This weeks topic is so impactful, I think this is the crux of some of what we have learned this semester. It seems a little easier for people to rationalize the nuances of social and cultural oppression. There’s always some excuse or work around to try to deny the fact that it’s about racism and sexism. Blaming personal trades instead of facing that it’s about judgement of the whole. Examples; ‘you can rise to the top if you work hard, inequality doesn’t have to do with race”.

This topic takes it straight to the most basic human right, that in my eyes there is no rationalizing. A person can not get health care, can not save their own life, get treatments equal to any other human, because of the way they look. There is no way of saying it is a woman’s fault she has a period or that a woman shouldn’t be able to bring a child into the world the same way another woman with a different color skin can.

I am not saying that I agree with any of the reasons that inequality is exercised, but when it comes to the living breathing working human body there is no argument that we are any different. Scientifically we are literally exactly the same inside and need the same care in order to survive. There is no way around it, no working harder, no playing the game of life, no changing yourself, if you’re sick there’s only one option for getting better.

So that is the connection I make between these readings and film, the body of a human being, the way it works biologically has absolutely no difference in the need for care. There couldn’t be a more obvious argument for quality.

I was mostly surprised by the film, Period: End of Sentence, and the Vice article, 12 Reasons it Should Be Illegal not to Treat Trans People, about trans people not being able to get medical attention. Mostly because I definitely was already aware of the discrimination that black women face in health care.

Period: End of Sentence is such a reminder of how technology has changed the world, and how behind and advanced different places are. Although we have a lot of work to do here in the US, we have come a long way in contrast to seeing where other Countries are with Feminist rights. But, at the same time, inequality does seem to be some sort of virus that mutates sadly. If it’s not in one area it’s in another. Because then in 12 Reasons it Should Be Illegal not to Treat Trans People we see this extreme issue of innequality alive and well in the US.

Such a reminder of how you have to try to tackle the whole system, the bigger system of patriarchy.

In the film “Period: End of Sentence”, it made me really emotional to listen how the women in the village had to deal with periods. The stigma of the period in that village was very negative and many girls didn’t want to say what a period is or were even too embarrassed to talk about it. But why? A period is such a normal thing and it is the anatomy of life and the human cycle of a woman. From a young age, my mom had always spoken to me about periods, what the process of it was, and what to use while on my period. These young girls in the village don’t have the same privilege as me to go buy pads or tampons or even medication to help stimulate painful period cramps. Watching this documentary made me feel very grateful that I am able to get these period products easily but it made me sad as well because I feel that all women should have access to any period product they need. At this point, period products shouldn’t even cost money. Watching a man help these women by making a machine that makes pads and showing the women how to make them brought joy to my heart. Finally, someone is seeing an issue and making a difference and helping. Watching the process of how they make the pads was very interesting because they compared a regular pad that I would buy and their pad that they made from scratch, and there was more durability shown in their pads. I like that while trying to sell the pads to other women, they also educated them and showed them how to use them because most women used cloths for their periods and were ashamed of it.

The article “A Birth Story” by Dana-Ain Davis, is a great example that oppression can be in everything including medical care. LeConté faced a tremendous amount of discrimination and racism but a specific kind of racism: Obstetric racism. Dana-Ain explains that obstetric racism sits between violence and medical racism. It doesn’t surprise me at all that there is racism even while getting medical care that is necessary. What LeConté faced during her labor and delivery is appalling. Of all the seven dimensions of obstetric racism, LeConté faced at least three including: neglect or disrespect, intentionally causing pain, and ceremony of degradation. I now know that unfortunately anyone can experience racism and discrimination anywhere, anytime no matter what environment you are in.

The reading, “12 Reasons It Should Be Illegal for Doctors Not to Treat Trans People” written by Diana Tourjee is not only a crucial article for people to read but an informative one as well. Tourjee focuses on the unethical and inhumane actions being done towards transgendered individuals in the society just because they want to be able to go to the doctors when they feel sick. What surprised me throughout this reading was the whole thing if I’m being honest; I’ve been aware of the fact that trangendered individuals throughout history have had it hard but even saying that is an understatement to the obstacles and challenges they have gone through and continue to go through in society today. The fact that the HHS decided to determine if they wanted to effectively allow federally funded healthcare providers and insurers to legally deny care to transgender people is a representation of the ideology that trangendered people till this day are still not recognized, respected, and not seen as equal. 

The reading, “A Birth Story” written by Dana-Ain Davis, Cheyenne Varner, and LeConte J. Dill focuses on the birth story about a woman named Leconte J. Dill. Leconte wanted to share her story because she understands the power of reconstituting oneself after having experienced racism, in this case, obstetrics racism. Leconte is a forty year old, black, professional woman who had IVF; once Leconte became pregnant she started planning her life and birth ahead of time for the arrival of their baby girl. LeConte and her husband set up a birth support team that included two doulas and arrangements were made for nurse midwives to be at the hospital when LeConte planned to give birth. LeConte wanted a smooth, special, and memorable experience for her, her husband, and her baby girl during her birthing experience at the hospital. During LeConte’s pregnancy she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia; therefore, her OB-GYN team wanted her to induce labor. During LeConte’s time at the hospital, she and her husband had several experiences that they viewed as radical caring and obstetric racism. LeConte experienced a nurse jabbing her arm over and over trying to find a vein, an anesthesiologist giving her too much epidural and making her dizzy, people pressuring her into having a c-section, and even moving her to a different story with no one to help besides her own husband. What surprised me while reading this article was how LeConte even experienced something like this at the most sensitive, important, and special part of her life along with her family’s. The idea that she left the hospital disconsolate, uncomfortable, and damaged from her experiences is a prime example of the continuous racism that leads society and will affect different aspects of society in obstructive ways. 

In the film, “Period. End of Sentence.” featured by Netflix was not only informative but a moving documentary that truly dives deep into not only the continuous stigma of menstruation but the way women in India have paved a new way for that stigma to begin to break down. What surprised me in this documentary was the fact that men in India did not know what a period was or what a pad was used for. The idea that these men have wives and children who are girls yet they do not know what a period is and that women get it once a month for the rest of their lives is mind boggling to me. What also shocked me was the fact that women in India were not only shy but ashamed of their periods and the fact that they had to change with cloths just found on places like the side of the road. The format in which these stories were shared; documentary and interview style helped me truly open my eyes to how not only women in India but in other third world countries as well are facing such medical oppression simply by not having the privacy to change while on their period in peace, the idea that they feel shy and ashamed of even having their periods, and the essential materials needed like pads or tampons are not available or even a thing in these countries. 

Personally, all both the reading materials and documentary all connect with the fact that people of all types; gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicicty, and even disability all face medical oppression in some way shape or form. Whether you are being denied the right to see a doctor because of how you identify yourself, whether you are being a black woman being faced in obstetric racism, or whether you’re a young girl living in a third world country with no access to support or help with their own bodies and the things they go through; you are being medically oppressed in some way shape or form.

I would say I was most surprised by the level of shame and embarrassment the women in “Period: End of Sentence” had in discussing their periods. I had heard of the Period Project before, and their efforts in India. I had also read about some of the beliefs held there of women being seen as tainted or dirty while on their periods. I had read about women in Nepal dying in the winter’s cold, banished from their house while on their period. So on some level I knew the worst of it, but I was still surprised to see the way these women carried that burden of shame in their lives. To see the way it made them shrink away. I think that’s what was so powerful to see in the film, the way they became empowered in learning about their periods, working to produce pads, and the change having accessible pads made in their lives. I’ve only read about the situation in India, and I think of the different formats, seeing the physicality and emotion of the women on film was the most impactful for me.

I felt the films and readings were united in illustrating the callous disregard people can face in receiving the most basic and fundamental of care, and the harm that can cause. I was horrified by LeConté walking her baby to the postpartum floor after what she had already faced in giving birth. The concern she must have had in her premature birth. Fear for her child’s health. Fear for her own health. And to have no reassurance that anyone was advocating for her, or to feel that she was somehow a burden. It must be so humiliating to feel so helpless in a situation where you are so vulnerable. Humiliation is another experience that unites all of these stories. The humiliation non-binary and trans men and women must face in seeking medical help to only be degraded and have your identity questioned. The humiliation and disdain the women in India face in managing a natural function of their bodies. But I guess it’s also the ignorance. People not wanting to know, not caring to know, and not tryin got help people. All of this is so much worse when it’s doctors and medical professionals who perpetrate this harm. In all of this I have to say its disheartening and alarming to hear the specifics of how this plays out, but not surprising to hear that it happens. To some extent I feel I don’t have a way of elaborating on the issue because I’ve experienced it to some degree myself and it’s left me feeling defeated. I’ve felt shamed by doctors before. I’ve had a doctor yell at me for taking preventative HIV medication. I’ve been denied care that I’ve asked for. I’ve had doctors assume that I’m HIV positive because I’m gay. It’s always humiliating and degrading, and I don’t really know what to do about it.

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.

I’ve heard a lot of similar stories to “A Birth Story.” Amidst the George Floyd attacks, women began speaking about real situations they faced in the hospital. Many of them said doctors are not there to help black women. In several of the stories, I heard that they all said this one thing. Try to look for black nurses to help you. Medical students and doctors have come out and revealed that in medical schools they are taught that black women have higher pain tolerance, so they shouldn’t accommodate them. It’s messed up and unfortunate that even in hospitals we aren’t protected. It makes me wonder if we are safe anywhere if even our doctors aren’t looking out for us. The same goes for trans people. The point of doctors is to save lives. So why are they turning away and dismissing people who could have life-threatening issues? It isn’t fair at all. Who are they to decide who is worthy of treatment and who is not? Things need to change. The medical system needs to be wiser about who they choose to give medical licenses to and they should update their policies.

I realized after watching “Period. End of sentence.” that I wasn’t the only one who was taught that periods were something to be embarrassed about. Much like breastfeeding, it’s normal, but women are shamed for it. In my house, we’re always forced to cover up any evidence of periods. We have to hide the pads. We can’t mention cramps to the men in our family. It’s taboo. It never made any sense to me. Especially since it’s normal for women to have periods. When they tell us to hide them, they essentially tell us that our periods aren’t normal. Tampons and pads should be given for free and everyone should have access to them. Growing up here in America is a privilege. The treatment of women in other countries is terrifying, so although my experience with periods wasn’t so great, I have acknowledged my privilege. My friend had somewhat of a similar experience where she wasn’t allowed to go to church on her period because it was viewed as unclean. And as the saying goes, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” so she had to stay home. I always wondered if God was the one to give us periods, why wasn’t she allowed to come into the church? I think if the roles were reversed and guys had periods, it would be a lot more normalized.

The two readings “A birth story and “12 reasons it should be illegal for doctors not to treat a trans person”, are not a shock to me but upsetting to read and think about. These are the scenarios in urban and Trans communities everything I read and watched although not fair is not out of the ordinary, but because it is not something I am faced with on the daily they are not things I think about until I read things like this and it honestly makes me sad and angry. While I have never first hand experienced medical oppression (to my knowledge) it does not make it unfathomable for me with the world we are living in. I was actually fortunate enough to have a doctor who refused to give me a C-section after I was begging for one after being in labor for hours I was told I would have one if I did not dilate, because it is a last resort however, I did start to dilate and she was adamant that I did not want to take that route so reading they were insisting on giving LeConte one brought my experience to mind and made me sad for her.  In both the readings and film the connection I made is the people being oppressed and deprived of things they need or should have access to without an issue because they are basic human rights and the denial is based on gender, race, identity or (gender preference) like the unfortunate personal experiences recounted by some of the trans and urban community, being denied or finding it difficult to receive proper medical care. I was taken back by the film “Period. End of Sentence”. I feel like things are so accessible to us in the US I don’t really think about how far behind other places are with daily necessities. I appreciated the knowledge I gained from this assignment. The format in which the information was delivered helped me understand the experiences that some of these people go through first hand. We have read and discussed many oppressive situations but here we are walking through their experience with them in a sense.

I guess during this week’s reading  what surprises me is that in this modern age we are almost at a technological space where cars can fly and we can track our belongings. Where we can even reasonably afford virtual reality.  Even in this modern age  things like obstetric racism exist despite the fact that each doctor has taken a  hippocratic oath. Black people and more specifically black women are  continously looked over and ignored by the health system,  that the racism in our health care is insidious and murderous and not outright but rather hidden in the overlooking the concerns and needs of pregnant black woman. Additionally, that same system is outright blatantly prejudiced and is even able to do this legally by refusing service when it comes to serving folks of tran experience. In certain areas of the world periods are still misunderstood and deemed as unclean and women do not have the supplies they need to comfortably continue their day when on their period. Honestly what is more surprising for me is the idea that doctors actually listen to certain patients and don’t just choose things for them and ignore their concerns because often that has been my experience growing up in brooklyn. The connection I found across readings and film is that a marginalized group of people did not have access to the medical resources they needed. Their quality of life was impacted by their health needs not being met. The format in which the stories are shared help me understand medical oppression  and aspects of gender by explaining the ways that racism can look like in covert ways with the first reading and how it was in the second reading and that both of those are very dangerous when the power of life and death is in someone’s hands. Throughout history the health system has used black and brown bodies as experiments and particularly black women and even latin women were forcefully sterilized. So it is no surprise that our communities are distrusting of these systems and rely on homemade remedies and the hiring of doulas so that we can have the support of people who have a shared experience and anxieties when it comes to healthcare. Our communities need resources and clearly communities around the world need more health resources and health should not be a form of capital, it is a human right and everyone should receive the best quality of care that is available.

This weeks reading were very heartbreaking and something i have read about and spoke about with family and friends.

I will start off with the article a birth story, which starts off by telling us the story of Leconte’s birth story, like her and many Black women she shares her experiences in the hospital. Leconte is 35 weeks (about 8 months) pregnant with serious health concerns and so the doctors want to induce her labor, which is understandable, she like many other mothers had created a birth plan, in her birth plan she expresses how she did Not want a c-section. She experienced something that no other woman on this planet should go through and is also known as Obstetric racism; doctors and nurses were annoyed with her. The nurses would prick and probe her like she was not a human with feelings. The doctor that gave her too much of an epidural was annoyed and commented she should just get a c-section with her being in the room. The part that really broke my heart was when she finally gave vaginal birth, after just a few hours they switched her to another room, and she had to walk and push her own baby! This shows us how little doctors and nurses neglect the Black women in this country in the most vulnerable time of their lives. Doctors are to Black women what police officers are to Black men neglectful and careless. 

Now with the 12 reasons it should be illegal for doctors not to treat trans people, this article explains how the department of health and human services want to create a new rule that consist of whether to effectively allow federally funded health providers and insurers to legally deny health care services to transgender people. Then we got to read some of the comments that trans women and American people do not want this to happen. This new rule is discriminatory and will cause major harm to the trans community. Even worse death!  

Now to end my discussion with the documentary Period. End of Sentence, I was shocked to see all the women, girls, boys, and men did not know what a period was. Also, that these women and girls did not have any access to a pad. They did not even know what a pad was. What I did enjoy was to see the women having support from a man making pads for them and the women of India having access to their own pad making machine. These women were truly inspiring working with what they have so that the young girls will not quit school because of their periods, have a better future and an education. 

Women are the true heroes of this world,we must protect and respect them all.