Thread by @secularprolife

Attending a (packed) panel discussion with former abortion workers Alicia Davis, Mayra Rodriguez, and Sarah Eubanks.

Sarah tears up talking about how she would reassure and talk hesitant women into going through with their abortions.

Mayra said it was easy to work for a Planned Parenthood for years on the birth control side, but once she started working as director of the abortion part of the business, it was the worst 10 months of her life.

Sarah explains they avoided ultrasounds, but if they did one and the fetus was not too far past their 14 week limit, they didn't tell the women, and did the abortion anyway.

All the panel explains they had a certain number of abortions they were expected to make happen, ie quotas. Kelly Lester explains as a receptionist she was asked to call back women who had inquired about abortions and try to schedule them to reach quota.

(Panel is moderated by former clinic worker Kelly Lester.)

Alicia was horrified by fetal parts, asked the provider why she does her work, the provider said "Just think of it as a biology project, like dissecting frogs."

Alicia did ultrasounds, supposed to have a 21 week limit, she would see patients further along and tell the provider, the provider would say "I want to do the ultrasound again." Then the ultrasound would say 21 weeks and they could do the abortion.

Alicia started showing women their ultrasounds, some would say "Can I leave?" "Of course you can leave. You don't have to stay." "I was told I'd have to stay."

Mayra talks about the clinic falsifying patient charts, failing to report statutory rape. Alicia talks about a nurse telling patients they were on a 3-way call with a doctor when no one else was on the call, patients rarely asked. If they did, she hung up the phone.

For years, Mayra thought sidewalk counselors were crazy. She moved into an office with a window facing them & started seeing they were trying to help. Then she started seeing how her supervisors totally ignored the providers being illegal and dangerous. Started changing her mind.

Alicia's mom didn't know she worked for an abortion clinic until she was giving Alicia a ride to work and had to drive past sidewalk counselors. Her mom took a pamphlet from them talking about abortionworker.com and gave it to Alicia.

When covid began, Alicia's clinic's owner wouldn't pay for face masks for staff or patients. Alicia thought "She doesn't care about the patients or workers." She decided to leave for good.

Sarah talks about a young rape victim who didn't want her abortion, provider told Sarah to hold the patient down & Sarah said that was too far. The girl fought to get off the table, speculum still inside her, bleeding. They sent her to the ER and Sarah never heard what happened.

Mayra talks about an 11yo rape victim, youngest patient they every had, who didn't want an abortion, didn't speak English. She was a ward of the state, what she wanted didn't matter to the situation.

Thank you @TheRealMayraRdz for being part of the panel

For background: Mayra was fired from Planned Parenthood after making numerous complaints to administration about the way the abortion part of the clinic was run. She was later awarded $3M in a wrongful termination lawsuit. azcentral.com/story/news/loc…