Observations on the Capitalist and White Supremist Monopolies of BIRTH & DEATH in the United States.
These are thoughts are mine, and mine alone.
The commoditization of what is sacred.
The denial of food to mitigate aspiration in the event of an emergency C-section in an institution without medical transparency. But a person’s insides must be crystal clear.
The blatant exploitation of colonized peoples’ trauma in the vetting and approval in the pursuit of birth/death education, and education at large.
The ignorance regarding history of medical experimentation on black bodies, and the use of Medicaid insured birthing bodies for training.
The lack of sex education in childbirth education, and the silencing of sexuality in the context of family expansion education.
The partnership between the medical industrial complex, legislation and the car seat industry company.
The acknowledgement of maternal mortality, police brutality and the performative activism that follows.
The white digital and publishing monopoly of childbirth education, lactation counselors and consultants.
The work required to disarm doulas, midwives, nurses, nurse midwives, doctors in training and doctors from using education to harm.
The ignorance concerning the process of decolonization of non-white minds, at times an ultimatum not an uprooting.
The shaming of practices by the impoverished that are glorified in the profitable.
The ability of white birthing folk to “shop around” for doulas, play groups, group chats that will align with an agenda, not an evolution.
The differences in prices for various races and ages of children for adoption.
The lack of cultural competency and implicit bias training in the adoption process.
The lack of acknowledgement of transracial adoptees’ trauma.
The representation of “the best”, “the necessity”.
The agency of white/white presenting privilege presenting people whom have been given access to sacred spaces of colonized people.
The use of knowledge concerning ancestral trauma against those that it lives within.
The marketing color palettes indicating birth and death.
The dismissal of infant loss and miscarriage upon the arrival of a “rainbow baby”.
The glorification of Ina May Gaskin, Penny Simkin, Dr. Seales, and AR pregnancy.
The current integration of indigenous/black themes in birthing without permission and representation.
The current territorial and colonist environment of birthwork.
The dispersal of white savior complex and white guilt when presenting one’s newfound/old-rooted privilege.
The presentation of formula to white versus non-white families.
The use of the word “Auntie” by white people.
The trauma bonding in doula work between parents, partners and doulas versus seeking accountable healing by all parties.
The appropriation of the rebozo by white doulas and doula certifying organizations.
The politics, elitism of doula certification organizations.
The white supremacy in the “snapback” culture.
The white supremacy in a “Mommy Makeover”.
The ability to “take time to heal from death/birth” away from your job/home.
The illogical legislation of time to recover from birth/grief event.
The lack of emphasis on the mental health surrounding birth and death events.
The lack of equitable access to a fair wage, healthcare and FMLA benefits by caregivers.
The glorification of charity and the “othering” of mutual aid efforts.
The worship of Brene Brown’s work around vulnerability while the impermissibility of its existence for Black women.
The isolation of elders in terminal illness, loss of peak neurological function.
The dependence on Google for what to do when someone you love is terminally diagnosed.
The racism and classism in reason for death.
The lack of unbiased, objective forensic pathologists.
The disenfranchisement of non-white families from equitable end-of-life planning.
The lack of cultural competence amongst mortuary scientists and funeral home owners.
The bankrupting of families for memorial methods that do not reinforce their personal norms.
The predatory nature of funeral homes.
The need to make sure racially/ethnically appropriate makeup is applied to the transitioned.
The implication that money eases grief.
The telling children that an individual “went to sleep” when they transitioned instead of exposing them to the reality of mortality.
The police escort for a funeral procession.
The need to document aspects of the memorial event.
The appropriation of indigenous transition practices.
The love of charity for dogs dying, not people.
The defamatory nature of mortuary education.
The suppression of access to alternative medicine in end of life care.
The diminishing of grief of colonized people
The ageism in hospice care.
The environmental catastrophe of death and dying.
The silencing of the screams, moans, wails, fear, laughter, rejoicing, dance, music, texture, cultural release when arrival and departure of colonized black, brown, asian, indigenous, queer and othered bodies.
The commoditization of what is self-evident, sacred and unchanging as a reality to the human existence.