I’m joining a team of other bloggers in time for International Children’s Day today, November 20. Hopefully by writing about possibilities, justice, and sending love across the world we can raise awareness and get people thinking about The Girl Effect. The lovely Tara Mohr created this blogging campaign and you can go here to read more about it (and read many other wonderful posts). I am thrilled to be a part of it, and hope that you will be inspired to do so as well. --Stacey

When I started working as a midwife 11 years ago, I joined a wonderful private practice. I worked in a clinic five days a week and was on call for births 7-8 days of the month. I’ve always loved helping women achieve the birth of their dreams.

After almost four years at this practice, however, I found myself wanting more. I found that I enjoyed interacting most with the few Latina women who came to a public health clinic I staffed one morning a week.

Last week's Supreme Court ruling -- the latest in the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" stupidity -- really pissed me off. Now, I have to tell you this reaction surprised me. I've always been biased on this issue; I believe that sexual attraction and action is a private matter. You, me, the President, the Supreme Court Justices and everyone else has no goddam business in the bedroom where consenting adults draw the curtains.

But I've never been an activist, and always sort of followed my "see both sides" instinct, but despite my noble principles, I've never been part of an oppressed minority -- until last week.

Last Tuesday night I watched the election results and basically felt as if I had been stabbed in the gut. For the first time I understood that fear -- you know, the fear that has been swimming through our ultra-conservative population across the country since Obama was elected in 2008 -- that the country is about to see some very, very dark days. I sat there with this ache in my belly wondering how long before we bleed out. I used to think that that fear was absurd and irrational, but since the shoe is on the other foot now, I can finally understand.

Legalize It?

I live on the East Coast in a part of the country that I doubt would even consider legalizing marijuana. But I’ve heard and read stories like this one often enough to know it is on the ballot in California come November (next week!). I am a rule follower by nature. The times in my life where I dared to break the rules set up by the establishment, I suffered from extreme paranoia. I’m even nervous about writing on the topic of legalizing marijuana. I mean, seriously, what will people think of me for saying how I feel about it?