Hero Etiquette

Heroes come in all sizes, colors, job descriptions and sexes. I do not like the word heroines, oh yes very french sounding. But the first thought that comes to my mind is the drug that we hope to never need or become addicted to. I think hero is strong, clear and obvious. So women can be heroes too. Folk legends are hero stuff. Real life people can also be heroes. The Freedom Riders were heros, males and females alike. When segregation was at its worst and most violent  down south, they stood up to it at lunch counters, bus stops and rest rooms. They saw injustice and sacrificed their safety to show others this injustice. A hero stands up for what is right, acts to protect those weaker or less advantaged than herself and does the "right thing".  That is what midwives are, heroes. We midwives have stood against the injustices of the  medical establishment for decades in our pursuit of good and safe birth for women and their babies. We have made our own way, like Spiderman figuring out his own strengths and gifts by jumping from building to building, he got his rhythm. We CPMs have figured out what a midwife actually needs to know. Made a path to get that knowledge and had it stamped with the governments approval. Sometimes people make mistakes, so do heroes. But another hero should never come along and trash them! Batman does not step on Spiderman! Not only does it hurt hero Spidey, it also makes Batman look bad and mean.  We midwife heroes need to be above this. A personal hero of mine is Mahatma Gandhi. Today I thought of his non violent approach, which the Freedom Riders used, to not explode at the ACNM who tried to trash CPM heroes. Gold star for me! Hey, did you ever notice that a lot of heroes have capes? Even Gandhi was wrapped in cloth. Maybe a midwife cape is in order.