Many Black people experience racism when they try to get medical services. They might be ignored or turned away just because they are Black. This kind of systematic racism happened to a Black woman in Illinois who shared what could only be called a horrifying situation. She described how she was at a hospital where she gave birth to her daughter who was premature. According to her, the racism started when she wanted to breastfeed her daughter. The hospital staff came in and claimed that they couldn’t give the baby her mom’s breast milk because they found drugs in her system. That was when the woman made it clear that this was “impossible” because she doesn’t take drugs. Instead of checking again, they claimed that it was marijuana. Again, the woman made it clear that she doesn’t smoke marijuana.
It seemed like the hospital staff were very keen on convincing the Illinois woman that she had drugs in her system. Their ill intentions started appearing when they told the mom that they wouldn’t give her daughter her milk. Instead, they would give her a formula and they wanted her to sign a paper so they would be able to use the formula. The mom couldn’t believe that she was having this conversation and was being accused of being a drug addict when she was fresh out of surgery. Despite this, the staff still tried to gaslight her into thinking there were drugs in her milk. According to the mom, “a bunch of White women” came in and asked her if she eats lemon poppy seed. Again, the mom said no and pointed out that she was actually vegan.
The hospital staff didn’t give up. They told her that maybe her neighbors made some brownies, put weed in them, and gave them to her without her knowledge. So they didn’t just accuse the mother of taking drugs while she was pregnant but they then assumed that her neighbors were using drugs. They assumed that she was living in a community where drugs were common. Still, the staff insisted that there were drugs in the mom’s milk. It was only when they called the president of the hospital that they finally agreed to retest her milk. It was either that or a lawsuit. “I’m being gaslit this whole time,” the woman said. It turned out that the hospital was doing all of this because they wanted to test a new formula on her daughter.
The Illinois woman went on to claim that hospitals perform many tests on Black babies. She believed that hospitals would get Black people into a state of survival mode, making it impossible for them to focus. She also believed that hospitals assume Black people are uneducated. Not to mention that they also believed she was a drug addict. To prove them wrong, the mother demanded that they retest the same milk sample that they claimed had drugs in it. Well, guess what? There were no drugs in the milk, and it was completely safe for the woman’s daughter. She then went on to describe how Black people are facing systematic oppression and racism in America. Given how they treated her, she has every right to believe that.
People Reacting to the Black Illinois Woman’s Story
A lot of internet users, especially Black people, were furious after hearing what happened to the Illinois woman. Many wanted her to file a lawsuit, as one person asked, “So you suing RIGHT!?” Another person said, “So they wanna test NEW formula on black babies.” Many agreed with this, as someone else replied, “They also wanted to coerce her into it.” A lot of Black people also believed that this had always been happening. “Baby we’ve BEEN the test subjects since they ever discovered us. This not nth new, it actually gets worse,” one person wrote. Another person asked in disbelief, “So they let your baby go hungry while they’re falsely accusing you of abusing drugs while pregnant so they can use your baby as a test subject? Did I hear this correctly?”
More Black people expressed their anger and disappointment at what happened to the Illinois mom. This is why many believed that there should be more Black people in the medical field. “THIS is why I’m going to nursing school currently, and planning to potentially become a Nurse Midwife. I’m sorry you dealt with that!” one woman wrote. Another woman said, “Not a nurse midwife, but I am currently in school to become a Licensed Midwife in the state of CA.” Dozens of people also sympathized with her as one person commented, “OMG! I’m so sorry this happened to you! Good for you for advocating for you and your baby! I stand with you and I pray for your quick healing and for your new baby!” This whole situation shouldn’t have happened.
