Happy August, friends! We’re excited to introduce you to Kristy, a Bloomington resident, retired physician, and a longtime All-Options supporter! Kristy is full of incredible life stories – read on to learn more about her path to becoming an OB-GYN when there were few women in the field and why she thinks All-Options is a unique and important resource to our community in Indiana!
How did you first learn about All-Options and what inspired you to make your first donation?
On the front page of the Bloomington newspaper, there was an article about diaper donation, and information about All-Options. I had never heard of a truly open-minded place that welcomed all women’s reproductive needs. Pregnancy, family planning, abortion services, adoption referral, and counseling – and, of course, diapers for young families in need. I went to visit, and asked the staff in disbelief, “Are you REALLY all options?” They are!
In your opinion, what is the most important work that All-Options does? What makes All-Options a unique resource or sets it apart from other reproductive justice organizations?
What makes All-Options unique is the open-mindedness of the staff. They are there to give information about everything having to do with pregnancy, childbearing, abortion services, adoption, and diapers during early childhood. Parents feel free to ask questions and receive accurate information.
Tell us a little bit about you – what you do in the world, what your hobbies are, whatever you’d like to share. What’s one thing others would be surprised to learn about you?
I am 66 years old and an avid reproductive rights supporter. Women in my generation know how old they were when Roe v. Wade passed. They can even remember what they were doing. I was 20 and an undergraduate student at IU walking to class.
When I was 17, the direction of my future career changed. I was going to be a music major at the Indiana University School of Music. I visited my dentist’s office, and the hygienist suggested I become an OB-GYN. She had tried to find a female gynecologist, but there were none in Indianapolis then.
I met my husband in medical school, and both of us became OB-GYN physicians. After retirement, I moved here from Knoxville, Tennessee, where I had practiced for 33 yrs. I am now retired, and love being in Bloomington again, after being an undergraduate at IU years ago. We moved here 4 years ago. We love the continuing education, and we both work with IU Medical School teaching medical students. I also work at Planned Parenthood part time.
If you could have anyone over to your home, living or passed, who would it be and what would you make them for dinner?
If I could have anyone over for dinner, I would have my maternal grandfather who died in 1957 when I was 5 years old. He was a Russian Jew living in Kiev in the late 1800’s, and he lived in a tiny house with a dirt floor. The Russian army was gathering all young Jewish boys to serve in the Russian military for life. Somehow, he managed to immigrate to NYC at age 11 by himself on a ship. He eventually joined an uncle and aunt in Michigan and taught himself English. I never heard him tell his amazing story firsthand.