Truth be told, when you start your career out as a clown, you don't consider yourself a writer. Lizz Winstead More Quotes by Lizz Winstead More Quotes From Lizz Winstead People who came to the clinics or came to the fundraiser knew what was happening in their state but didn't realize the profundity of what was happening all over the place. But the third thing [was] that at every single clinic I went to, somebody who worked there - it could have been the doctor, it could have been the receptionist - said, "Thank you for coming, no one ever comes." And it broke my heart...I've used these services, I've had an abortion, I got to be where I am because of access to making choices to have the life I wanted. Lizz Winstead doctors heart people I had gone back home to finish my book in 2011, and that's when these laws really started coming into states all across the country. I needed to get back to Brooklyn, so I had my two dogs and I rented a van and I called up Planned Parenthood and I said, "I have to drive back to Brooklyn. I've got two dogs and a van. What if I did some fundraisers for you along the way?" And they were like, "Who are you?" I was like, "No, this is a super good idea." Lizz Winstead dog country book I've always considered myself a feminist, I always considered myself somebody who is a reproductive rights activist, and I've spent the past 25 years of my life speaking truth to power. And using humor to do that. Lizz Winstead rights past years Since we are made up of comedians and filmmakers and writers and improvisers, we have the unique opportunity to bring joy to people who are sometimes buried in their own lives or are subjected to the bullshit that clinic workers are subjected to every day. Lizz Winstead bullshit unique opportunity We raise awareness and drop information about access and laws into pop culture spaces through making videos and through live events. That's like fifty percent of what we do. Lizz Winstead space law fifty Really life is about narcissism; no one is ever thinking about you much. You always think people are thinking about you way more than they are. Lizz Winstead thinking-about-you people way I had self-doubt about whether my story was interesting to people. I didn't want to write something that was anecdotal. It was important to me that people would get something out of my book. I want people to read it and say, "Now I don't feel so alone," or "I'm going to remember that next time I'm being an asshole." Lizz Winstead self writing book In an odd way, my parents were proud of me. When they saw me do stand-up, I'd see them looking around the room and watch them taking in the people laughing. On some level, that comforted them. Lizz Winstead parent laughing people Good satire hopefully provides thought-provoking conversation. Lizz Winstead satire thought-provoking conversation Write a smart joke and people want to talk about it and keep the dialogue going. Also, if you can make someone laugh, it's a pronouncement that they like you on some level. Lizz Winstead smart writing people People being forced to get health care and the insurance companies making millions. Lizz Winstead insurance-companies care people I dropped out of college and I'm pretty much a self-educated person, so a lot of my core belief system comes from life. Lizz Winstead belief college self There are people that say you should never use humor to talk about anything that's important or hard, and since I don't believe that, at some point there has to be a level of "agree to disagree." Lizz Winstead important believe people There's plenty of ways you can go and encourage people. And you should do that. But don't demonize what you do, I do, what other comics are doing, when you see people showing up and listening and responding because they've heard the messaging in the new kind of way. Lizz Winstead listening people way It is easier to talk about issues; it is easier to say you're a feminist because it's actually awesome to be one. The panopoly of people identifying as feminists is really excellent now that we've come to a point where all these really interesting voices are rising up and saying they're feminists - women of color, trans people, gay folks, everybody. It's an exciting time to actually define as that because it means that people are really feeling like their voice is what's the most important thing in the movement, and I love that. Lizz Winstead gay voice mean Unless you can point to something that I have done or said that has changed the course of the public opinion in a negative way, you've got to check yourself sometimes and say, "Maybe I don't like the way that this thing is said, but it's expanding tolerance." If I said something that was shutting down something that was positive, call me out, but I don't really see me doing that. Lizz Winstead public-opinion tolerance negative It just seems OK these days to throw women under the bus. Like we're a bargaining chip. Lizz Winstead just like bus women I do a lot of reading of news so I can be smarter, and I do a lot of watching TV news so I can know why Americans aren't very smart. Then I can point out the hypocrisy of politicians or the media. Lizz Winstead news smart media reading Whoever's president I'm not going to be short on material. Lizz Winstead whoever short going president
