Sliding Scale 101
What exactly is a sliding scale?
In short, this practice is a tool for economic solidarity. It’s a means to decolonize how we exchange our labour and services for payment, while broadening access and resources.
A slightly longer answer is that a sliding scale offers people a range of prices to access services that take into account all the facts that affect our financial status. Personal finances are complex and each situation is different. A wide spectrum across the scale facilitates broader accessibility to birthwork support. When you pay according to your available resources, you’re helping to create a more equitable and diverse community. You’re also helping to ensure that my labour remains sustainable as I do this work. Everybody benefits when we promote access and community over scarcity and endless accumulation.
I use the Green Bottle Method to determine where you might fall on the scale: think about income level, class background, and costs. (In other words, which ‘bottle’ best represents your current financial situation?) This does require some active participation from clients, but I am more than happy to talk through what this looks like for you. Also? There’s a lot of trust here. Sliding scales require truthfulness and transparency that can feel jarring since prices and costs are usually fixed.
If you are able to pay full price for a service, please know that you are actively ensuring that people who may be facing financial barriers can still receive vital community care as they navigate the spectrum of reproductive experiences.