Black and Native doulas are already addressing maternal and post-partum healthcare inequities through their community work. Disclaimer: At various points throughout this article, the author uses gendered language. This is because most studies done about birthing people only include or refer to cisgender women. Whenever possible, gender-neutral language is used. By Nylah Burton For Black...
Tag: pregnancy
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The Cishets Are Not OK: Gender Reveal Parties Are Literally Killing People
The gender reveal party has proven itself to be shallow, consumerist, queerantagonistic, and dangerous. It’s time to retire it. By Nylah Burton Recently, a few “gender reveal” parties have gone awry, prompting many to ask if it’s time for this relatively new practice to come to a swift end. In the past, birthing people had...
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Engaging With Black Pregnancy Outside of High Childbirth Mortality Rates
The only time I saw Black parents represented were to mention mortality rates during childbirth. It left me infuriated and frustrated. By Sadiyah Bashir Like any other pregnant Millenial/Gen Z-er excited about bringing new life into the world, I took to the internet to find cute baby clothes, nursery ideas, and maybe a quick tip...
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Marshae Jones and how the Criminalization of Miscarriages Fits In With Abortion Laws
What is happening to Marshae Jones is yet another reminder that the pro-choice movement must move towards reproductive justice. TW/CW: This essay discusses miscarriage, abortion, pregnancy loss, and gun violence. Marshae Jones was taken into custody in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday after being indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on manslaughter charges for the...
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The Fight Against Reproductive Rights Targets the Most Marginalized People—Here is How You Can Help
Those disproportionately targeted by state violence for autonomy over their own bodies are fighting for reproductive rights and have been for a long time. “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” This quote from Audre Lorde (“Learning from the Sixties,” 1982) has been rattling around in...
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How Postpartum Bodies Are Affected By Fatphobia
Being pregnant is complicated and societal standards for postpartum bodies can breed parent to child resentment. Parents struggling with image issues after giving birth may feel like the child is to blame or the pregnancy “ruined their body” and those who already suffer from eating disorders may risk miscarriage. By Aihs Eztofeid If you’ve never...
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Why Aren’t Pro-Life Groups Outraged by the Shackling of Pregnant Inmates?
Shackling isn’t about safety. It’s about punishing those deemed unfit and undesirable for exercising the choice to become mothers. To be a woman in this society is to be vulnerable physically, financially, and politically. 33 percent of women have been the victim of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Women, on average,...
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Sex Is A Good Enough Reason For Birth Control
The impact of listing all the uses of birth control except it’s original use is playing into respectability politics. Trump and his administration hate women. Whether he is bragging about grabbing women’s genitals, calling for the firing of a Black sports anchor, or heckling his former rival via Twitter, Trump has shown time and again...
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Now *YOU* Need to Leave Ciara the F*ck Alone.
People are sexualizing the image of a black family hugging. Why are they sexualizing a black toddler being embraced by his pregnant mother and stepfather? Whenever Ciara breathes, a Future stan who still lives with his parents and thinks the clitoris is a myth types furiously into Twitter to say that she deserves to die for...
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How I Relearned Self-Love After Giving Birth
You have done something incredible and your life has changed forever. You deserve some time alone. by Kathy Hardess You have read every book on what you should do or eat during pregnancy. The chances are that you’ve endured endless and often unasked advice from people claiming to know it all and know it better...