Motherhood & Words

dialogue

September 9, 2008 / Kate /

I want to thank all of you who commented on my last post. I was really scared to write about such a divisive issue on this blog because, quite frankly, I like to be liked. I don’t like to rock the boat.

In this case, I’m glad I rocked it. I think some good discussion arose from it. I agreed with so many of your comments, and even when I didn’t agree, I could understand you. That feels like a first step to me. And this is my hope: that we will not shy away from controversy and that we will begin to really discuss these huge, important issues. I hope that we will talk about reproductive justice in the context of our lives, in the context of faith, and from a historical perspective. I hope we will work to reduce the number of abortions in this country without making abortion criminal. I hope that we will begin to support women and families with real, common-sense public policies. I hope we will educate young people so that they are able to make informed decisions about their sexual lives.

Thank you for reading and thank you for your comments. Once again, I find I’m grateful that I started this blog, and I’m grateful to all of you for reading it.

I’m over at Creative Construction this week. You can check out a much lighter post there.

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Kate

I have been teaching creative writing for almost twenty years. Reading about other women’s lives and experiences has expanded my world. To be able to walk in someone else’s shoes, whether it’s for a moment or an hour or a few days, is an incredible gift, providing me with insight into the human experience. It takes courage to write your truths, especially if it doesn’t seem as though anyone cares, as though anyone is listening. Let me tell you: your stories matter, I’m listening, and I’m here to help you find the heart of those truths, to get them down on the page, to craft them, and to send them out into the world. Together, we will change the world, one story at a time.

6 Comments

  1. American_in_Cairo on September 10, 2008 at 5:22 am

    I relate to your problem, Kate. I find that I too often withhold myself on my blog and in my nonfiction work because I am too afraid of looking like a jerk or offending someone. Maybe that’s why I’m loving fiction so much right now and why I can’t finish even one nonfiction piece. Writers can’t be afraid of that! This is something I have always admired about your writing, Kate.



  2. Ines on September 10, 2008 at 10:05 am

    Amen.



  3. Lisa on September 10, 2008 at 11:31 am

    Kudos to you for starting the dialogue. We can be polite and pretend the issues aren’t there, but that won’t change anything or help us to understand each other.



  4. Beth Kephart on September 10, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    Hey there.

    YOur words were very sweet today on the blog — I go through extremely hard times as a writer almost every day, and it helps, as you know, to hear from the world beyond.

    I don’t know if the publisher has a problem with you excerpting SLANT. I certainly don’t. Please just do let students know, if you teach the book, that my boy did grow up to be this great, funny, wise guy whom I still love with all my heart.

    b



  5. Kristen DeDeyn Kirk on September 11, 2008 at 9:46 am

    It is scary to speak up sometimes — I feel the same way. But if we do so with the best intention of helping people and truly trying to make things better we can be confident in the end that our hearts are in the right place. I liked your post and tried to comment but couldn’t. Maybe too many people were doing the same thing at the same time OR my computer is getting ready to say bye-bye!



  6. kate hopper on September 22, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    Thanks for all your support and for continuing to read…