As a reporter, I usually prefer to ask the questions myself, thanks, but last Wednesday, I appeared as a guest on “Forum with Michael Krasny,” KQED’s live call-in program. The topic: Planned Parenthood Golden Gate losing its affiliation with the national organization, a change that took effect today, September 3. The organization, which has suffered a financial crisis, is now known as Golden Gate Community Health.

I’ve been reporting about the organization's troubles for The Bay Citizen. You can read my coverage here, here, here and here. Also appearing as guests on the show were Vincent Robinson, who is the treasurer of the board of Golden Gate Community Health and Carlina Hansen, who is the executive director of the Women’s Community Clinic in San Francisco.

As I've covered this story over the past month, I've been fascinated by the culture of secrecy surrounding Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, now Golden Gate Community Health. I've never covered a story where so many sources were afraid to speak on the record, yet were also so anxious to make their views heard.

Partly that secrecy reflects the real danger of working for an abortion provider. Clinicians and even one board member told me about their fears of being identified in a story, since it might put them or their families at risk for anti-abortion violence. Others simply believed that speaking out could jeopardize their future job prospects at other Planned Parenthood affiliates or healthcare organizations. 

My favorite part of the radio show was the callers who ranged from clinicians who worked there describing their working conditions to donors shocked to learn about the disaffiliation. The conversation continues on KQED’s Web site, with 50 comments so far. Many of them are quite blistering. Check them out for yourself here. The audio of the show is also archived on that page.