Dear Mr. President

I am a first generation Filipino-American whose parents came to the United States for a better life and above all, democracy. I did not expect to find myself in medical school, much less residency in Ob/Gyn. Born and raised Catholic, some of the practices of my field are against church teaching, so I originally vied for other areas of medicine less controversial. Yet my heart was in Ob/Gyn, and many women told me, "we need people like you in this field." I survived residency, which was outright brutal. Beyond that I was the butt of many jokes. I endured the harder call and work schedule because I was viewed as a lesser surgeon. Others with similar moral convictions quietly supported me, while those in opposition to my beliefs were vocal in their dissent to anyone willing to listen. Those trials made me a stronger person.

I am now in practice with two other physicians who respect my moral convictions, though they do not agree with me 100%. But we peacefully coexist and work as a team. I have my own following of women who still say, "I'm glad we have someone like you here."

Discrimination DOES exist, and it is NOT covert. It is touted and celebrated. We who are convicted to not assist, refer, or perform abortions are already in the minority. There are innumerable physicians available to do this job; it is not necessary NOR democratic to require this of the rest of us.

For the record, I believe the majority of both parties for and against abortion did not know about conscience protection . If they did, more people like me would not have been afraid to enter medicine. Also, more pro-abortionists would not have considered last administration's act as a “lessening of reproductive rights” since these laws have been in the books since the ‘70s. A rescission would be an open invitation for discrimination to continue.