Jan. 20, 2011 Infoshop News
Sarah - a pro-choice activist and feminist is in urgent need of legal
funds surrounding politically charged criminal proceedings she'll be
facing in the coming months.
Police arrested Sarah in December 2010 during a regularly occurring
pro-choice demo where she and other activists hold welcoming signs for
patients entering reproductive health clinics to combat the harassment
anti-choicers inflict on patients. The courts pinned Sarah with outlandish
felony and misdemeanor charges. On arrest, the arresting officer
purposefully misgendered Sarah as male (despite previously referring to
Sarah as "she") before his colleagues subjected her to abuses within the
jail due to her sexual orientation and gender expression.
Sarah is currently on her way to trial. The first preliminary hearing
ended in a continuance as neither the anti-choicers nor the police showed
up. During the second preliminary hearing date, all legally involved were
in attendance. During the hearing the antis were relentless, stating
blatant lies on the stand. The judge recommended a plea deal to drop
Sarah's charges to a summary offense of which the antis turned down. The
judge attempted to convince them that the Christian thing to do would be
to have some mercy - advising them to think very hard about choosing to
disrupt Sarah's life in such a way. Ignoring the judge's advice, the
antis insisted on pressing charges. Sarah is a queer, single mother of a
three year old child. As apparently these "pro-family" Christians have
little room for consideration of the welfare of children beginning life
outside the womb, Sarah is being forced into a long criminal court process
during which she will have to spend time away from her child and afford
childcare costs.
Anti-choice Christians claim that they care about women and children. They
allege to come from a place of gentle love and compassion. These are the
same people who have told pro-choice counter protesters (trigger warning!)
that women's clothes invite rape, that they themselves would rape women if
it weren't for Jesus, and that child victims of molestation and sexual
assault who undergo abortions should face jail time, among other
misogynistic, infectious, and anti-family sentiments. These people clearly
demonstrate the anti-choice movement's true purpose: controlling women. It
is not about caring for the life and health of children or their parents.
Countering anti-choice harassment and supporting patients is very
important for these reasons and a thousand others. We cannot let these
people and their lies stop patient support, nor can we allow the legal
system to harm mothers and children in our communities.
Through organizing and attending clinic protests over the past months,
Sarah has shown endless commitment to supporting women and countering the
damaging effects of the anti-choice movement in Pittsburgh. Please show
her your support in return.
Sarah is in urgent need of monetary support so that she can be properly
represented in court to allow her to get back to her normal life with her
family. We need to raise $5,000 to cover expenses including those for
legal counsel, court fees, and childcare costs.
(Note: Danielle Iorio will be handling the majority of donations made to
Sarah's legal fund in order to maintain Sarah's privacy.)
To donate securely electronically using paypal, click here:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TYWJ59WCM65EL
Please submit cash and checks to Danielle Iorio.
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE CHECKS OUT IN SARAH'S NAME.
Checks can be made out to Danielle Iorio and can be sent to the Pittsburgh
ABC PO BOx:
Sarah's Legal Fund
c/o ABC Pgh
PO Box 9272
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Please direct any further questions to pittsburghpcwc@gmail.com
Thank you very much for your support!
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