Unlearning What I Learned in Ob/Gyn Residency

Systems and Racism: In the past many months and years, we have done some intense work as an organization around letting go of destructive ways of thinking that are based in colonization and white feminism and white supremacy, and getting comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. We have a lot more work to do and this journey will never end .. but being on the path is energizing. The other systems and structures that we have to navigate to provide healthcare such as hospit...als have been hard to negotiate. How do you provide care that shifts the power back to the client but then having to justify these practices over and over to hospitals systems? The examples are endless but the themes repeat over and over and over. It must be tiring for leaders and people who are made to do the work in tokenizing ways within these institutions. If you have a client who has been through ridiculous trauma in the healthcare system, has experienced obstetric loss, violence and abuse ... but this client is still strong, fights back when they are disrespected by their providers, will get upset if they are being harassed by security or staff, and verbalize these incidents to you ... what would you do? Would you tuck your head down, quietly support them, focus on their healthcare issues, and then go on with your job? Or would you stand up, email administrators, seek allies and accomplices in the system? Would you fight back when some leaders and staff blame them for events that were clearly examples of overt and systemic racism? I have been labeled many things over the last 8 years by administrators. Difficult, resistant, angry, aggressive, etc etc. What I really am is just fucking tired of this bullshit! Today, I sent an email to a hospital’s administrators that a series of events that occurred targeting a client, and said: We can be honest and say that this [event] is layered with overt and systemic racism. I tried to not aggressively accuse anyone. I tried not to sound angry. But y’all know what they are all going to say behind closed doors. These are the same folks that are repetitively asking us to do free labor for them ... to teach them how we deliver care ... to come talk to their teams about trauma informed care, harm reduction and person centered care in OBGYN. Pay us, actually support us, eliminate these barriers steeped in the racist policies you perpetuate. Officially promote the people of color and queer folks that you burden with the tasks and jobs, who do extra work and labor unpaid and unappreciated. #makenewsystems #reproductiveinjustice #tinytiger

Hospitals, hospital administrators, community health providers, OBGYNs, public health folks ... all of y’all who make decisions about healthcare for black birthing people. If this does not move you to action immediately ... if this does not fit with your vision for health care, we are not on the same team. We are not partners or allies. https://www.chcf.org//researchers-seek-reproductive-just/

Whewwwww ... trying to navigate hospital systems that have policies and protocols steeped in white supremacy and hierarchies ... just to ensure a client is getting the care they desperately need in a respectful way, while they make a tough choice to balance their health and the health of their fetus. Damn. Just keep trying to fly under the radar but keep getting exposed ... #systemscontrollingbodies #getcomfortablewithdiscomfort #nofreelabor #protocolversuspolicy #justwanttobeahomebirthdoctor #makenewsystems #noapologies

As comprehensive reproductive health care providers, we are often shunned, abused, and marginalized by our own field. In all of my past practices, I have faced obstacles to continue providing abortion services. How I coped in these situations was not always healthy or conducive to growth for myself or others, but thinking through everything now ... I am learning ... In my first job, I was working once a month at a free standing abortion clinic. In that job, I worked 80-120 ...Continue reading