06/19/2026
Graphic content warning. Juneteenth is an opportunity to tell the truth.
The history of birth, obstetrics, and women’s health care in North America cannot be separated from the experiences of black teenagers, women and girls.
Many people have heard of the “father of gynecology” 🤢 aka j. marion sims.
I learned about him briefly in med school (yes, Oregon chiropractors get training in OBGYN)
But what I didn’t learn and most of us are not taught was about Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey - enslaved Black teenagers and women who endured repeated experimental surgeries without anesthesia.
Teenagers who already had endured unfathomable suffering leading to horrible gynecological issues.
Their suffering is the foundation of modern gynecology.
And while that history may feel distant, the effects are still happening today.
Today, Black women continue to face disproportionately poor maternal health care outcomes, are more likely to have their pain dismissed or belittled, and have to navigate a healthcare system carrying generations of abuse and justified mistrust.
This is about remembrance.
Honoring the women whose stories were ignored.
Acknowledging the grief and trauma that is still held in our wombs across generations.
It’s about recognizing that safety, dignity, informed consent, and being heard should never be privileges.
They should be the bare minimum.
🖤
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