Active and one-woman-at-a-time...radical - HERE?? May as well work myself out of a job, doing that. This place is too small!

I answered one woman at a time and unsure... our area is so backward, I'm so strapped for time and resources, and I feel too inexperienced to do more than plug along talking to one woman at a time, and anyone else who will listen, and trying to affect change in that small way. Someday, I think I'll be more in the active/radical area. Or at least I hope to be. Heh, right now, for where I live, just being a doula is pretty darn radical as it stands!

I'm between "active" and "one woman at a time," but I chose "one woman at a time" simply because I feel like I do more in that role. I feel like it's easier to make a real difference by educating an individual woman in that personal doula-client role and then having her "educate" the rest of the world (i.e. those that she knows) with her own experience. If that makes sense.

I'm definitely active with Radical intentions. The past 15 years of my life have been devoted to Social Justice through giving young people the the tools to empower themselves. I've been with the same organization since I was a 16 year old. The only thing is I'm more interested in tending the needs and educating people rather than JUST wearing buttons and waving signs(not that that's a bad thing).

You know how you'll see folks that have pet charities, attend rallies, but will pass a starving person on the street? Well I'm the person that'll give him or her a sandwich and then go yell at someone with $$ about it. Hope that made sense (I'm running on caffeine right now:coffee)

I'm still getting on my feet in this biz, but now that I've got a wonderful partner, I think it will go much more smoothly! I definetly fall into the one-woman-at-a-time category, mostly because as a Navy wife, I'm not sure how long I am going to be in S.C. It's hard to want to put so much time and energy into ressurecting a dormant birth network when I might be leaving in March!

When we get long orders (4+ years in one place! Woo!) and as my children get older (8 mo.s and 30 mo.s) I will definetly work harder on being active, out there and busy!

I don't count myself amongst the crunchy; although I see the value in aromatherapy and Reiki and motherblessings, they're just not my thing. I would happily recommend a prospective client to a Doula that is passionate about these things and has a heart for the homeopathic side of life, but I don't choose to incorporate those kinds of trainings into my Doula work.

I am the more active type. I have my own group, like Birth Network just freer to talk about different subjects, and I am constantly talking to people and putting on free classes for families. I just feel like I can provide information to people who want it! That is why all of my classes are free! I think knowledge is one of the most important things!

Well... birth is inevitably enmeshed with politics (highest politics I know of since it's a power that only women have- though not without a male component in the process of course).

I AM radical politically-speaking, however not so much with regard to my practices relating to birth- at least I don't see my birthwork as radical in the usual sense. In the sense of the word that relates to roots (from dictionary.com: 1. ... well, then, yeah I am radical there since my birthwork hearkens back to the roots of birth traditions.

I also work a lot of networking and am in process of creating such with someone with whom I have worked in the past. We are both "go-getters" so it's really going to be great to create things together.

Additionally, I do believe in "one woman at a time" though for me it is "one woman; one family at a time". I find that I can begin (and may have begun) to affect my community's birth narrative and conversation by virtue of the last 5+ years of birthwork and presence in my community. It's so very important to be a presence that is already known (I've lived here for more than 25 years) for service to the community also (worked Head Start, worked at local school in many capacities both volunteer and paid, and currently work at local faith-based non-profit- all of which have exposed me to so many women, children and families over the years).

And see... this also has to do with roots and (radical) investment of myself in my community.

So I guess I am a combo of 1, 2, and 3. (And that's my final answer )

Neat Poll.

I'm some where between Active and Radical

I kinda of fall in 3 categories, but at different times.

I am pretty chill and don't like to rub on people, so in that instance I am "not at all".

When someone is willing to open up and let me in I will share everything I know. In that instance, I am "one woman at a time" There are times when I feel constantly speaking up falls on deaf ears and I refuse to waste my breathe on people who don't give a care. I chalk that up to everything being a fight as a child, and I am done fighting a lost cause. I wish I had more confidence in my abilities as a doula then I would be more likely to speak up.

I have been speaking up a LOT in classes lately, so in this case I would be active. It is rare I am given a platform where people in authority agree. Every one of my professors this year have endorsed homebirthing, doulas, and breastfeeding. It was TOTALLY amazing to me. My extroverted inside came to the surface and I surprised myself with my outspokenness.

Although I'm just starting, I want to be "Active- network, collectively support & educate the community when necessary"

One woman at a time, primarily, but open to action and learning more each day how to act in a positive way in my community!

I'm just starting out but feel networking is essential, so I'm definitely active but I think I do really well on a one-on-one approach too, so I chose both, active and one woman at a time.

"One woman at a time" with regard to birthwork, "radical" with regard to politics in other areas.

I am no 1 - radical and no 3 - one woman at a time.

In Australia we currently have a pretty crap situation recently introduced by the govt which will effectively mean women will only have access to private midwives (hb mw) that are insured and endorsed by doctors. Dr's insurance means that they will probably be unable/won't endorse mw (except under very stringent guidelines). So this means the end of choice for women, no more homebirths - state sanctioned birth only and the beginning of the end of women having control over their own bodies. There is a lot of fighting by women for this not to happen - rallys, letters, protest songs, petitions, women standing for election on this one issue.

But then I get so sick of being angry and indignant that I burn out and just get on with what I am doing, one woman at a time. I then get such a charge out of birthwork I get inspired to get radical all over again!