Jews Talk Racial Justice - Ep 46: Racism in the US Medical System
QUICK EPISODE OVERVIEW
Tracie brings up a recent NFL announcement that they will change a racist policy, just another example of the systematic, racist oppression that permeates US society. This leads to a discussion between April and Tracie about the racism found within the United States medical system and why developing an effective racial justice analysis is so important.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
April and Tracie use the recent NFL change around “race norming”, a textbook example of systematic racist oppression, as a jumping off point to discuss racism in the US medical system. How familiar are you with the ways in which racism is systematic in the US medical system? How does it make you feel to learn or hear more about it?
The data that highlights the number of Black babies that die in this racist system is yet another example. Have you had to think about how the medical system interacts with you based on the identities you hold? And beyond thinking, have you had any experiences with this? If you have not had to think about or experience this, sit with this reality; what feelings and thoughts arise?
April reflects on the necessity of facing hard feelings, especially as it relates to dismantling oppression. How do you react to hard feelings? What are ways in which you can better sit and process these hard feelings?
April reminds us that we need to see the hard and difficult dynamics of oppression to understand how they operate so that we can create an optimal future system that accounts for all - so on a macro scale, so too on a micro, individual level. When hard feelings come up and you process them, how can you imagine more optimal ways to bring about a different outcome that is mindful of your specific needs?
April uses the example of a checklist for surgical procedures as a way to negate racist bias in surgery to demonstrate that there are answers that already exist that could be applied to society more broadly to achieve the liberatory outcomes we desire. What are some examples of these strategies that you might have heard about? Are there tools you are aware of that, if applied more broadly, could lead to more equitable and just outcomes?
INSIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE
“I think, in American society, that somehow the medical profession is like objective, and therefore immune. And it’s so clearly not.”
“We need to face hard feelings. That’s a theme for me today. Processing the tough stuff in general in our lives is what leads us in the direction of progress.”
“We live in an abundant world where there is an abundance of different adaptive strategies that we can start to pilot and test and apply, to lead to greater more racially just outcomes
more consistently, if we’re willing to take the time, to be honest about how bad things are and how much action is needed.”
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
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