Opening the conversation with a taboo subject like sex, abortion, judgment, or politics isn't for the weak or hesitant.
Three hours of stepping across thresholds to education, inform, share intimate stories, and gulping silence is inspiring, eye-opening, humbling, generates hope, stretches dismay across the globe, and drains me.
Canvassing for the right to retain access to safe abortions with a group of like-minded Super Heroes is more rewarding than I could ever explain. Words don't do it justice.
Initially, I thought it best to ask for permission to take-up the respondents' time. Turns out, one woman appeared in her bathrobe on the back deck and stood in the cool wind, speaking of her commitment to sex education and awareness as a school nurse. Another stood on the stoop, held the door closed, preventing killer Chihuahuas from scavenging my ankles, while he preached. His church's mission is to ban premarital sex. Several men told me of their experiences of having unexpected pregnant women partners in their lives. An elderly woman claimed she has thirteen grandchildren and no one in her family has had an abortion or surprise pregnancy. She's never felt judged by anyone but her parents, when she got pregnant at 17, prior to being married. Never put two-and-two together.The stories consistently hauled past experiences to the forefront and usually held people accountable for their current views. Some surprised themselves by adjusting their opinion, in the face of my openness and willingness to remain mute.
Canvassing - a lesson in learning how to jump-in and when to just hang out and tread a bit.
Ask anyone who knocks on doors.
If they say it's fun, they're lying.