The Amazing Job
Thanks for making the switch to this journal with me.
I've started the coolest summer job ever, and already it's making me more aware of things and changing how I think. I'm working as a summer research assistant for Canadians for Choice, a non-profit organization dedicated to education and research and providing resources for women faced with an unplanned pregnancy.
I've learned so much so far. Some of the things I know now are:
- "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" are considered heterosexist. This makes perfect sense to me, and I will now endeavour to say "partner" more often.
- abortion in legal in Canada, but there are countless barriers to access that remain. For instance, in New Brunswick, a woman must obtain two referrals from doctors in order to have her abortion covered by health care. In Prince Edward Island, there are no abortion providers. Women must travel to Halifax and most don't have their costs reimbursed. Imagine the complete lack of privacy that would involve.
- attitudes are still terrible across the country. Women are laughed at, hung up on, and referred to anti-choice organizations when they call hospitals to ask for information about abortions.
- abortion is one of the only services exempted from reciprocal billing agreements between provinces. This means that if a woman is out of her home province and requires any other type of health care, she is covered by her health plan (ie. OHIP in Ontario). Abortions are not covered, and the woman must pay the full cost - often well over $500. What if I were to need an abortion while in Vancouver for school? I'd be on the hook for the entire fee.
Of course we don't only deal with abortion, but it's a major issue. Pro-choice organizations like ours get a reputation for being pro-abortion as if abortion is the only option, but of course it isn't. Part of my job this summer is to compile resources on adoption and parenting, the two other optiions for an unplanned pregnancy, to post on the website for women. Another part is to contact hospitals we studied in a past project to let them know how they did. My major project, which I'm most excited about, is to research sex education across Canada: what's offered, what's required, what's taught in each province and territory.
This is the most real job I've ever had. This is life. This is the world. This is how it is, and it isn't as rosy as most people think. There's so much work to be done, and people have to know that things have to change.
I'm so lucky to be a part of something like this.
I've started the coolest summer job ever, and already it's making me more aware of things and changing how I think. I'm working as a summer research assistant for Canadians for Choice, a non-profit organization dedicated to education and research and providing resources for women faced with an unplanned pregnancy.
I've learned so much so far. Some of the things I know now are:
- "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" are considered heterosexist. This makes perfect sense to me, and I will now endeavour to say "partner" more often.
- abortion in legal in Canada, but there are countless barriers to access that remain. For instance, in New Brunswick, a woman must obtain two referrals from doctors in order to have her abortion covered by health care. In Prince Edward Island, there are no abortion providers. Women must travel to Halifax and most don't have their costs reimbursed. Imagine the complete lack of privacy that would involve.
- attitudes are still terrible across the country. Women are laughed at, hung up on, and referred to anti-choice organizations when they call hospitals to ask for information about abortions.
- abortion is one of the only services exempted from reciprocal billing agreements between provinces. This means that if a woman is out of her home province and requires any other type of health care, she is covered by her health plan (ie. OHIP in Ontario). Abortions are not covered, and the woman must pay the full cost - often well over $500. What if I were to need an abortion while in Vancouver for school? I'd be on the hook for the entire fee.
Of course we don't only deal with abortion, but it's a major issue. Pro-choice organizations like ours get a reputation for being pro-abortion as if abortion is the only option, but of course it isn't. Part of my job this summer is to compile resources on adoption and parenting, the two other optiions for an unplanned pregnancy, to post on the website for women. Another part is to contact hospitals we studied in a past project to let them know how they did. My major project, which I'm most excited about, is to research sex education across Canada: what's offered, what's required, what's taught in each province and territory.
This is the most real job I've ever had. This is life. This is the world. This is how it is, and it isn't as rosy as most people think. There's so much work to be done, and people have to know that things have to change.
I'm so lucky to be a part of something like this.