9 ways racism impacts maternal health
9 ways racism impacts maternal health
As we celebrate our moms and mommies this Mother’s Day, let us not forget that for some, motherhood is not an enjoyed privilege For many Black Indigenous and racialized women in Turtle Island (North America) and globally motherhood is a fight for life
The struggle for our maternal health and motherhood includes daily resistance against anti-Black racism, anti-indigeneity sexism, classism and other forms of intersectional violence The health of Black pregnant women and mothers is a key issue being debated in the United States presidential 2020 campaigns especially by Sen. Kamala Harris and Sen Elizabeth Warren Recently Harris introduced a resolution to raise awareness of the disproportionately high rates of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women Professional tennis player Serena Williams’ recent maternal health crisis demonstrated that Black women’s reproductive health can be jeopardized, suspect, dismissed and at risk of demise even for the very talented wealthy and well-known The historical exploitation of Black and Indigenous women through forced sterilization rape medical experimentation and other forms of torture through scientific racism African enslavement and Indigenous genocide directly impacts maternal health outcomes today This conversation is critical as we face recent fiscal cuts locally and globally to public health education and anti-racism programs.