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Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg’s BOLD performance was co-sponsored by the Lynchburg College Gender Studies Major and Birth Matters. BOLD organizer Kari Benson, a biology professor at Lynchburg College, organized a performance on Labor Day. Kari reports: Somewhere between 80 and 100 people showed up for the reading. The actors were absolutely fabulous – everyone laughed. And, if there was a dry eye anywhere in the house while the characters Sandy and Lisa spoke, the person must need a heart implant. I didn’t see any dry eyes then. Both of them did fabulous and our actor for Lisa was our only actor with real acting “chops” – she was amazing and her voice is incredible. Also, everyone seemed exhilarated by Jillian’s final birth – which was the one part of the play that was actually fully acted rather than read. It gave us all chills (and, that wasn’t just the cold room). The volunteer director that I had found was amazing and really got the best out of everyone for the time that we had to work with. She also had an opportunity to revisit her birth experience, which until now had been a horror that she was unable to process. As an African-American teenager, she was very badly mistreated during her birth experience a few decades ago – unconscionable treatment, absolutely unforgivable behavior on the part of the physician. She sees that her experience was completely a product of mistreatment – and that organizations like ours can make women empowered enough to DEMAND more of practitioners. The panel discussion was fascinating. We had an OB nurse (instructing at a nursing school), a CNM, and a CPM. It was really interesting. The questions were mostly on midwifery itself and little on the birth process, thus didn’t address any of the directions that I thought that they would. But, it was informative and interesting. I think that it went that way because our CNM wanted to start the panel with a discussion of the differences between CNMs and CPMs. There was some discussion of how to recognize “fake midwives” – and, the commentary from the panel was great – all about knowing your practitioner, them knowing you enough to respect you and listen to you, and that any kind of practitioner can behave like a real or a fake midwife so you have to get to know them and be willing to switch if it isn’t working for you. Kari also forwarded us the many comments she received after the performance: Several nursing students have decided to pursue different aspects of nurse for their term papers – such as waterbirth. They found it entertaining and educational. Two male professors said: “It’s funny, I know all about morphine derivatives and their effects, but I had never considered all of the possible secondary effects to epidurals in labor.” “I went through two births with my wife, it was so strange and kind of disappointing that I felt so helpless, I couldn’t do anything. I realize now that it should be all about her and her doing it – and the last thing that anyone needs while they are concentrating during labor is to worry about what someone else is up to. I finally get it.” Two young professors (no children yet) found it entertaining and were greatly relieved that it wasn’t too scary. One of them is committed to join our Birth Matters organization. Although one found the play a bit frightening – she found the panel reassuring and was the convincing factor in her joining birth matters. A former obstetric nursing professor emailed me the following: “Thank you so much for a very thought-provoking, informative, AND entertaining evening last night! There were some fine actors on that stage..as well as heart-felt. And the thoughtful questions and discussion that followed was also outstanding. You know, pioneers in beginning new things do tend to be women who recognize their "bodies rock" and are not afraid to misbehave just slightly. Kudos to you!” The CNM: “Thank you so much for last night. I felt honored to be on the panel after the play. The “Birth” play was wonderful and the actresses did their parts so well. It was both inspiring and entertaining. I actually had chills during the last birth scenario, and laughed and cried during the other birth stories as well. I hope this play can be performed every Labor Day. If you ever need a midwife again for any educational activity, please give me a call. I am committed to women’s (and men’s) right to make informed choices. “
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