Thank you so much for this article. My office manager, who is African-American had a C-section performed on her with no anesthesia whatsoever. This was 20 years ago.
Every time I think it can’t get any worse…that is awful. I have lost count of the number of traumatic birth stories I’ve heard at this point—especially from black women. Its a very, very bad situation
It truly is sad and medical trauma is very serious. It is rampant. Listening to black voices share there experiences is so scary. One I heard say she almost lost her life and ended up in the hospital for 30 days because of a doctor’s neglect. He came in later and said he was sorry because he never saw the signs on black skin in medical school. This to me sounds like an excuse to make his devastating error sit better with himself. And reminds me of an article I read during my masters about black men and not receiving proper mental health diagnoses of schizophrenia because they are label angry or aggressive. Just for being black. Then end up in prison. Unlike their white counterparts.
I literally can’t tell you how many horrifying stories I’ve heard like this at this point. I don’t want to hear excuses anymore from providers. We have tremendous power and I consider it legitimately negligent to work with populations you refuse to educate yourself about. These are life or death situations.
It is well-documented that black people are more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis and overmedicated with heavy anti-psychotic medications compared to other populations.
All of these reasons are why I’m dying on this hill…
The argument that white men are "missing out" on a valuable advertising group by being excluded from a Black provider listing site fundamentally misunderstands what's happening.
Black patients seeking Black providers aren't making a consumer choice based on preference. They're making a safety choice rooted in real history. Historically, Black people's medical concerns have been dismissed at significantly higher rates than those of white people. Black communities face measurably higher rates of morbidity and mortality. A Black patient seeking a Black provider is seeking someone who will take them seriously-someone who understands that this disparity isn't a coincidence.
That's not exclusion. That's survival.
When this gets framed as a missed "market opportunity," it reveals how thoroughly the argument misses the point. This isn't about marketing strategy. It's about trust earned through shared lived experience in a medical system that has harmed Black people systematically and continues to do so.
We live in a world where even the truth is politicized. Health equity is close to my heart and I write about in lupus care and late diagnosis. When you talk about the health disparities existing even after accounting for education and wealth, weathering comes to mind—accumulating stress from discrimination and racism.
Thank you for this article. You tied it together so well that I’ve saved it to return to it for clarity on this topic.
Thank you for this excellent analysis and synopsis that’s both critical incident and systems view in scope.
I’ll add, from my experience as a peer support, weight, and health coach, is that in many localities, Black neighborhoods are isolated into areas where toxic air, soils, and water are the worst.
Trains, highways, factories, and waste dumps are only a few of the environmental stressors. Food deserts and transportation hurdles compromise the chances that good knowledge and advice can or will be followed.
I support the concept of a Black practitioner directory just as I suport directories for Lyme Literate MDs (LLMD) or Trauma Informed practitioners.
Lawsuits like this one, claiming reverse discrimination are not filed in good faith. As if they feel truly harmed by the lack of Black patients. Rather, my guess is that using “woke” medicine against an underserved and deeply harmed population has some big money and big guns to aim at.
Exactly as this article describes, the needs. The failures. The highlighting of a self-sealing system that’s really about profit rather than human health.
Thank you so much for this article. My office manager, who is African-American had a C-section performed on her with no anesthesia whatsoever. This was 20 years ago.
Every time I think it can’t get any worse…that is awful. I have lost count of the number of traumatic birth stories I’ve heard at this point—especially from black women. Its a very, very bad situation
It truly is sad and medical trauma is very serious. It is rampant. Listening to black voices share there experiences is so scary. One I heard say she almost lost her life and ended up in the hospital for 30 days because of a doctor’s neglect. He came in later and said he was sorry because he never saw the signs on black skin in medical school. This to me sounds like an excuse to make his devastating error sit better with himself. And reminds me of an article I read during my masters about black men and not receiving proper mental health diagnoses of schizophrenia because they are label angry or aggressive. Just for being black. Then end up in prison. Unlike their white counterparts.
I literally can’t tell you how many horrifying stories I’ve heard like this at this point. I don’t want to hear excuses anymore from providers. We have tremendous power and I consider it legitimately negligent to work with populations you refuse to educate yourself about. These are life or death situations.
It is well-documented that black people are more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis and overmedicated with heavy anti-psychotic medications compared to other populations.
All of these reasons are why I’m dying on this hill…
Well-laid out facts about why FABD exists
I appreciate that! Thanks for reading :)
The argument that white men are "missing out" on a valuable advertising group by being excluded from a Black provider listing site fundamentally misunderstands what's happening.
Black patients seeking Black providers aren't making a consumer choice based on preference. They're making a safety choice rooted in real history. Historically, Black people's medical concerns have been dismissed at significantly higher rates than those of white people. Black communities face measurably higher rates of morbidity and mortality. A Black patient seeking a Black provider is seeking someone who will take them seriously-someone who understands that this disparity isn't a coincidence.
That's not exclusion. That's survival.
When this gets framed as a missed "market opportunity," it reveals how thoroughly the argument misses the point. This isn't about marketing strategy. It's about trust earned through shared lived experience in a medical system that has harmed Black people systematically and continues to do so.
We live in a world where even the truth is politicized. Health equity is close to my heart and I write about in lupus care and late diagnosis. When you talk about the health disparities existing even after accounting for education and wealth, weathering comes to mind—accumulating stress from discrimination and racism.
Thank you for this article. You tied it together so well that I’ve saved it to return to it for clarity on this topic.
Thank you for this excellent analysis and synopsis that’s both critical incident and systems view in scope.
I’ll add, from my experience as a peer support, weight, and health coach, is that in many localities, Black neighborhoods are isolated into areas where toxic air, soils, and water are the worst.
Trains, highways, factories, and waste dumps are only a few of the environmental stressors. Food deserts and transportation hurdles compromise the chances that good knowledge and advice can or will be followed.
I support the concept of a Black practitioner directory just as I suport directories for Lyme Literate MDs (LLMD) or Trauma Informed practitioners.
Lawsuits like this one, claiming reverse discrimination are not filed in good faith. As if they feel truly harmed by the lack of Black patients. Rather, my guess is that using “woke” medicine against an underserved and deeply harmed population has some big money and big guns to aim at.
Exactly as this article describes, the needs. The failures. The highlighting of a self-sealing system that’s really about profit rather than human health.
NO!