW Women’s Surgical Center, a Black-owned clinic and the only remaining clinic in Kentucky; help them repair their broken windows (as they continue to care for patients). (Thanks to Abortion Care Network for this recommendation!)
Our hearts are broken but our minds are open. While this is a flashpoint in history, the hard work to dismantle white supremacy is ongoing. We invite you to join us in this process and we also ask that you hold us accountable to these intentions.
As a health center, we are committed to keeping our staff and patients safe during this COVID-19 outbreak so we can continue to provide essential and urgent services.
We are currently open and will stay open to continue to serve clients’ needs through telehealth and in-person visits when necessary.
New Clinic Hours: We will be open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, with staff available to respond to client needs via phone and email on Fridays.
We do ask that if you have had contact with someone infected with COVID-19 OR have any of the following symptoms, please DO NOT come here and instead contact us directly so we can make a plan:
fever >100.0
cough
shortness of breath
sore throat
muscle aches
unusual fatigue
nausea
diarrhea
We are screening EVERYONE at the door. If you have any of these symptoms you will not be allowed in and will be asked to reschedule.
We are accepting new clients for appointments via telehealth. This includes new HRT clients. We are accepting new clients, and seeing existing clients for most prenatal and abortion care visits. We are using telehealth as clinically appropriate.
For all other services:
Annual Exams and other routine, preventive visits: all previously scheduled non-urgent, wellness appointments including annual exams will be postponed until further notice.
Birth Control: we will continue to schedule in-person visits for ongoing birth control needs such as IUD and Nexplanon insertions or removals and routine Depo injections. We will handle inquiries about birth control changes by phone.
Gynecological Care: we will also continue to see clients in person with immediate concerns such as pain, unusual discharge, STI symptoms, and other concerns.
Client Advocate: Unfortunately, we are no longer able to offer client advocate appointments.
Mental health counseling: clients will access care via telehealth.
NOTE: All decisions about in-person visits and client access may vary and ultimately be subject to clinical discretion.
How to reach us:
Please call 947-5337. We can help you understand options and determine next steps. Or, if possible, please contact us via email info@mabelwadsworth.org or through the Athena patient portal for scheduling questions, prescription refills, etc. as phone lines are currently busy.
No support people will be allowed into the building with clients-please ask your support people to wait in the car or arrange to come back after your appointment.
We appreciate your understanding and patience. We are frequently re-evaluating our plans as circumstances change and are relying on guidance of the Center for Disease Control and the State of Maine. We will communicate any updates on our website or via social media.
