This week’s readings and documentary were very shocking because I was able to have a little insight and learn about the personal experiences of a black mother who experienced obstetric racism, women in India, and transgender people who have been victims of discrimination in the United States healthcare system.
Firstly, it was surprising to see the attitudes of Indian women towards menstruation. There was a lack of knowledge on the topic, most people thought that the blood that comes from women is dirty and that women in their period are dirty as well. In the documentary, it also was mentioned that, when a woman is on her period, she can’t go to the temple, which I think is terrible because menstruation it’s something natural and normal. It was also surprising to see that those women didn’t even have pads, but they have to use fabric to contain the blood. All women should have access to menstrual products because menstruation it’s something they have to deal with every month a huge part of their lives. Without products, blood makes women feel extremely uncomfortable and can even stop them from doing their daily tasks. It is completely unfair that women in very poor areas don’t have access to menstrual products and are not educated about their own bodies.
Secondly, reading about LeConte’s birth story made me realize how serious of a problem obstetric racism is. The number of times the nurse poked to try to insert the IV knowing that she was hurting the patient was almost as if it was intentional. It also feels as if the nurse was treating her as an object, expecting that she wouldn’t feel the pain, it’s horrible. Giving birth seems extremely painful and exhausting, the fact that they made this woman walk while pushing her newborn in the mobile crib, it’s disrespectful and definitely degrading.
Lastly, the testimonies of the transgender people who were discriminated against by their health providers are shocking and awful. It is unacceptable and even disgusting how people use religion to justify discrimination. I don’t understand how a human being can be denied the right to healthcare because of their gender identity. I came into the article thinking that they were talking specifically about transitions and sex change, but it completely surprised me how transgender people face discrimination in healthcare in every other area.
The readings and the film are connected since they talk about discrimination toward minorities in the healthcare system. Black women experiencing obstetrician racism, women living in an underdeveloped country without access to menstrual products and being taught that they should be ashamed of a normal function of their bodies, and trans people are being discriminated against and prevented their access to healthcare. Everything is connected because a racist, sexist, capitalist, and patriarchal system neglects the needs of those who aren’t part of that exclusive group.
The format in which the stories were shared was great since I feel that it allowed me to understand the stories better and from a more personal point of view. The documentary let us see exactly how and where these women live, see their behavior, and listen to their experiences. The illustrations of the birth story allowed me to feel and imagine more about what was going on, and the poem felt like she was letting me into her mind and heart. The format of the article regarding transgender discrimination in the health care system was good because I was able to read about their experiences and how important the topic was to them.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed reflecting on your response. I was also shocked and felt a bit saddended that the women in India felt kind of ashamed and very shy about something that is natural and that happens to every women starting at a certain age in their life. Growing up, my mom made me aware about menstruation at a young age and encouraged me to never be afraid or ashamed to bring a pads to school. I remember always hiding my pads when I would ask my teacher to go to the bathroom, not wanting anyone to see it or know that I’m on my period. In many ways, even in the U.S., I think there is still a stigma around periods and how it is looked upon as “gross” rather than a natural thing that happens once a month to women.
I also found it so sad to see the twisted way that women in Indian have been taught to think about what a period is, some didn’t even know it had to do with the creation of life. You would think it is common sense, ofcourse they should go to temple, if anything it is the most God given attribute we have.
But, just the lack of education and the power of lies can completely change the world someone exists in. Science and knowledge is so powerful, wether used for good or used against a person.
I also hadn’t thought about the impact of trying to stop the bleeding on your own without having the knowledge of what a period is, and having all the information we now know about staying healthy and clean. Thinking about women using dirty cloths and not knowing that it needs to be cleaned and removed, they can end up with toxic shock and die. All the things I forget that we know because we were given the tools of knowledge.