Speaker 1: I highly believe that I am no one to tell
Speaker 1: another woman, another being what they can and cannot do
Speaker 1: with their body, like who who am I? The bottom
Speaker 1: line is equality, and that's something that we haven't gotten
Speaker 1: to yet, and that's why this issue is so feels
Speaker 1: so large right now. Women are always fighting for all
Speaker 1: rights and it's time for men to step up. Hello everyone,
Speaker 1: and welcome to a very special episode of cheek, Ease
Speaker 1: and Chill. Today. I'm joined by a few guests to
Speaker 1: talk about a very important topic, reproductive rights. Back in June,
Speaker 1: the Supreme Court struck down Roe versus Weight. It's a
Speaker 1: previous landmark decision that granted women access to legal abortions
Speaker 1: for almost fifty years. So let's get into its cheeks
Speaker 1: and chill with me. Today is Patty Rodriguez, co host
Speaker 1: of the Michael podcast Out of the Shadows. Hi, Patty,
Speaker 1: how are you? Hi? Chickies, thank you so much for
Speaker 1: having me here and inviting me to talk about something
Speaker 1: that's really important for our community, not just for all women,
Speaker 1: but for our community. I agree, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1: I'm so great. I'm so excited to hear what you
Speaker 1: have to say. We also have Emily is Stefan and
Speaker 1: her partner Jim. Can I call you Jim? Yes, their
Speaker 1: host of in our own world. Welcome, ladies, how are you?
Speaker 1: We are great, We're so honored to be here. We
Speaker 1: are part of the Michael Duda her family. We are women,
Speaker 1: we are queer women, and that's an interesting perspective for
Speaker 1: us to analyze this argument. So thank you for inviting us.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. We're so excited to be here.
Speaker 1: And last, but not least, we have our Lean son
Speaker 1: that now a development producer on the micro Network and
Speaker 1: Today's moderator. She's also very knowledgeable on this topic. So
Speaker 1: hi are Lean? How are you? Hi? Cheekies, Hi ladies,
Speaker 1: how's everybody doing? We're good, awesome, I'm ready. This is
Speaker 1: such an important topic and I'm so grateful that you
Speaker 1: were able to lend your platform for us to have
Speaker 1: this conversation. We know that reproductive justice, that reproductive rights
Speaker 1: is an issue that disproportionately affects people from the Black,
Speaker 1: Indigenous and from our community. We know that this isn't
Speaker 1: just a woman's issue, that this is an issue that
Speaker 1: affects trans people as well as a non binary people.
Speaker 1: And we've all had some time to process the Supreme
Speaker 1: Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. So, without getting
Speaker 1: too much into the nitty gritty, I'd love for this
Speaker 1: conversation to be us highlighting voices from our community. So
Speaker 1: let's kick things off with you, cheek ease. Where were
Speaker 1: you when you heard the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Speaker 1: What were your initial thoughts and what were your initial feelings? Oh?
Speaker 1: My goodness, Um, I was in Dominican Republic. Actually, I
Speaker 1: was out there for my birthday, celebrating with with some girlfriends,
Speaker 1: and I heard the news and I was just like,
Speaker 1: honestly flabbergasted. I was I was upset. I was like,
Speaker 1: what is happening in the world? We were living in? Two?
Speaker 1: Like I automatically, Um, I posted something, reposted something, and
Speaker 1: of course I got some backlash. Um, people in my
Speaker 1: d M s, you know, saying and giving me their opinions.
Speaker 1: And I was going to do this whole TikTok. Actually
Speaker 1: still have it saved, and I never posted it. It's
Speaker 1: crazy because I tried recording it like three or four times, um,
Speaker 1: because it would cut me off, and it's just there
Speaker 1: and I never posted it. So I said, you know what,
Speaker 1: I'm going to take it to my podcast because I
Speaker 1: think it is something that not just because I'm an
Speaker 1: artist and I'm a singer and I should just stay
Speaker 1: away from politics. I think it's it is my god
Speaker 1: given right to to speak about my thoughts and how
Speaker 1: I feel and help other people, you know, and um,
Speaker 1: and that's what I'm doing, you know, But it was
Speaker 1: it was definitely disappointing for me. Patty. What about you were?
Speaker 1: Where were you? What do you remember from that day
Speaker 1: and what were you feeling? You know? Interesting enough, I
Speaker 1: was actually um landing UM into Washington, d c UM.
Speaker 1: I was there for a convention and that evening after
Speaker 1: we wrapped up, UH took an over to the Supreme Court,
Speaker 1: and there was just so many feelings and emotions there,
Speaker 1: so much anger. I think. I think as as a country,
Speaker 1: we're just so discouraged by our government and the the
Speaker 1: fact that this is this is their framing what's happening
Speaker 1: as this religious reason, when I think the reality is not,
Speaker 1: that's not true. It's not it's it's I feel that
Speaker 1: it's about control and and that's what's heartbreaking and what
Speaker 1: I feel we're not really understanding agreed. We're definitely going
Speaker 1: to talk about how our culture and religion intersect um.
Speaker 1: But before we do that, Emily Geminy, I'd love to
Speaker 1: hear your thoughts. Where were you when you hurt the
Speaker 1: news and what were your initial feelings. I think we
Speaker 1: were together, weren't we when we when we found this
Speaker 1: out um. To be honest, I don't remember the exact
Speaker 1: time and place, but what I do remember is the
Speaker 1: moment that I realized that they're trying to make us
Speaker 1: feel that history is further away than it is. We're
Speaker 1: still living in a lifetime when women couldn't vote, when
Speaker 1: slavery was legal. You know, we have to take a
Speaker 1: step back and say yes, you know, at least in
Speaker 1: certain directions, we're going in the right direction. However, we're
Speaker 1: still in a world where we are discriminating against so
Speaker 1: many people that live among us, and some of those
Speaker 1: people is gender sexuality, like you mentioned. But the bottom
Speaker 1: line is equality and that's something that we haven't gotten
Speaker 1: to yet. And that's why this issue is so feels
Speaker 1: so large right now, because we feel like we're in
Speaker 1: a bigger room than we are. They used to put
Speaker 1: things in history books in black and white that were
Speaker 1: in color to make us feel like they were further
Speaker 1: away than they were. We need to be on the
Speaker 1: front line still being these voices and these platforms that
Speaker 1: you are offering us, because that's how we're going to
Speaker 1: change is continuing the conversation. Before, back in the day,
Speaker 1: you could even say the word gay. You could woman
Speaker 1: and voting. Ha ha ha, that's a joke. You know.
Speaker 1: Now we're able to talk about it. But we're still fighting.
Speaker 1: So that's why we're here. That's why we're having the conversation.
Speaker 1: I don't remember when, but I every day remember how
Speaker 1: important it is, and that's what that's what sticks with me.
Speaker 1: But yeah, you remember, I guess yeah. I mean I
Speaker 1: think there was one thing that I read somewhere that
Speaker 1: it just stuck with me the whole day, which was
Speaker 1: the daughters that are being born today are being born
Speaker 1: with less rights than the country that I was born
Speaker 1: into because I was lucky enough to be born in America.
Speaker 1: And like Emily said, this is a way bigger thing.
Speaker 1: And like you said, Patty, this is much bigger than
Speaker 1: just the rights that um uterous bearing individuals to to
Speaker 1: speak of everyone that this affects. Um are are trying
Speaker 1: to protect. This is about bodily autonomy. This is about
Speaker 1: anyone not allowing or not allowing the government to have
Speaker 1: a say on what we do with our bodies. That's
Speaker 1: our our god given right. Um. And and I think
Speaker 1: that more than anything, it was disheartening to to hear
Speaker 1: that news, but more more fuel to keep pushing forward
Speaker 1: for a better future. For sure, Patty, you touched on
Speaker 1: this a little bit about this UM idea that our community.
Speaker 1: You know, we come from a culture where religion is
Speaker 1: sort of deeply rooted in who we are. Of course,
Speaker 1: not everyone comes from a religious background, not everyone was
Speaker 1: raised in that in that way, but it is part
Speaker 1: of of who we are as a community. So Cheekyes,
Speaker 1: I'd love for you to to kick this question off
Speaker 1: as well. You're someone who has said you believe in God,
Speaker 1: but you're more of a spiritual person. Now, how do
Speaker 1: those two things, um intersect? For you? Can someone be
Speaker 1: religious and also be pro choice? You know what I think? Um,
Speaker 1: anyone can be whatever they want. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1: I guess in in in speaking for myself, UM, you know,
Speaker 1: growing up in a religious home, you know, we were Christian, UM.
Speaker 1: A lot of fear was was instilled a lot of
Speaker 1: of you know, if you don't do this, this is
Speaker 1: gonna happen, You're gonna go straight to hell. And for
Speaker 1: a long time I believed it, you know, And thankfully
Speaker 1: I had an epiphany one day. And I am definitely
Speaker 1: more spiritual than than religious. And and I'm just the
Speaker 1: type of person that respects everyone's decisions. I'm very much
Speaker 1: let live and let live, um. And I think that, yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean, maybe you can be religious and be pro choice,
Speaker 1: but I highly doubted. I haven't seen someone. And that's
Speaker 1: what upsets me the most about this whole thing is
Speaker 1: that they keep throwing the Bible at me, um or
Speaker 1: at us, and just throwing in what the Bible says
Speaker 1: and religion, and it's so much it's not it's not
Speaker 1: about that. It's so much more than that, you know. UM.
Speaker 1: But for sure people in my family that I no, obviously, UM.
Speaker 1: They they think that, UM, I cannot say that I
Speaker 1: love God and be okay with this is what they've
Speaker 1: they have told me. But I just have to say
Speaker 1: one incredible thing. God and religion are two different things
Speaker 1: in my opinion, because you can believe in God, you
Speaker 1: can believe in the Almighty power, whatever connection you have
Speaker 1: with your God right, But religion as a constructors man
Speaker 1: made those books were written by humans, passed down by
Speaker 1: people who were faulted, who had issues themselves. So I
Speaker 1: believe in God, but religion, I'm not sure. And that
Speaker 1: doesn't mean that I'm not somebody who has faith, you know.
Speaker 1: So that's where I feel for me that that line.
Speaker 1: Since you know, Patting, what about you? I know that
Speaker 1: you have some strong feelings about this, and it's a complicated.
Speaker 1: It can be a complicated conversation to have, especially when
Speaker 1: we're talking to people in our family who are very religious,
Speaker 1: like Cheekie said, and even sometimes talking to the older generation.
Speaker 1: How do those two things play out for you? Being
Speaker 1: religious and being pro choice? It is very complicated because
Speaker 1: I believe in God, I believe in a higher power,
Speaker 1: I believe in life. Um. But I also I have
Speaker 1: a very hard time understanding the the the motives behind
Speaker 1: all of this. If you if you're these individuals who
Speaker 1: are making these decisions for us, if they really believe
Speaker 1: and these babies, and you know they they would they
Speaker 1: would invest in resources to ensure that every child survives
Speaker 1: and thrives. That to me is what just it's makes
Speaker 1: it's it angers me because if it was really about
Speaker 1: the children, we would be investing and creating a foundation
Speaker 1: for for investing in ensuring that our children are healthy,
Speaker 1: that they're not living in poverty, that their their parents
Speaker 1: and family have a foundation to be able to raise
Speaker 1: their children in the way that we should all be raised.
Speaker 1: And that's not happening in this country. It's not happening.
Speaker 1: So if you can't just the minute that a child
Speaker 1: is born, this government completely forgets about our children. We
Speaker 1: are we have the lowest education rates in the entire world.
Speaker 1: Our children are not provided with the resources that they
Speaker 1: need to thrive in this country and in the world,
Speaker 1: and that is what's heartbreaking. So I while I believe
Speaker 1: in life and I believe that um in God, in
Speaker 1: the Higher Power, what I don't believe is the reasoning
Speaker 1: behind the control that is being imposed on us. Don't
Speaker 1: come to me with this with this crap, because it
Speaker 1: really is it is it is. It is frustrating because
Speaker 1: they are they're using this as a control mechanism. And um, I,
Speaker 1: like Chickie said, you decide, you have the right to
Speaker 1: choose what to do. We have the right to choose
Speaker 1: what to do with our bodies, um, and there's no
Speaker 1: other body that is being um control the way reproductive
Speaker 1: people's bodies are controlled. And if we don't see that reality,
Speaker 1: then this is only the beginning to just just a
Speaker 1: bigger heartbreak and problems in this country. I also love
Speaker 1: that you mentioned that go ahead to me. Yeah, sorry,
Speaker 1: it just to me. You've got me thinking, Patty, it's
Speaker 1: really funny. How Also, we are trying to solve the
Speaker 1: problem of unwanted bread and sees um by looking at women.
Speaker 1: But last time I checked, women can't impregnate themselves. It
Speaker 1: is a man who impregnates a women, So why haven't
Speaker 1: we focused the conversation to them. And am a mother.
Speaker 1: I'm a mother to two boys, and I want, I
Speaker 1: am hoping that I raised my children, my my two boys,
Speaker 1: knowing that this is not just a woman's problem, UM,
Speaker 1: and I hope other parents listening feel the same way too.
Speaker 1: And you know, we also see that when it comes
Speaker 1: down to this, it's always us who are the loudest. Um.
Speaker 1: Women are always fighting for all rights, and it's time
Speaker 1: for men to step up because this is not just
Speaker 1: our problem. And as parents and mothers, we have a
Speaker 1: responsibility to raise boys to know that they're sharing the
Speaker 1: world with women and they're just as much responsible for
Speaker 1: it than we are. And it's it's enough that we're
Speaker 1: the only ones always fighting, um, and it's it's heartbreaking
Speaker 1: and frustrating. I hear you want to have some strong
Speaker 1: thoughts on that one speak yes, no, absolutely, I mean yes,
Speaker 1: it's not just like like Jim said, you know, it's
Speaker 1: we don't impregnate ourselves, you know, so we shouldn't just
Speaker 1: be the only ones held quote unquote accountable, you know.
Speaker 1: And I highly believe that I am no one to
Speaker 1: tell another woman, another being what they can and cannot
Speaker 1: do with their body, Like who who am I? Like?
Speaker 1: That's am I going to take care of the child?
Speaker 1: Am I going to say no, don't have an abortion?
Speaker 1: I'll take care of it. Like That's where I'm like, Okay,
Speaker 1: all these people that are voting and that are saying, okay, yes,
Speaker 1: you know, um, these women should not have abortions. Okay,
Speaker 1: Well are you going to take care of them? Are
Speaker 1: you going to provide for these children? You know? Because
Speaker 1: then we have an even bigger problem if you have
Speaker 1: if you're forced to have an unwanted child, There's gonna
Speaker 1: be a resentment there from the parent to the child.
Speaker 1: The child is going to grow up upset and it's
Speaker 1: gonna cause so many It's the worst you can do.
Speaker 1: It's the worst you can do to a human being.
Speaker 1: Bring him to a world where they're they're not there's
Speaker 1: no love or they feel like they are support wanted,
Speaker 1: no support not just by the person birthing them, but
Speaker 1: by the entire country and the government. There's absolutely zero
Speaker 1: support for these children. Not only that, speaking as a
Speaker 1: queer woman, you know, I have been with men in
Speaker 1: my life. I've experienced what it is to feel the
Speaker 1: responsibility of being a woman in a sexual relationship, because
Speaker 1: that's another thing. When you're with a male, I feel
Speaker 1: like oftentimes you feel like, oh, it's my problem, Like
Speaker 1: if this happens to me, it's on me, you know,
Speaker 1: I have to tell the guy and figure it out,
Speaker 1: and it's my burden. Absolutely, not like Jim and we're
Speaker 1: just speaking about. However, at the same time, you know,
Speaker 1: we have to acknowledge that as queer women, when we
Speaker 1: decide to have a child, that we have to plan,
Speaker 1: that we have to figure out what we're gonna do,
Speaker 1: how best to love that child, how best to find
Speaker 1: somebody that needs love and we have the resources that
Speaker 1: we can give them, and so for example, there's so
Speaker 1: many children that perhaps somebody doesn't have the resources or
Speaker 1: love or you know, mental stability, which is so fair
Speaker 1: because mental health is a really big thing and if
Speaker 1: you're not in a mentally well placed you should not
Speaker 1: be preparing people for this world, or even after or
Speaker 1: even after pregnancy postpadun depression of which is again very
Speaker 1: real and an entire, an entire thing that needs to
Speaker 1: be respected and talked about more because there's a lot
Speaker 1: of shame about it. But anyway, so when we make
Speaker 1: the decision to go down that path to to find
Speaker 1: our child, you know, then we're going to love that
Speaker 1: child as if it is our own and give it
Speaker 1: the life that it deserves, which is why there are
Speaker 1: opportunities out there for people to be loved, just like
Speaker 1: in nature, just like we see in nature, you know,
Speaker 1: mm hmm. Y'all talked about this a lot about this idea,
Speaker 1: how if this was really about pro life and about
Speaker 1: the children, then we would really be providing for those
Speaker 1: children after they are born and there's this element of
Speaker 1: economic control. Latina's people of color are already paid at
Speaker 1: such a lower rate than your white male person is
Speaker 1: in this country. Can we talk about that a little bit,
Speaker 1: about the economic control and how this could potentially prevent
Speaker 1: women from going to college, from moving out of their
Speaker 1: parents house, from becoming independent. I'd love to hear y'all's
Speaker 1: thoughts on that, Patty. Can we start with you. Yeah,
Speaker 1: as a mother to two children, motherhood is the hardest,
Speaker 1: especially UM, as a parent trying to navigate a career.
Speaker 1: I my mom came to this country from Mexico and
Speaker 1: she had three children, and I honestly don't know how
Speaker 1: she did it. UM. I would say, at the expense
Speaker 1: of her mental health. UM. And it shouldn't be that
Speaker 1: way from others. UM. It needs a village, and we
Speaker 1: no longer have that village. UM. Our ancestors had villages.
Speaker 1: It was a community that raised children. You never it's
Speaker 1: you don't raise children alone. That's not you don't do that.
Speaker 1: But somehow in this culture, and this this this country's culture,
Speaker 1: you're supposed to raise your children alone at the expense
Speaker 1: of your mental health and your physical health as well.
Speaker 1: And what happens is it sets women back because again,
Speaker 1: there's no support for UM child care. UM. You're not
Speaker 1: able to UM. It's a lot challenging for you to
Speaker 1: move on into your career or UM as a mother
Speaker 1: because you're no longer living for yourself. You're you're living
Speaker 1: for a child that needs special care, and not just
Speaker 1: for a few hours. Today we're talking about twenty four
Speaker 1: hours to day, seven days a week, and in this country,
Speaker 1: we have zero support. And me, as an entrepreneur, a writer,
Speaker 1: a producer, a creator, I owe that to my village.
Speaker 1: I was able and I had the privilege to be
Speaker 1: able to bring my aunt from Mexico to help me
Speaker 1: care for my children for the first years of their life.
Speaker 1: Without her, I wouldn't be sitting here with you all.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't have the career that I have, the UM,
Speaker 1: the businesses that I have, because it takes a village.
Speaker 1: And it's really unfortunate that women have to choose two
Speaker 1: and that's what this country is having us to do,
Speaker 1: to choose, and we shouldn't have to choose. We need
Speaker 1: to bring back our villages. UM. Women of privilege have
Speaker 1: their villages. They don't talk about it, but they pay
Speaker 1: for their villages. They have their drivers that take their
Speaker 1: kids to school, they have housekeepers that care for their homes,
Speaker 1: they have a nanny for each child, they have tutoring classes,
Speaker 1: they have after school programs that they can pay for.
Speaker 1: It takes a village to raise children, and our community
Speaker 1: doesn't have that. So when you when the government implements
Speaker 1: this control on us, it's only going to affect us
Speaker 1: and no one's doing anything about it, and we should
Speaker 1: be really angry. Yes, cheek is what about you? You?
Speaker 1: You care for your siblings. I know that you're not
Speaker 1: a mother yet, but you are sort of the matriarch
Speaker 1: of your family right now. Can you talk a little
Speaker 1: bit about those kind of responsibilities and the dynamics of
Speaker 1: what it means to uh now have this access taken
Speaker 1: from you? Well, I mean growing up with a mother
Speaker 1: of five children, a single mother of five children. I
Speaker 1: hear what Patty saying, and I saw firsthand how difficult
Speaker 1: it was, and because I was the eldest, what I
Speaker 1: had to do my had me at fifteen. For her,
Speaker 1: it was especially living at my grandparents home, like abortion
Speaker 1: was absolutely not a choice um and it was expensive,
Speaker 1: so she didn't know what to do, and I grew
Speaker 1: up seeing that, you know, she says, I thought about it.
Speaker 1: I didn't know. I didn't want to have you, but
Speaker 1: I had no choice. And you know, it was difficult
Speaker 1: growing up and and knowing that obviously, but I'm glad.
Speaker 1: I'm glad she had me, you know, but I think
Speaker 1: she had my support. But it was also very difficult
Speaker 1: on me because I had to give up so many things,
Speaker 1: um in my childhood to help my mom. I don't
Speaker 1: regret it, but that's just my reality. And now that
Speaker 1: she's not here, I mean, she taught me so much.
Speaker 1: I learned so much and and it's difficult, you know,
Speaker 1: it's difficult, and and it's I've had to help raise
Speaker 1: my siblings and and I'm telling you, you know, tutoring.
Speaker 1: Tutoring is expensive, and I wish that they would help
Speaker 1: us more with childcare, you know what I mean. Johnny
Speaker 1: was eleven years old O my mom passed. I didn't
Speaker 1: know what to do. I was trying to figure out
Speaker 1: my life and I'm like, how do I you know?
Speaker 1: It was it was just a lot, I mean, especially
Speaker 1: even growing up. I mean, we we weren't born with
Speaker 1: a silver spoon in our mouth, you know, and it
Speaker 1: was it was hard. It was definitely hard. So that's
Speaker 1: one thing that it's just it upsets me and I
Speaker 1: just even if it is someone that had consensual sex
Speaker 1: and she just doesn't want to have the baby with this,
Speaker 1: with this guy or whoever it may be, why why
Speaker 1: for someone you know what I mean? Or what if
Speaker 1: it's a I just heard something like, I don't know,
Speaker 1: like two months ago, someone I believe a little girl
Speaker 1: in Ohio I think she was ten years old, who
Speaker 1: was raped and she had to travel I don't know
Speaker 1: where because she couldn't have an abortion where she was from.
Speaker 1: So I'm just like, what freaking world are we living in?
Speaker 1: Like this is ridiculous to me. And just because I'm
Speaker 1: pro choice doesn't mean i'm pro abortion. I'm not one
Speaker 1: to say use abortion as birth country. I'm just saying,
Speaker 1: don't tell me what I can do with my body,
Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like don't don't that's not
Speaker 1: it's not okay with me. It makes me feel very uncomfortable,
Speaker 1: and it makes it worries me for my future children,
Speaker 1: you know, or like you know what I mean, Like,
Speaker 1: what what's going on? We have to stand up and
Speaker 1: we have to have these hard conversations, and they're going
Speaker 1: to be uncomfortable to some people, but I think it's
Speaker 1: very important for for you know, future generations to come.
Speaker 1: Emily and Jim, what about you and your perspective from
Speaker 1: the queer community. I would love to get your thoughts
Speaker 1: on it. And you're also gen zars. Actually we're millennials.
Speaker 1: We are not okay, yes, but you know millennials are better.
Speaker 1: Just saying, you know, Cheeks, I was thinking when when
Speaker 1: I was listening to you speak, it's it's you're absolutely right,
Speaker 1: also makes me wonder what comes next. If they were
Speaker 1: able to take this from us, what else can they take?
Speaker 1: And that's the thing is that Rovi Wade was sort
Speaker 1: of an umbrella law where it did discuss other parts
Speaker 1: of UM pregnancy, how how should I say this? Pregnancy
Speaker 1: things like pregnancy issues thank you, health pregnancy issues like contraceptives, UM,
Speaker 1: the right to have a cesarean different things that are
Speaker 1: then put into question. I mean, let's not pretend like
Speaker 1: we didn't all probably hear Justice Clarence Thomas mentioned gay
Speaker 1: marriage is something that we should look at. UM. So
Speaker 1: it's it's it's extremely wearisome and I couldn't agree with
Speaker 1: you more. It's not even about um the valid truth
Speaker 1: of the ten year old who had to go to
Speaker 1: obscene amount of length to have an abortion, or the
Speaker 1: women who are at risk of dying themselves, or the
Speaker 1: parents who are loving parents, who who are are excited
Speaker 1: and have prepared for a child who unfortunately was not
Speaker 1: able to develop their vital organs, all of these other
Speaker 1: situations that are ext extremely valid where the life of
Speaker 1: the child is put over the life of the mother.
Speaker 1: But just the regular susan um or or tom or
Speaker 1: the person who just simply ended up pregnant, be it
Speaker 1: because of something severe or something that occurred to them
Speaker 1: as terrible as a sexual harassment or even rape, or
Speaker 1: simply I like you said, I met this person and
Speaker 1: this happened, and I'm not ready for this in my life,
Speaker 1: And why would I bring a child into a life
Speaker 1: that I'm not prepared to raise them in. So I uh,
Speaker 1: cheekies you you said something that I want to be
Speaker 1: fair and I'm gonna be honest because you said, oh, well,
Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't born with the silver spoon in
Speaker 1: my mouth. I was when I was born, I wanted
Speaker 1: for nothing, I had my village, right, Because here's the
Speaker 1: funny thing. My parents not only do they have that village,
Speaker 1: that is the Latino culture, which is Auelas and Aluelas,
Speaker 1: And I can call my mom right now and she'll
Speaker 1: be here in ten minutes if I need her. And
Speaker 1: also I had the ability of, oh, if I needed
Speaker 1: to call a driver, which I never did, but I'm
Speaker 1: saying I had the ability to, you know, like I
Speaker 1: didn't want for anything. And that perspective to me says, okay,
Speaker 1: like you said, most of the uterus bearing human beings
Speaker 1: who are having this experience, right, they are not the
Speaker 1: ones making the decisions. The ones making the decisions are
Speaker 1: the ones with the silver spoon, the one that can
Speaker 1: travel to whatever city they want to acquire that doctor
Speaker 1: and acquire that medical procedure. The women who are dying
Speaker 1: or are not the people who are making the decisions.
Speaker 1: We're going to have a loss of women that is
Speaker 1: catastrophic as a result of You cannot stop people doing
Speaker 1: what they need and want to do. What you're gonna
Speaker 1: do is stop them from getting adequate care to do.
Speaker 1: So it is not going to stop, is going to
Speaker 1: keep going. And then as well as a result of
Speaker 1: that um as a gay woman, you mentioned, well, how
Speaker 1: do you feel as a gay woman? Jem said something
Speaker 1: to me the other day that I was like, I
Speaker 1: never even thought of that, because as a woman, I
Speaker 1: feel so passionately about my body, and it's a shame
Speaker 1: that I do because we are looked at in such
Speaker 1: such an objective way. However, as a gay woman, what
Speaker 1: happens when I have a straight daughter? What happens when
Speaker 1: I have a daughter who is out there in the world,
Speaker 1: that is my tribe that I need to take care of,
Speaker 1: who now, like Jem says, grew up in a world
Speaker 1: with less rights than me. That is ridiculous for what
Speaker 1: for me to say in in three months time that
Speaker 1: now her and I can't get married if we want to,
Speaker 1: that we're afraid that if I'm dying in the hospital room,
Speaker 1: she can't come in to say goodbye like these are.
Speaker 1: That's why you say, be loud, be proud, and our
Speaker 1: culture supports those things because we are a tribe and
Speaker 1: we've always operated that way, and there's no shame in that.
Speaker 1: It's about balance. You may you you've mentioned something very
Speaker 1: very important that needs to be repeated. Abortions are not
Speaker 1: going to end ever they've been They've have been happening
Speaker 1: since the beginning of time. So let's be everyone listening
Speaker 1: to me very clear about that. What's going to stop
Speaker 1: from what's going to stop from happening is access to
Speaker 1: adequate health to for these women. And that's what we
Speaker 1: need to be protecting adequate health for these women. So
Speaker 1: whether you're if you're pro life, you're pro adequate health,
Speaker 1: that's what you should be fighting for. Yeah. Um, well,
Speaker 1: speaking on that, Patty, I'd love to get your thoughts.
Speaker 1: I know that you're a mom, You're raising two boys.
Speaker 1: How is this going to impact their lives, other children's
Speaker 1: lives who are growing up in this type of society
Speaker 1: where we're limiting reproductive justice, reproductive rights. Um, I would
Speaker 1: love to if you can share what kind of conversations
Speaker 1: you've had with them, if you've had any conversations with
Speaker 1: them so far. My children are still very eight young.
Speaker 1: There there are still babies. Um so I'm not there.
Speaker 1: I but what I want to as as their mother,
Speaker 1: is raised them to believe and to understand that this
Speaker 1: is not just a woman's problem, this is also their
Speaker 1: problem and they have to join the fight as well
Speaker 1: when they're ready. Um, and that's what I hope that
Speaker 1: when they are ready to do that, they also are
Speaker 1: as loud as we are. M Yeah, and what about you, cheeks.
Speaker 1: I know you've shared your wishes that you hope to
Speaker 1: have children of your own one day. How are you
Speaker 1: How are you seeing this, um, the overturning of Roe v. Wade,
Speaker 1: How is that going to impact you and your decisions? Uh?
Speaker 1: Some of the women here have talked about how it's
Speaker 1: not even about abortion. What about it if it's a
Speaker 1: health concern and you have to have a certain procedure. Um.
Speaker 1: I would love to to have your your thoughts on
Speaker 1: that because now I feel like it's a little scary
Speaker 1: to be pregnant in general, because anything can happen. The
Speaker 1: mortality rate of black women of people of color in
Speaker 1: this in this country when it comes to pregnancy and
Speaker 1: going to the hospital is so high. It's like, I think,
Speaker 1: the worst in the world. The numbers here in the
Speaker 1: United States are staggering. It feels like we're living on
Speaker 1: another planet. UM. So I'd love to get your thoughts
Speaker 1: on someone who's thinking and considering about getting pregnant one day. Yeah. Well,
Speaker 1: I'm I'm in my late thirties, you know, I'm thirty seven,
Speaker 1: and I've thought about it. Have endometriosis, I have hormone issues.
Speaker 1: So I'm on hormone therapy and I'm not on birth
Speaker 1: control right now. Um, so there's a chance I can
Speaker 1: get pregnant at any time. And there's also a chance
Speaker 1: because I am taking two sastone you know, drops that
Speaker 1: um my baby, my unborn child can have you know.
Speaker 1: Um it's the health issues or or what I'm looking
Speaker 1: for the word, um birth defects. Yeah, complications, you know,
Speaker 1: and I'm well aware of that, you know. Um, It's
Speaker 1: just it's difficult because I'm like, Okay, well, what if
Speaker 1: I do encounter that situation? Am I going to have
Speaker 1: to or I can't. I can't have an abortion? And
Speaker 1: if I do have one, am I gonna be? Is
Speaker 1: it gonna be? Am I going to be? You know
Speaker 1: obviously with some of my family members that it'll be
Speaker 1: frowned upon. Am I a bad person? You know? I
Speaker 1: thought about that. I'm like, oh my, should I keep
Speaker 1: this child even if it does have their like birth defects?
Speaker 1: Now we have those resources to see to see, you know,
Speaker 1: and to have that choice, but it makes you. I
Speaker 1: shouldn't feel guilty, you know what I mean, because I
Speaker 1: have wanted to wait, because I did raise my siblings,
Speaker 1: because I do have a career going on right now. Um,
Speaker 1: and it just it does. It concerns me. It Like
Speaker 1: I said, I've said the word upset. It makes me
Speaker 1: very angry, but it does you know, I think of
Speaker 1: my my sisters as well, you know. Um, It's just
Speaker 1: it's just really sad that this is our reality right now.
Speaker 1: And because I I personally, I've thought about it a lot,
Speaker 1: because of my age, I really have well to share
Speaker 1: a little bit just based on your thoughts. Um. I'm married.
Speaker 1: My husband and I have been having having the conversations
Speaker 1: about trying to get pregnant for quite some time, and
Speaker 1: we did get pregnant last year. I was four months
Speaker 1: along and my doctor told me that due to health issues,
Speaker 1: I would have to terminate my child. And it was
Speaker 1: a child that we really really wanted, and I got
Speaker 1: a second opinion about it. I did every possible thing,
Speaker 1: you know, that we could have done in that moment
Speaker 1: to make the best decision for ourselves, for our family
Speaker 1: with our doctors, and I still had to terminate the
Speaker 1: child at four months, and so I when I heard
Speaker 1: the news, it was not only was it triggering, but
Speaker 1: also I was scared as hell. I was like, yes,
Speaker 1: we live in a in a state where, um, some
Speaker 1: of the rights are still protected. But if I had
Speaker 1: been in any other state, I would have been prosecuted.
Speaker 1: I would have been sent to jail potentially because I
Speaker 1: was making a sorry, yeah we're lifting I thank you,
Speaker 1: thank you very much. Um So, I totally understand, um
Speaker 1: that those health concerns that you're talking about, and for
Speaker 1: for all the women out there who are who are
Speaker 1: considering getting pregnant, that is a real concern. Um So,
Speaker 1: before we close out today, any any last thoughts that
Speaker 1: anybody would like to share on a personal level or
Speaker 1: just an overall thought on on today's topic, I'll just
Speaker 1: say thank you so much. I mean, it's these conversations
Speaker 1: are where we continue the fight, you know, because fighting
Speaker 1: is not about violence, It's not about this. It's trying
Speaker 1: to figure out how we can build a bridge between
Speaker 1: you know, what people understand and what they don't. So
Speaker 1: thank you. It was an honor for me, and I
Speaker 1: hope to see a future where I'm not worried about
Speaker 1: my my potential child's rights, so let's work towards that.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. It's really wonderful to be amongst
Speaker 1: other Latino women who are moving this conversation forward, because
Speaker 1: the Latin community, you know, tends to feel differently on
Speaker 1: this issue. So it's it's actually really inspiring that we're
Speaker 1: all here, Um, kind of beating to the same drum. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I couldn't agree more. It's it's lovely too to see
Speaker 1: how intellectual and informed everyone is and help passionate more
Speaker 1: than anything. So I'm so grateful that I was able
Speaker 1: to have this conversation with you guys. Arlene, thank you
Speaker 1: so much, Um, Patty and Emily like jem you guys,
Speaker 1: honestly thank you and everyone. You guys can binge the
Speaker 1: entire season of Out of the Shadows now, Patty, do
Speaker 1: you want to tell us what the podcast is about
Speaker 1: real quick? Yeah, So, Out of the Shadows tells the
Speaker 1: moment in history when President Ronald Reagan signed a bill
Speaker 1: that gave over three million immigrants amnesty, essentially allowing uh
Speaker 1: them and their children the opportunity to come out of
Speaker 1: the shadows and work toward the American dream. And we
Speaker 1: are a product of that Children of Lady six. I
Speaker 1: love that. Share your socials too, so everyone can find you. Well,
Speaker 1: you can go out of the show find me, or
Speaker 1: you can go in our own world part of the network.
Speaker 1: Listen when we're in our own sea with cheeks. I'm
Speaker 1: telling you, if we're not here, we're there. So this
Speaker 1: is a fam. Bam joined the family. Listen to us beautiful.
Speaker 1: Did you share your your social Yes, you can find
Speaker 1: me on Instagram at Patti Rodriguez and Emily has become friends. Yes,
Speaker 1: Emily and jem Um. You guys, tell me a little
Speaker 1: bit about your podcast and share socials please. Oh man,
Speaker 1: So we have a space travel pot cast. It's the
Speaker 1: cheapest space travel you'll ever do, because we actually don't
Speaker 1: go to space, just in our minds that we're a couple.
Speaker 1: That sounds fun. It's fun. It is fun. That's a
Speaker 1: good word to describe the podcast. We kind of take
Speaker 1: our ship anywhere that the wind blows um to talk
Speaker 1: about the things that are important to us, the things
Speaker 1: that are going on in our lives. Introduce some of
Speaker 1: the quirky members of our of our world surrounding us.
Speaker 1: Um and yeah, you can find us anywhere really, you know.
Speaker 1: Social media is yeah, you can find us at in
Speaker 1: our own World pod on Instagram and our may insta
Speaker 1: is Emily Underscore, Stefan and Gems Germany, which is oh
Speaker 1: I love that Germany. Perfect. No, thank you guys, Thank
Speaker 1: you guys again. UM, I really enjoyed this conversation. It
Speaker 1: is a heavy one, but at the end of the day,
Speaker 1: the more that we have these conversations be better for
Speaker 1: the world and we should really be loud and proud. UM.
Speaker 1: So you guys, everyone that's listening, We have some abortion
Speaker 1: resources for you in our show notes, so please check
Speaker 1: those out. This episode will also be available on YouTube,
Speaker 1: search podcast network and subscribe. I'm your host, Cheeks and
Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed this roundtable discussion and help you
Speaker 1: guys learned a thing or two and I will see
Speaker 1: you next Monday. Do you need advice on love, relationships,
Speaker 1: health emas. I'm so excited to share with you that
Speaker 1: my Cheeks and Chill podcast will have an extra episode
Speaker 1: drop each week. I'll be answering all your questions. Just
Speaker 1: leave me a voice message. All you have to do
Speaker 1: is go to speak pipe dot com slash Cheeks and
Speaker 1: Chill podcast and record your questions. I can't wait to
Speaker 1: hear from you. This is the production of My Heart
Speaker 1: Radio and podcast network. Follow us on Instagram at Michael
Speaker 1: Dura Podcasts and follow me cheekyas That's c h i
Speaker 1: q u i s. For more podcasts from My Heart,
Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever
Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.