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The goal was to provide information and knowledge about the lives of Louisiana women and (to bring up issues that aren’t normally part of the broad social dialogue). But Long believes that it is difficult to generalize about the lives of Louisiana women.
So it’s very difficult to have meaningful conversations about issues with people whose opinions differ because when we get down to it, all we have is these little sound bites that don’t actually talk to each other. They just get louder and louder.
“My students asked open-ended questions about sexuality, reproduction, and social equality,” said Long. “Women have shared stories with us that are searing in their detail.” The interviews were conducted to give subjects the opportunity to speak about and reflect on the links among sexuality, reproduction and social equality in their own lives.
And I said, “Well, how do you see our future? How many children?” He said, “Well, we’ll have the children God gives. If he gives fourteen, that’s how many.” And I was looking at him and I was thinking, “okay, well, I’m out of here.”
Many questions focused on the experiences of Louisiana women with regard to policies related to reproductive health services. Interviewees had the option to share relevant responses with the project’s servicelearning partner, Planned Parenthood of Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta, which may, in turn, use those responses to provide education and information about public policies that improve access to reproductive health services and information. Long began publicizing the project in 2009, seeking women throughout the community through press releases, social media and newspapers. It was entirely a voluntary endeavor on the part of the women who have shared their stories.