I WAS A TEENAGE BROOD MARE (Scream!!!)

Sounds like something from a 50's B-grade horror  movie, doesn't it? Weeeellll, it was horrible enough. We were stabled...er, uh, housed, for the most part, in Maternity Homes, in my case, the Florence Crittendon Homes in Charlotte and Savannah.

It was the EMS and, it looks like, for Florida, it never ended. Take a look at this post by Bastardette. I've written my reps and senator and the Orlando Sentinel about the insidious nature of HB 1449 and SB 2446. With this legislation in place that would deter a teen from seeking or obtaining an abortion without parental consent and without being "properly counseled," Florida, also known as Adoption Central USA will be virtually assuring the state of a gigantic crop of adoptable newborns harvested from healthy young wombs. Another baby-scoop is on the horizon.

I remember feeling like I was defined and valued only by what I carried in my belly. My parents wanted it out and gone and the social workers wanted that baby so that they could "create a new family." Not only were they feeling the power of their new designation as professionals, they were realizing that we were so powerless that they could get away with playing God.

There is something about a huge house full of frightened, vulnerable, young moms-to-be that smacks of the Grand Guignol to me, especially that old, brick mansion in Charlotte. When we were lined up outside the nurse's room on clinic day, it was as if we were waiting for our turn for lobotomies or shock therapy. Most of us were just praying that there was some way we could get out of there with our babies.

I can only remember one girl that rebelled and fought and wound up going home to her family with their support AND with her baby. She was from the hill country and, I don't know, maybe they grew them stronger up there. Of course, parental support is the key, here.

These new Florida bills, in a state that already gives the mother less than 24 hours to rescind surrender and overlooks coercive practices, are directed towards the parents that want their daughters to remain upwardly-mobile virgins. No telling what kind of indoctrination these parents will receive once they are notified that their daughters want abortions. The thing is, if these girls could be assured of their parents' understanding and support, they probably wouldn't be seeking an abortion on the QT. Florida is leading the nation in taking a giant step backwards into the bad old days of the EMS.

We will be leaving Florida, probably as soon as our little dog finishes his radiation and chemo treatments, The finished, signature-ready copy of our deed is being Fed-Exed to us as I write and closing on the land is set for May 14th. We have changed over our bank accounts to a bank with branches in the WV area where we are moving. The sooner we can leave, the better. Oh, I don't pretend to think that WV is more progressive in this area than FL, but I know they put a greater value on kinship and family, plus we won't be shoulder to shoulder with neighbors on our 6.25 acres. Here, it is 5 houses to the acre and you know how your neighbor votes and how often they have sex.

I will be shaking the dust from my feet of a rude, reactionary, Bush-infused, religion-run state and I will be glad of it. No one hates bullies worse than I do, and when it comes to the young, single, pregnant women, FL is one of the biggest bullies I know.

Hasta La Vista, Crackers!