#tw: medical racism

[wordsmith30]

Black Lightning 1×04: “Black Jesus”

It’s been a while since my last liveblog, but I am back on my DCTV show binge once again!

Let’s get into it!

So, to recap: the Reverend and Khalil were shot during the march, Anissa was seen flirting with Grace (despite the fact that she still has a girlfriend), and Jefferson believes that he needs to be doing better (he’s right). Lawanda’s death has really shaken him. Lala’s dead and we’re about to see the aftermath of the protest.

Jefferson finds a boy in the bathroom on Green Light, a very powerful street drug – so powerful that the kid rips a sink clean off the wall and flings it at Jefferson’s head. 

Jefferson is able to take him down, but he has to electrocute him. I was afraid he was going to kill him.

Shortly afterwards, Anissa finds two of her students trying to buy drugs from these guys on the corner. These boys just love to threaten people, don’t they? She makes a note of their location for later.

The nurses’ attitude towards Khalil’s condition is a perfect example of medical racism. And one of them has the nerve to say “What” when Jennifer tells them off. Isn’t it your job to help people and put them on a path to recovery?

We learn that Tobias only got in with Lady Eve and her people because he allegedly killed Black Lightning. Now that Black Lightning has returned to the stage, his reputation is in jeopardy. He now has to finish what he started.

I think Jefferson is being awfully unfair about the whole track situation. “I know you’ve been through a lot …” Yeah, she was kidnapped by The 100 gang and had her life threatened multiple times, even getting assaulted by a kid who shot fake blood at her! Give her a break! These are children, not soldiers.

Dinner with the Hendersons is quite eventful. Jefferson can barely contain his smug smile while Anissa praises Black Lightning’s efforts as a superhero. Little do they know, she’s talking about herself as much as she is him as she also wants to do more. And then poor Lynn is just trying to remind everyone how dangerous and frightening it is to engage in vigilantism (cough, cough). If only these children knew!

Anissa’s would-be heroism takes a dark turn when she goes after the two dealers from earlier in “disguise” and then has to call an ambulance. Whoops! 😅

Again, I love the realism on this show. Things never go exactly the way we plan them in our heads. You have to be careful.

Jefferson confronts his old buddy, Two-Bits, about the Green Light supply. When that doesn’t go anywhere, he tries Plan B. That bar clears out fast when Black Lightning shows up!

I just love the dynamic he has with the public. Black Lightning’s so cool, I gotta get a selfie with him before he knocks me out! 😂

You can tell Jennifer was hoping for a bigger reaction when she told Khalil she quit the track team. She did it for you, dummy!

The drug case with Jefferson’s student, Bernard, prompts the school board to claim final say on disciplinary actions. As if Jefferson doesn’t have enough to worry about. He knows their interests don’t lie in the students, but in their own reputation. Black teens are already overpoliced and criminalized, and held to unreasonable standards. They need people who will stand by them and fight for them, and allow them the space to make mistakes. Who will allow them the chance to grow from them.

Tobias calls in his younger sister, Tori, to help him take down Black Lightning.

Jefferson follows Two-Bits’ lead to the Green Light warehouse and tries out his new electric-vision goggles. Meanwhile, Anissa gets into a scrap with a bunch of guys harassing Grace. 

I ship it. 😁

And to think Jefferson was so close to finding her out. She was right next door!

Gambi manages to pull up footage from the attack, but he doesn’t get Anissa’s face. Still, he continues to leave Jefferson in the dark. I really don’t trust this man … (and how is it any safer for you to go and investigate?)

When Bernard’s father calls Jefferson – beaten and bloody, and looking for help – I was afraid Bernard had gone rogue and turned on his dad, just like what happened with Jefferson. Gambi did say one hit from Green Light would make people hooked. But it was The 100 gang.

Jefferson suits up to save Bernard and beat up some thugs! (Also, I’m sorry, but Cress’ stunt double is so distinguishable 😆).

Tori suggests a more indirect approach to nail Black Lightning. Tobias decides to become Khalil’s mysterious benefactor and poison his mind against the hero who supposedly landed him in the hospital.

Not good. Very not good!

[enoughbykelela]

My other post lost traction, but Brittany Delaney, a young Black single mother from Minnesota, is fighting for her life against cancer and lupus. Her first two rounds of treatment were unsuccessful and she has spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital, all while suffering from medical racism. Her need for support grows more dire with each day that passes. Her c@sh@pp is $survivinglupus30 and v3nm0 is Brittany-Delaney-3. Her gofundme is linked in the article, and you can also find more details about her situation. Please spread. Thank you!

[uncanny-tranny]

Medical racism isn't important to address just because it's mean to be racist to patients (I mean, it is mean), but because medical racism kills people. It contributes to systemic suffering of those deemed non-white, and the disinformation that spreads about non-white people.

[tyrianludaship]

im just gonna add my own two cents here, in the case of medic and demoman, the idea that either of them would be abusive, is an ableist rhetoric. for demoman, it's because there is already a heavily perpetuated stigma that alcoholics and people with addictions are inherently abusive or violent (it's also racism! you are literally putting the "violent black man" stereotype on him!)

as for medic, while he is definetly not canonically autistic or anything like that, he is definetly coded as neurodivergent or mentally ill so pushing the idea that he's a narcissistic abuser cleverly tricking everyone with his facade is um. bad!

I once wrote something about addicts and how them being stigmatized irl is so normal for many people, that even thinking about a fictional addict makes them hesitant.

(I think about the tags I wrote for him often. i was fucking cooking with this here)

Also absolutely, "the violent black man" stereotype is one of the probable reasons for him being depicted so terribly. Not the only reason I bet, there could be a shit-ton of factors including racism that mix together (ableism over addictions for example). But it doesn't help with how underutilized, oversexualized, domineering, aggressive and abusive he's been written as in some cases; and it fits with instances of how other black characters and POC in general are written in fandom spaces.

I recalled a mutual with antisocial personality disorder suggests that medic resemble some of the symptoms. And it honestly doesn't surprise me for medic to be written as an abuser, since that's the common consensus for how people view others with ASPD in real life. I'm diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, so I don't personally feel comfortable explaining ASPD since I'm not diagnosed with it. However I agree that he may not have been written with the word "neurotypical" in mind, so he resembles many types of nuerodivergency. And seeing him in particular get hcs of being abusive and manipulative to his partners...is a choice.

[zilodak]

Hey I was wondering if Maggie's injury/eyepatch was inspired by Anatoli Bugorski, the Soviet scientist who had a particle accelerator beam accidentally go through his head but survived? Their injuries are on the same side of the face, but Bugorski lost his hearing, not vision (tbh tho I'm kinda hoping...Maggie does in fact have some cool trick under there like, a fake eye made out of Uranium glass or smth). Anyway, I get hyped any time you post abt Sim Spring I can't wait for the comic!

She was inspired by him, yes! There will be instances in Sim Spring where I use real life incidents such as Bugorski's to explore how states and healthcare systems fail on people disabled or affected by nuclear incidents or inproper disposal of nuclear waste, and how often history forgets about them in a way (i hope) that respects victims in real life.

Bugorski is a better known case of a state completely failing to compensate and recognize victims of nuclear accidents. But there are many others such as him who don't get the publicity that he got because they are not considered "fascinating" enough, so many people lost to history, which i can only hope to shed some light upon. Downwinder towns, Indigenous people who were and are still being displaced, their rivers poisoned, their land irradiated, women (most notably WoC) working in plutonium production lines without any protective gear.

The very core of nuclear history centers around how states, governments and people in charge view human life as expendable for a greater imperial goal. And unfortunately, you cannot separate nuclear energy from its colonial and imperial roots.

If you read me rambling about this topic and want to know more about Anatoli Bugorski's incidents here are some links to get you started:

Kyle Hill

Wired Article

The article I quoted:

Toxic Workplaces, Nuclear Homes, and Irradiated Landscapes

[fatliberation]

would you be willing to share some of the survey results on this blog? not necessarily people's personal experiences, but just overall findings/conclusions/trends?

Yes - I received over 200 responses, so here are some of the (unfortunately) common experiences I found:

(Big TW for medical abuse here.)

Of course "LOSE WEIGHT!" was by far the most common one, in other countries too - even for things like sinus issues and migraines. in one instance a doctor even suggested weight loss to cure anxiety and depression... without any prescribing medication.

There were multiple reports of outright verbal abuse and public humiliation towards fat patients, including refusal to help a patient get up from falling

Misogyny, misogyny, misogyny. Women and AFAB individuals reported their symptoms being downplayed and receiving incredibly sexist and false information from male doctors

An AFAB person's fertility is valued more than their quality of life

There was a trend of doctors/psychiatrists claiming they can “cure” autism by selling vitamins

"You're too young to have pain / X problem" was VERY common

A lot of pain / breathing problems were blamed on anxiety, even when patients did not have an anxiety diagnosis

Doctors dismissing symptoms as the patient being drug seeking because of assumptions based on race

Quite a few participants shared with me that they were taken seriously ONLY after posing a threat to themselves

Gaslighting, saying that someone's past trauma never actually happened to them

And the number one thing I saw the most of - participants expressed that they no longer wish to seek medical care (to the point where their symptoms progress) because they are afraid of experiencing more trauma.

To the 200+ people who filled out the survey and shared their experiences with me: THANK YOU. I read every single entry. Some of them kept me up at night. You all deserve justice. I believe you. Keep fighting.

[thewomanwholaughed]

Songs I associate with Joker

Please see tags before clicking any links, those with a * mean triggers are involved in the video clips!

This is America - Childish Gambino *

Serotonin Killer - TIMMS *

Que Sera, Sera - Doris Day

No one knows my name - Nate Leath & Sarah Jarosz

Only you - The Platters

Coconut - Harry Nilsson

Applause - Lady Gaga *

Mercy - Jacob Banks

That's entertainment - Judy Garland

Carmen, ACT II: Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre - Bizet

The Finger Of Suspicion - Dickie Valentine & The Stargazers

Razzle Dazzle - Chicago (Musical version)

I can't Decide - Scissor Sisters

Joke's on you - Charlotte Lawrence *

Mein Herr - Cabaret (Musical version)

Circus - Britney Spears *

Tagged by || @sanguine-salvation & @ratwhsprs tyyy~ Tagging || @the-cobblepot-colony @clawsextended @frostise @cinnamunspice (For the Al'Ghul!), @peranarkia, @masquenoire and anyone else who wants to steal this please do!!!

[trans-axolotl]

Sorry that this topic is heavy, but your posts are always very well thought out and I value your insight and antipsych perspective. What are your thoughts on some countries (now possibly including canada) allowing medically-assisted euthanasia for young mentally ill people if they request it? There was a story recently about a belgian terror attack victim being euthanized at 23 at her request. I personally believe that committing suicide is a right that every person should have because I think that punishing suicide attempters is the worst thing you can do for them, and ultimately, it’s their life and they deserve ultimate autonomy over it. Not that I think suicide should be encouraged, either, and having a specific government-endorsed suicide program seems sort of bad…? Like euthanizing young people comes with a lot of ethical complications — but I don’t know how to express why it feels weird given my personal beliefs about suicide being a right. (additionally, it feels even weirder because I do support these types of programs for the elderly (although i know what an ethical minefield those are too)). What are your thoughts?

Hey, anon. Thanks for bringing this up!

I have a lot of mixed thoughts about MAID (Medical assistance in dying) and also about what it means to consider suicide a right and in what ways I think that should play into mad organizing.

Firstly, I think the way that Canada's bill C-7 was written and the way it's being put into practice is just blatant eugenics. The rhetoric while legislators were debating and passing the bill made it clear the way they saw disabled lives as unworthy. In a context where many disabled people are forced to live in poverty, where treatment is often impossible to reach, where accessible affordable housing is often nonexistent, where the medical system is filled with ableism and stigma--it is incredibly fucked up to add suicide as an option on the table when there are so many coercive factors at play. Instead of working to make society more accessible and do things that improve the quality of life of disabled people of any age, the government and doctors are using MAID as a way to completely ignore structural ableism and spread narratives that disabled lives are not worth living. I am incredibly, incredibly infuriated about the way MAID was expanded in Canada. I would recommend that people check out the amazing work of the Disability Fillibuster to learn more about MAID in Canada.

Although I don't think every instance of MAID is inherently unethical, I am VERY wary of any bills that expand MAID like Bill C7 because I think that in the context of an ableist society that already doesn't consider disabled lives worth living and tells marginalized people every day millions of reasons why they wish we were dead, MAID bills will come with dangerous levels of coercion that cannot be safeguarded against. For example, the American medical system, with a long history of eugenic sterilization, medical experimentation on Black Americans, and widespread institutionalization, is not a system I ever trust to be able to handle the power of MAID without treating marginalized people's lives as disposable. (Link to read more about the history of medical experimentation: content warning for antiblack racism, sexual exploitation, slavery, and medical abuse of many types. )

At the same time, I am deeply invested in noncarceral approaches to suicide, and I believe that in order to effectively fight against psychiatric incarceration, we have to expand our understanding of the right to autonomy. The psych system, like many institutions of total control, weaponizes a fake concept of safety to justify depriving people of autonomy. In the context of prison abolition, Mariame Kaba and Andrea J. Ritchie use the phrase "carceral safety" to talk about the ways that police use the rhetoric of "safety" to continue perpetuating a violent system of incarceration:

"The state’s carceral safety robs our communities of the conditions and nutrients that would allow true safety to grow, forcing us into the position of constantly reaching for more security from the very institutions that make us collectively less safe." (from Reclaiming Safety, August 2022).

Similarly to police and prisons, the psych system wants us as mentally ill people to believe that the only way safety and suicide prevention can occur is within institutions where autonomy is deprioritized and any kind of abuse is acceptable if it can be explained as a "life-saving" measure. So part of noncarceral suicide prevention involves rethinking the way we think about autonomy, and prioritizing autonomy and freedom as inherent rights, regardless if people are making risky or harmful choices about their own wellbeing. Suicide should never be criminalized and I think that a step towards decarcerating suicide requires us to embrace the importance of autonomy.

Rethinking autonomy to include the right to harm ourselves is something that I think is an important topic to grapple with in noncarceral suicide prevention, but I think it's one we also have to be careful with and approach with a lot of nuance when talking about it publically. Approaching suicide prevention with a bodily autonomy framework does not mean that we need to support government-sanctioned suicide, does not mean we need to advocate for eugenic policies, does not mean that we should advocate suicide for marginalized people who are already so used to being told that the world wants them dead. Suicide prevention is incredibly important to me, and it will never feel liberatory to me if I'm using my understanding of bodily autonomy to promote suicide in any way. Liberatory suicide prevention includes more than just noncarceral crisis response and helping people map through their distress. It also includes advocating for the material conditions we need to survive in our everyday life, and in my mind, that includes things like advocating for disabled people to have our basic needs met so that we don't have to live in poverty, inaccessible housing, and aren't coerced into suicide through eugenicist bills like Bill C7 in Canada.

Definitely think there is a LOT more to say on this topic and that my opinion is not the only way of looking at this, so I absolutely encourage followers to jump into the discussion.

[gillianthecat]

I had somewhat forgotten what it was like to take classes that are emotionally challenging. The "hard" sciences can be intellectually difficult, but we weren't covering material that breaks my heart or enrages me.

Anyway, I'm off to finish a documentary about the horrific racism and medical cruelty of the decades (!) of Tuskegee syphilis "research."

[januscorner]

I know I said that I didn’t want to talk about my stay in the hospital but I have to mention how funny it was trying to explain BRCU to my friends. Like “she’s a queerphobic racist murderer who kidnapped a baby and married a terrorist, she’s also my amazing wife and I love her so much” and then the kid who tried to kill three people looks at you like you’re insane.

[ilhoonftw]

at least 105 kids died because of her and now she's given a platform??? what about the unaccounted deaths

i bet the hbo documentary will be just another propaganda piece for evangelicals

[sigynpenniman]

well this is gonna be a semi disturbing post but it’s in my head so. woe horrible medical knowledge be upon yee all I guess

[loveisbraveandwild]

just finished the immortal life of henrietta lacks and its one of the best books ive ever read highly highly recommend! the audiobook is amazing and it's super accessible- i know like next to nothing abt science and cell culture, but thoroughly enjoyed the book

[nephilimworld03]

There is this moment on "House Of The Dragon" on the first episode, where Queen Aemma, the mother of Rhaenyra and first wife of King Viserys, gives birth to the first son of Viserys, which is something they had tried many times for and all of the times after the birth of Rhaenyra had ended in miscarriages.

During the celebration for the birth of Viserys "first son and heir to the iron throne" Queen Aemma goes into labour.

Things don't go as planned.

Queen Aemma has some complications during the birth, the child might die if a choice isn't made.

A choice made by Viserys.

Aemma or Baelon?

Mother or son?

The woman or the child yet to be born?

And the choice of Viserys was the heir.

So they performed a terrible, very very gorey and very disturbing to watch procedure, closest thing the medieval times had to a C-section I guess.

Queen Aemma died.

And so did Baelon. Hours later.

The entire sequence was heartbreaking to watch, on all levels. You mourned alongside Princess Rhaenyra for losing her beloved mother. You felt mad at Daemon for the horrible celebration of Baelon's death and the vile things he said.

And then there's Viserys.

He lost his wife, he made a difficult choice for his reign, he sacrificed the woman he was married to to have a possibility of having a male heir. You could tell he mourned, you could tell he was devastated, but he, at the end of the day, made the decision.

Now, why am I saying all this?

The summary of all of the above is this:

House of The Dragon EP1 has a whole segment about how during the medieval setting that the story is set in, people were so opposed to the idea of a female heir to the throne that the King decided that the life of his own wife didn't matter as long as the male heir was born. In that process, when the pregnancy ended up being non-viable, the Queen was killed. To save a lost pregnancy. And she never has any say in it. Not even when she begged for the opposite of what was going on.

But at least that was in the medieval times.

Right?

[corpsehoney]

International museum of surgical science

[llycaons]

god mrs. breedlove's section...the medical racism/misogynoir of being treated like a literal animal when going to the hospital to give birth....and then since she grew up around animals, she knew that the doctor didn't know what he was talking about because of course even horses have pain too!

but then what interested me too was this bit about how much she loves putting the fisher's house in order to the neglect of her own family? I was going to say 'well I guess not all parts of the story always have to pertain to the protag' but actually mrs. breedlove's preference for her wealthy white employers' house and child really do tie into pecola's abuse and self-hatred, don't they?