From the classroom to the delivery room, future health care professionals must work to combat racial disparities in health care
By: Danoya Thomas, Opinion Contributor
CW: Medical racism, historical trauma, neglect in health care
The strength of a Black woman is not a result of genetics or natural processes. It emerged from the need to overcome systemic racism, biases and inequities that stem from a history of slavery and institutionalized racism—issues that permeate every aspect of our lives. This is especially apparent within health care, where we consistently experience neglect and poor treatment, negatively impacting both quality of life and life expectancy.
To understand present-day struggles, a look to the past is necessary. Parts of modern-day gynecology were built on the exploitation of slavery, when J. Marion Sims’ experiments on the bodies of Black women were performed without consent, enabled by the subjugation of bondage. These experiments were done to cure vesicovaginal fistulas.
However, the added horror of these experiences was in the absence of anesthesia for Black women, while their white counterparts received both anesthesia and consent.
The effects of this did not end with Sims’ experiments; medical racism has been propelled into the 20th and 21st centuries, shaping health care policies that dictate bias training, diverse hiring, treatment guidelines, insurance coverage and many other factors that continue to affect Black patient health.
This message is for anyone entering a health care profession; acknowledging this history is about more than dwelling on past injustices. It’s about using this knowledge to fuel you. It’s about using it to examine how subtle yet significant your contributions will be in addressing and minimizing the shortcomings of racism in a health care system that you will soon be a part of.
According to a CBC documentary article by Amanda Parris, little data is collected in Canada on the experiences of Black patients in health care.
“Unfortunately, these experts on the front lines in Canada don't have the stats to back up their day-to-day observations because in most of the country (except for Nova Scotia), there is a refusal to track race-based health data,” wrote Parris.
Refusing to collect race-based health data makes it increasingly difficult to identify, measure and address health disparities. As a result, this impedes progress and advocacy for change.
The absence of publicly accessible data further highlights the systemic neglect faced by Black women. Keeping crucial information hidden prevents necessary awareness and action, further perpetuating the reduced resources and attention needed to create safe hospitals for us and reinforcing informational barriers.
The relationship between patients and practitioners significantly influences how Black women experience treatment when they are at their most vulnerable. Because of this, doctors, nurses, physician assistants, therapists, midwives and all others involved in patient care play a major role in Black health advocacy and in the treatment Black patients receive.
Racial bias leads to the dismissal of pain in Black patients. But for Black women, racial stereotypes further compound this neglect, allowing sexism and racism to intersect in life-threatening ways.
Pulmonary embolism is one of many fatal post-labour complications often disregarded in Black women, as seen in Serena Williams’ harrowing experience after childbirth. Despite a history of the condition, her medical team dismissed her symptoms, even as she lost consciousness and coughed so violently that it tore her stitches.
Yet, it wasn’t these life-threatening signs that led to proper care. Only when she demanded specific tests did doctors finally act. Shockingly, the very professionals with decades of training to save lives failed her—until she strongly advocated for the care she knew she needed.
To McMaster students aspiring to enter health care, this is a terrible reality that you must work to change. The responsibility lies not only with policymakers or hospital administration, but also with the individuals caring for patients directly.
Listening, believing and taking Black patients’ concerns seriously, the first time, could be the difference between life and death. As future practitioners, will you be part of the problem or the solution?
Listening, believing and taking Black patients’ concerns seriously, the first time, could be the difference between life and death.
For now, students can educate themselves on medical racism by going beyond the rudimentary information covered in classrooms. This means seeking out further readings, engaging with Black health advocacy groups, challenging biases through advocacy with MSU’s education department and more.
Call out professors and peers who perpetuate misinformation and biases, because as the saying goes, “First, do no harm.” You must be willing to confront racism wherever it appears.
"First, do no harm.” You must be willing to confront racism wherever it appears.
Two Hamilton and Toronto-based artists share their excitement for fandom merchandise through stickers, pins and zines
Not all friendships are compatible for a business relationship. Many underestimate the pressure a business can put on a friendship and as a result, witness their lifelong bonds break. However, Bae and Boba co-owners Clover Thursday and Victoria Nguyen demonstrate that with proper communication and trust, a friendship can be the key to a successful business.
Thursday and Nguyen are freelance artists from Hamilton and Toronto, respectively, who met during their thesis class at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Despite having polar opposite personalities, with Thursday being more extroverted and Nguyen more introverted, they became close friends and launched Bae and Boba together in 2018.
Bae and Boba is an Etsy shop where the duo design and sell zines as well as cute and whimsical characters – from mermaids to boba bear – on stickers and pins. The name Bae and Boba was inspired by Thursday’s love for drawing cute female characters and Nguyen’s love for bubble tea. They created the business to provide more spaces for people who like anime, kawaii culture and alternative culture. Through the business, they want to encourage people’s passion and enthusiasm for fandoms.
“During quarantine and isolation . . . it’s amazing how important it is to have something to look forward to. People are excited to get that really cute sticker or a really cute pin they liked . . . It’s really nice to be able to give that excitement to people,” said Thursday.
“During quarantine and isolation . . . it’s amazing how important it is to have something to look forward to. People are excited to get that really cute sticker or a really cute pin they liked . . . It’s really nice to be able to give that excitement to people,” said Thursday.
The duo says open communication, patience, collaboration and compromise are vital to their business. It was a learning curve to figure out what they each value as artists and how to compromise on artistic differences. They are still learning how to work better together and create harmony between their different drawing styles. While Nguyen is more detail-oriented, Thursday uses more expressive linework.
During the ideation process, they constantly send each other rough drafts, ideas and feedback. This was especially important while working on the Kickstarter they created to crowdfund for their enamel pins. The Kickstarter launched in August and featured pins representing teas from around the world. In the same month, they also released their first zine together.
“[The Kickstarter project] was kind of a big testament to how we were able to compromise both of our aesthetics and styles and really figure out an even better way to work together,” said Thursday.
“[The Kickstarter project] was kind of a big testament to how we were able to compromise both of our aesthetics and styles and really figure out an even better way to work together,” said Thursday.
Thursday has previously released other zines on Bae and Boba, including Black Skin, White Masks which was published this summer and whose proceeds went toward organizations such as Black Lives Matter, Black Health Alliance and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion. The illustrations are based on Franz Fanon’s book by the same name in which he discusses his experience with racism and anxiety as a Black man in 1960s France.
“[Black Skin, White Masks was] a milestone that I hit as an artist using what I can do and using my talents to try and influence some sort of change,” explained Thursday.
Nguyen shared the same sentiment about using art for social change.
“We’ve always enjoyed making cute or beautiful things, but seeing the events happening around the world, we just thought we should use our skills to do some good because we all had such a visceral reaction to George Floyd, so it feels wrong to not do something right now,” said Nguyen.
Thursday and Nguyen were both amazed by the excitement and support from customers, friends, family and the artist community. Through the business, they were able to connect with people outside of Canada from the United Sates, France and Australia.
This is just the beginning for the duo as they continue to use their work to bring excitement to people who stumble across their Etsy page or are looking for art with a meaning behind it.
