Introduction
I believe that all women are the same, regardless of race or ethnicity. There should not be any stereotypes of any kind directed at any woman based on their gender, sexual orientation, color, shape, or size. However, in many countries within the Atlantic world, specifically, European, South American, and North American women of color lack identity (Hernandez 2017). Black ladies in particular still face discrimination and neglect in terms of maternal, gynecological, and obstetric care, medical sexual violence, and perception of reproduction grounded on race.
Neglect and Discrimination
Historically, the sexual and reproductive health of African women has been compromised because of racism that started with slavery activities and continued through the post-Civil Rights period to today. Females have always faced discriminatory actions, which included healthcare practices. Scientific racism, as a philosophy that was anchored on social Darwinism theory, placed the white race as superior to those of color. This created the wrong notion towards black people, and as a result, women considered to be dark colored-have been looked down upon (Kendi 2017). The negativity brought about by this narrative of racial inferiority worsened everything about women of color, including their health. In turn, they got and continue to get poor-quality care. Being seen as second-hand humans, today, black women still experience high maternal mortality rates, infant deaths, sexually transmitted diseases, and poor reproductive and obstetric care (Prather et al. 2018). On many occasions, when ladies or girls of color visit health facilities, they are usually neglected or receive poor services because medics have racial prejudice against them.
Medical Sexual Violence against Black Women
Colonization and scientific racism gave birth to eugenic movements in Europe and the Americas. The effects of these ideologies were the forceful coercion of black women to undergo sterilization without their knowledge or consent. Those who refused were threatened with denial of medical care or termination of welfare benefits (Taylor 2020). These inhuman acts left many females in the Atlantic world infertile for the rest of their lives.
Perceptions of Reproduction Based Upon Race
Additionally, many black women and poor black women in these counties have gone through unwarranted hysterectomies for medical students in several hospitals. All these were perpetuated as a way to eliminate women of color from the reproduction cycle because they were deemed abnormal and unwanted species (Prather et al. 2018). Taken together, these negative experiences have anchored poor sexual and reproductive health results for black women in the Atlantic world from one generation to the next.
This must change, and I have to say this to black women, baseless historical racial stereotypes continue to shape how you are viewed, and this has adversely impacted your sexual and reproductive health. Although there are not many women of color who can change this perception, you all need to stand up for your rights without fear (Adichie 2017). Those in strong positions to get elected as representatives must take the fight to the various parliaments and push for the enactment of legislation to correct this inhuman treatment. Lastly, black women need to fight for what is rightfully theirs.
Outreach Assignment
This section addresses the issues raised in the personal manifesto in part one of this essay. It involved five women, ages 20, 28, 33, 37, and 42, respectively. The five were approached in a face-to-face conversation and were taken through the purpose of having them on board for this assignment. After they were convinced about the whole process and gave their consent, they were given a copy of their personal manifesto to read. Further, they were given three open-ended questions that touched on topics addressed in the personal manifesto, to which they responded based on their reading.
Questions
- Do you agree that black women are neglected and discriminated against (Hernandez 2017)? If yes, would you elaborate?
- Are there medical sexual violence against black women as claimed in this personal manifesto (Ibram, 2017; Prather 2018; Taylor 2020)?
- Do people have perceptions of reproduction based on race (Adichie, 2017; Taylor 2020)?
Reflection on the Outreach
According to their understanding, all five respondents agreed that they were neglected and discriminated against. It was coming out clearly that black, minority, and marginalized women are looked down upon even by males within their communities who take them as inferior. This has had a devastating effect on their ability to fully enjoy their equality and fundamental human rights in both the public and private spheres over the years (Hernandez 2017). One of the respondents (33 years old) said this: “I think white women are taken as superior, intelligent, clean, beautiful, and more deserving than blacks, this happens even among black men who treat white ladies with a lot more respect than women of color.”
It was equally evident that all the ladies resonated well with the claim in the manifesto that racial prejudices against blacks started in the slavery era and still exist. Today, it defines how women of color are offered services, including healthcare, both in public and private facilities (Prather et al. 2018). A participant, aged 42, who happened to be a victim at some point, said, “I was mistreated on several counts in a public hospital when I went for my normal pregnancy check-ups. The majority of doctors in that facility were white. Each time I went, I was forced to wait for hours, and sometimes I would be told to come back the following day because the medics were busy. What I did not like was the fact that fellow white women would come later and be ushered in as I was made to wait.”
Further, all the five respondents upon reading the personal manifest were convinced that people have perceptions of reproduction based on race. It was clear that some people feel black people are ugly, not intelligent, not educated, not professionals, and lacking identity (Hernandez 2017). Therefore, they should not be respected nor honored, and this community should be left extinct. In addition, it was evident that it was very rare to find a white man engaging and even marrying a black woman in the Americas or in Europe.
Conclusion
This was seen as a way of their objection or rejection of cross-breeding with people of color. The Participant aged 37 years said, “I have a feeling that men both whites and those of color disregard black women. Black men would prefer sexual intercourse with white ladies to get a mixed of the breed, while white men just dislike even the whole idea of having a child with black women.” Importantly, it must go on record that 4 of the respondents were black women, while the remaining one was a Latino. Thus, their backgrounds might have influenced their strong positive responses after reading the manifesto.
References List
Adichie, Chimamonda, Ngozi. 2017. “Dear Ijeawele, or a feminist manifesto in fifteen suggestions.” Web.
Hernandez, Maria. 2017. “The Latina Manifesto.” Latina Vida. Web.
Kendi, X., Ibram. 2017 “A history of race and racism in America in 24 chapters.” New York Times. Web.
Prather, Cynthia, Fuller, Taleria R., Jeffries, William L., Marshall, Khiya J., Howell, A., Vyann, Belyue-Umole, Angela, and King, Winifred. 2018. “Racism, African American Women, and Their Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Review of Historical and Contemporary Evidence and Implications for Health Equity.” Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Web.
Taylor, K., Jamila. 2020. “Structural Racism and Maternal Health among Black Women.” Sage Journals, 48 (3). Web.