Just as there are full spectrum doulas for all pregnancy outcomes, there are death doulas. This book is about the importance of dying with dignity, in peace and comfort. It serves as a guide/manual for what death doula work looks like and how to provide care before the transition comes, and what to do afterwards. This is needed. Death is just a transition; we need not fear it or carry stigma. Highly recommend. 🥀💀🥀

On January 6th, 2021, I got off work at 3p, and turned on my phone to check the GA election results via the NPR app. Instead, I saw this as breaking news. I saw the photos, the videos—and I said, Oh my god!!! It was truly a sad day in America. Anyone that wants to know more about it and the groups involved should read this book. Nance isn‘t the only one sounding the alarm. Another ‘J6‘ will happen. And next time, it will be much worse. 🆘

Happy Banned Books Week!

If you‘re ever in Charleston, SC, check out Itinerate Literate Books in Park Circle. It‘s a tiny little book shop, an intersectional!

This is a wild story that you might not believe until delving into it from those who lived it. We‘ve all heard ‘don‘t feed the bears!‘ There is a good reason for that. Most of us don‘t like taxes, but we know that they help pay for many services that we need. Like, libraries. Wildlife management. Fire departments. First Responders. What happens when you strip all that away in the name of freedom? Preventable tragedy & disaster.

I can‘t help but wonder, why this book was discarded. It‘s a brand new book, published this year (2022). This is an early copy that has multiple grammatical errors in it. A friend of mine found it in the free section at a local library. Why? Is it because of what it‘s about? Does the library fear its content, fear the anti-abortion laws being passed? This is not a banned book, yet. But they don‘t want us to talk about abortion, at all.

This book wasn‘t quite I was expecting it to be but it wasn‘t bad. I wanted to know more about Claudia, her work, her drive. I felt that too much time and detail was spent on Victor, but I do like how fake clinics are mentioned, because they cause real harm. Victor reminds me very much of David, one of our local protestors. The similarities were sickening. David isn‘t Catholic, but he hates womxn just as much as Victor. The threads of

On page 138 I learned there is a Catholic Saint who is patroness of incest survivors, depression, anxiety, neurological disorders.

Incest. Why am I not surprised, that they have a Saint to pray to for this but they do nothing to stop it in their church. 🙄

https://catholicsaintmedals.com/saints/st-dymphna/

I think this is 141 pages of required reading, and it‘s easy to see why it‘s banned. A tale of what happens when one person or institution, is allowed to have too much power; the power of propaganda and its ultimate path of deception to destruction. Recommended.

Another intense, deeply emotional story from Tony Morrison; the first she told to the world. The heart of the story is something that still happens and you don‘t have to look far to see it. A story of poverty, class, abuse, white supremacy and how all these impacted one little girl forever. A story true, yet banned. Read it, pass it on, and uplift Black girls and Black womxn. Black is beautiful. Black is to be celebrated.

My husband knows the local author and got this book for me. It was an intense collection of poems telling a story of assault with multiple levels of abuse, and the long road to healing, and ultimately, real love. I‘ve been there and so the writing really struck emotions with me. I was in a abusive relationship for a long time. Assaulted as a senior in high school. It took me years to be able to talk about any of it. Elijah was patient and

I am a Medium, and I am always learning something new. I love books like this, from another perspective, for more stories of healing, and the endless, amazing ways that spirit uses to connect with us. When I read for someone, I am often so overcome by the love and humor that is coming from their passed loved ones…it‘s an amazing feeling. I love doing this work. This book is for anyone interested in the spirit world, and developing mediums too.

Finds at a local library sale this past weekend. All this for $11!
This one is usually at a middle school in the cafeteria. The location and the outside reminds me so much of The Walking Dead. 🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♂️

This was a powerful, deeply intense read. I can only imagine the emotional labor that went into telling this story. Thanks to a white woman in 2021, it is in the spotlight. She complained to the school board that it gave her child nightmares. I‘m willing to bet she has never read this book and has no desire to do so. Folx, this is how it was in the days of the evil institution of slavery. It is hard, it is ugly, it is shameful. But it has

I‘m excited to jump into this one. It arrived today and now I know why it‘s always been pricey—it‘s from USC. Magnolia Cemetery is my favorite place in Charleston. It‘s full of history, art, beauty. There are many stories to tell. Many famous peoplx of Charleston are buried there. This book is going to tell me more about their lives; it‘ll tell me what the stones don‘t.

One of my husband‘s jiu-jitsu friends lent us this book. Goggins has an extraordinary story. He scaled and conquered every wall that was put in front of him by others, by hate, by life, by his own body. He pushed himself further than he should‘ve been able to go, and still kept going. The Buddha once said, who is your enemy? Mind is your enemy. Goggins says this too. You can do anything if you set your mind to it.

I‘ve watched the show on HBO and liked it. I thought it was more unnerving than the book. El Cuco turns out to be an old legend but King puts his own twist on it. El Cuco isn‘t the Doppelgänger you‘re used to…it‘s something far worse.

More: https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/the-outsider-el-coco-explained/

@MoonWitch94 it‘s been a hard week to process. So I‘m just carrying on what you started. Random, but I love this painting. I‘d seen it before but this one was in a small Italian restaurant in Abbeyville, SC—we were visiting friends. And so I was so happy to see it there. I love pasta! I had Alfredo there that day. I‘m so curious to know the story of this man. He looks famished. *It‘s the little things!

6/24/2022: SCOTUS has overturned Roe v Wade. Please remember: if you are using any period tracker apps, delete them NOW. Use the encrypted app Signal for messaging, and the encrypted email Proton for email. For a safe search engine, only use Duck Duck Go.
Avoid fake clinics (crisis pregnancy centers) at all costs—your info will be given to authorities and you will be tracked.

See ya‘ll down on the illegal road.

I love abortion storytelling. There are so many stories. Some are heart breaking, some are not. But each one matters and holds the power to end stigma once and for all. Everyone knows and loves someone who has had an abortion. There is nothing shameful about it. The author here tells her own story, the process of her navigating her feelings, and the strength she has today. Recommended.

This book is written by a clinic escort and presents arguments from both sides. It also includes experiences from escorting and patient stories. I loved the cover and I really enjoyed the book. As an escort myself, I can relate to the experiences described here. I dream of and fight for the day will everyone will have access to abortion care, without barriers, stigma, lies, shame, and: assholes. We deserve that.

Shown: ⬇️

Last month, We Are Family hosted a queer youth prom in Charleston, SC. My fellow clinic escorts and I were proud to be part of this magical night! I so wish there was something like this when I was in Highschool. Let‘s make sure we affirm and protect queer youth today. Happy Pride everyone!

Park Circle Pride and We Are Family put together a queer adult prom and we went last night. There was glitter. Hair, makeup, nails, heels. Gowns, corsets. Music, and tacos. What‘s not to love?! Welcome to our Pride in Charleston, SC ya‘ll!

My finds at the recent annual BIG library book sale. Thousands of books are at this one sale each year!

This would have been a good book to have years ago, when I was a solitary practitioner, looking for a deeper practice into the old ways which Wicca couldn‘t provide. Pagan ways still fascinate me but I no longer believe many of the things I once did. Traditional Witchcraft is different in that it is more primitive. If that calls to you, this book is for you.

Shown: a Samhain altar from many years ago

This book can‘t be taken seriously. It‘s full of misogyny, racism, and harmful ideas that you should never attempt on your body. But what do you expect? This is from the Victorians. It was a laughable read.

Years ago at one of these big library book sales I went to, I noticed a man there had one of these with him to haul his picks around. I thought, that‘s a good idea. One day at Lidl, I saw them, grabbed one, and now I use it every time we go to the big library book sale. I‘m talking big like thousands of books! You can imagine how good it smelled in there…especially with the really old books only inches down from my nose. Take my money!

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I want you to see the table of contents.
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Here are some photos from the inside. The Victorians were a strange type of peoplx. Some things about them I have always found very interesting—their obsession with and vampires, death, and the spirit world; their use of poisons; their floral lore; the jewelry they wore that contained hair of lost loved ones, and the infamous ‘sleeping‘ (death) family portraits.

A friend lent me this book. She found it at a library book sale. It‘s brittle, and a 1922 edition. It‘s basically a Victorian manual of misogynist propaganda. I can just imagine what Dr. Jennifer Gunter, OB/GYN would say about it!
I‘m just going to say right now that I, am not one of these ‘ideal women‘. I‘d be everything they were warned about!
Note: the drawing on the R side of cover reminds me very much of a vulva. This is no accident.

I chose this photo because this girl is how I imagine Vanessa—even her demeanor. A friend lent me this book and it was hard to get through. So often, we don‘t see abuse for what it really is in the beginning, even though parts of us are screaming on the inside: RUN. This book was full of gross moments and a lot of manipulation but worth the patience. If you want to read more about sexual abuse and the me too movement, I strongly encourage you

A friend lent me this book and I absolutely loved it. I chose this photo of the author because it kind of sums up the relationship that this story is about. This book was heart breaking at times but also hilarious. Dani‘s grandmother was a scary but strong, loving woman who would do anything for her grandkids. The word ‘fuck‘ seems to have been one of her favorite words. This story is about the crazy but loving relationship Dani had with her.

FIGHT BACK!!!
May 3, 2022
SCOTUS

I remember when the author first put out her tweet for this book, asking for clinic escorts and defenders who had experience with it back in the really scary days, the 80s-90s. I immediately reached out to my friend and veteran escort (left), because I knew she had seen a lot. I‘ve read so much about those days, and it never gets any less scary. We may have FACE Act now, but it isn‘t really enforced. This book tells the story that isn‘t often

Abortion is, at its core, about life, just not in the way that abortion upon its claim. Everything that surrounds getting an abortion—from the decision to the cost to travel and getting in the door—is about someone‘s life, The course of that life, the value of that life. The life of the pregnant person is the point. The course of their life is the point. The realities and complexities and hardships and accomplishments: they matter. Their actual

The patients we serve stay with all of us, because that‘s the spirit of what we do. In those 60 or so seconds before they get inside the door, clinic escorts are possibly the only source of human connection and visible support that some of these patients and their companions experience. For that moment in time, the human connection supersedes everything. It‘s about a fundamental human need to be seen and valued, particularly in the face of

Every time I feel burned out or think about giving up on this fight, I remember that putting my body on the line for another person, as painful and difficult as it was on the worst days, has always been worth it. Every patient we get in the door is a woman‘s life, a person‘s life, that is going to unfold the way that person wants it to, no matter what choice they end up making.

Shown: one of the first bad days for me when I started doing this…

Everyone loves someone who has had an abortion. And if you think you don‘t, they just haven‘t shared their story with you yet.

Let‘s talk about it! Story-telling is the most powerful way to end stigma! Have you ever heard ‘my abortion saved my life‘? I‘m one of those peoplx 🌻

Abortion is about more than just bodies on the line— it‘s someone‘s future, their dreams, their lives.

Shown: me telling my story at the SC Statehouse in Columbia, February 17th, 2022–to fight back against anti-abortion bills.

The central theme of all these activities, from volunteering as a clinic escort to funding abortions to booking travel for abortion patients, is community. The work of community building around abortion care, of the destigmatizing and humanizing people who have abortions, can‘t be the sole responsibility of embattled clinics and providers. Telling stories, driving patients, paying for gas money, walking someone from their car to the clinic—these

This happens everywhere. This is not some random, a couple of crazy people at one clinic. This shit happens everywhere in every state and it will continue to happen until people decide that they‘re going to reclaim their communities.

Shown: Matt Brock and his bullies on a ladder to see and scream at pats over a 6 foot privacy fence at Greenville Women‘s Clinic in SC. UNFUCKING ACCEPTABLE!!!

Because when I put it on, I thought, *This is my armor*. It‘s only made of polyester, and it‘s not bulletproof, but it‘s hate-proof and its judgment-proof.

This is what being a clinic escort is all about. Being the face of love in the face of hate. Shown: endurance at my local clinic

You don‘t need a big group of protesters to do damage. We could be out there and have one aggressive protester who just says the most vile shit to someone and that will make them cry…that‘s the thing—one of them out there is too many.

It‘s WEIRD & CREEPY to stand around at someone‘s doctor appointment. Shown: Christians and Proud Boys outside my local clinic

… more than sixteen years after Roe v. Wade was decided, a clinic in a liberal city like Ann Arbor had to covertly smuggle patients in through a side window, just to have a legal health-care procedure. And that was considered a victory, no less.

•It is truly astounding, the level of nightmare that pregnant peoplx endure just trying to access their medical appointments. Why is this allowed? This isn‘t ‘1st amendment‘, nor is it ‘support‘.