3.22.2007

A day in the life of a Women's and Gender Studies director

Here was my day today:

7 a.m. Walter and I clean up inexplicable explosive diarrhea (product of Baxter)
8:30 a.m. Show up late to very important meeting
10:30 a.m. Show up on time to another very important meeting
12:15 p.m. Phone call from ABC News: "Can we interview you about the ultrasound bill the state legislature is considering?"
12:16 p.m. Do research on the legislation. Find quotes from women who've had abortions saying, "If I'd only been able to see an ultrasound image, I never would have done it."
12:17 p.m. Decide I'm going to talk about my own abortion. On TV.
1:15 p.m. The interview happens
1:55 p.m. Walk to class while the camera guy films me, for b-roll footage
2:00 p.m. Teach class
4:00 p.m. Drive minivan full of students to Chattanooga to present our research at the Southeastern Women's Studies Association Conference.

The interview aired tonight--here's the online version: http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/0307/407491.html
(Seems to work better with IE than Firefox.)

I feel pretty good about it, except for the images of viable fetuses they were showing on the screen while I was talking about non-viable blob-like embryos.

And now, while the students are downstairs mingling with a rock band they met in the hotel, I am going to bed. It's 2:34 a.m., and I will certainly have more things to say about abortion--and my decision to out myself on television--after I've rested.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so outraged by this new bill I don't even know what to do. I don't live in South Carolina anymore, so calling the legislature does me no good. How can I help?

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine saw you on TV and said that she thought you did a FANTASTIC job :o) And she'd like contact info for the person who's currently coordinating the clinic defense effort. I think you inspired her.

I wish I were in your minivan!!! Don't you wish you had some non-canonical trail mix?

Anonymous said...

Ooh. Abortion rears its controversial head on this blog once again. =) Alison, i think you might have missed the last comment i made on an abortion post you did many weeks ago, so here's the jist again:

To deal with anti-abortion protestors harassing women coming to their clinic, Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania came up with a "picket pledge drive". For a couple of months out of the year, they ask donors to pledge so many cents per protestor per day. A donation can be capped at a pre-set amount.

http://www.ppsp.org/PledgePicket-index.asp

Anonymous said...

I can't even believe this bill is a real thing. Makes since - last in education, first in something like this. I'll definitely take a look at your interview. Thanks for doing it!

Ian McCullough said...

Good job Alison.

Catherine Bush said...

James wants you to know that you're the bravest woman he knows. In general I think you kick ass and I'm completely impresed with you. We love you and support you.

James and Catherine

The Mom said...

Alison, I finally got the video to load today. You did a very good job. I was proud of you for speaking up for yourself and for others rights to make their own choices.

Anonymous said...

This is the only time I've been jealous of IE: I usually love my Firefox, but can't get the video to play for me. Any tips?

Still, I am very proud of you.

love,
Christie

Alison Piepmeier said...

Thanks, everybody, for your support. I'll definitely blog more about this when I get home from Chattanooga.

And Shafi, I do know about the pledge for pickets and think it's brilliant. We've been considering doing something like that here but haven't gotten it up and running yet.

Conseula said...

As usual, you rock Alison. Brian and Frances (and I) are very proud of you. We should all be so brave.

Meghann said...

Is Consuela suggesting that Catherine is *not* proud of you, Alison? Is she anti-choice, or just more concerned with standing in the dishwasher than current legislation?

Conseula said...

Meghann--Had Cate not been standing in the dishwasher, she would have seen Alison on television and could have been proud. As usual, though, she was too busy causing mischief to be politically engaged.