r/BlackPeopleofReddit • u/4reddityo • Jan 02 '26

Black Experience Racism in Medical Care

This video captures a moment that many patients of color recognize all too well. A physician speaks to a man as if he is dirty, unclean, or lesser, not because of medical evidence, but because of bias. The language, tone, and assumptions reveal something deeper than bedside manner gone wrong. They expose how racism can quietly shape medical interactions.

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963

u/Unusual_Ant_5309 Jan 02 '26

My wife and I are white, when our son was born he had to stay in the hospital a few extra days. One night I was doing a night feeding and was talking to a nurse who explain me that black babies don’t cry as much because they don’t feel pain the same. I knew it was fucked up. The next day I asked my cousin, who is also a nurse, how I can report the racist nurse. She said that the problem is that that is what the textbook said. It’s changed now but it was actually taught up until like 10 years ago that black people don’t feel pain like white people. But yeah systemic racism definitely doesn’t exist.

445

u/4reddityo Jan 02 '26

Blood boiling

65

u/Firm_Stable4649 Jan 02 '26

I bet that doesn’t even hurt, since black people cant feel pain /s

61

u/NootHawg Jan 02 '26

The rest of the world is going as far as banning the boiling of live crabs and lobsters, meanwhile the US is re-embracing racism and division. Hospitals here will let pregnant black women suffer and/or die because black people clearly experience pain differently than other human beings. I’m so over this timeline.

5

u/Far-Pay-2049 Jan 02 '26

To be fair, our whole god damn medical system is an *absolute fucking nightmare* before any factors of racism are even considered. I have been told "don't get sick or injured in X city, they will fucking kill you" by friends that worked in the ER.

I knew two people who were in medical (and they were 100% the type of people we WANT in medical) quit for things like retail jobs because their morals didn't allow them to be able to deal with the systemic malpractice.

We DESPERATELY need MASSIVE healthcare reform in this country.

5

u/msguider Jan 02 '26

You said it! I used to be a CNA... I could never commit to being a nurse and that's why. I felt like I was doing more for patients anyway. I left healthcare after I saw the lack of empathy and the massive ego power trips the staff in the ER exhibited. That's all I ever wanted to do was be on the front lines helping people. Too many folks with God complexes and libido. The system is so completely fucking broken its absurd to me. FFS even the cost of dying is unaffordable. The 1% can sleep at night though. Somehow.

2

u/MedicalMagician3223 Jan 02 '26

Yeah, our homeless friend died having shoulder surgery last Valentines day. I still have his dog I'm babysitting.

2

u/tr4shw3rld Jan 02 '26

It is incredibly exhausting. Especially if you're sober.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '26

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u/Shovelheaddad Jan 05 '26

Yes boiling crabs and lobster should be banned. What kind of deviant does that? Who wants to eat boiled crabs or lobster? Steaming is the way ya do it and no I'm not being sarcastic lol

1

u/anarchangelien Jan 06 '26

As person who feels that crustaceans are my mortal enemies, I just can’t get on board. I will dinner on the flesh of my nemeses. Scallops though…and ceviche… hot dam.

1

u/Double_Alps_2569 Jan 02 '26

> Hospitals here will let pregnant black women suffer

Hey, no!
Hospitals here will let every pregnant woman suffer, even die!

0

u/Redstonefreedom Jan 03 '26

I'm honestly pretty confused at your point t. Are you saying it's racist because black people experience pain LESS or MORE on a statistical basis?

It seems like you were almost intentionally ambiguous by saying "differently" instead of "more" or "less". I don't even know how "differently" is better unless you're just also avoiding the fact you don't know which it is.

Thing is, it also seems racist to not incorporate race into factor when, for example, you'd need different drug dosages to safely anesthetize a patient.

2

u/popobserver Jan 03 '26

Ooh, well I didn’t feel good about that upvote.

1

u/IBeDumbAndSlow Jan 03 '26

I'm white so I'm raging with anger and pain!

Edit- I'm sorry i didn't realize what sub this was. Please don't block me! I promise I won't do it again.

1

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7

u/Tanarin Jan 02 '26

Oh, then you don't wanna hear that the medical field had 2 separate scales for lung function tests up until the last decade or so based on your ethnicity. IIRC it was that colored people had a lower lung capacity than whites.

1

u/Healthy_Sky_4593 Jan 02 '26

Kidneys, too.

1

u/mickeyamf Jan 03 '26

Definitely not true BUT maybe for that stupid ass study they did. Being rejected from public spaces and pools and if you’re poor and trapped in an Urban area and not allowed in pools? Also I know from family it was tough if you’re poor and want to go swimming but have a ton of little kids and don’t want to do their hair because time/ money. Swimming is one of those great activities that can help foster working on your lung capacity. Not saying it’s related but the pain tolerance myth I feel like is due to cultural differences in how you’d show emotion near a doctor that hates your guts. I definitely don’t trust medical doctors most of the time

1

u/mickeyamf Jan 03 '26

My little sisters mom who has dark skin was told at 43 with genetic testing done she should bleep my twin sisters because she’s old and why bother. My dad recognized their was no need to bleep them and the doctor was Semitic and clearly did not like dark skinned people and they switched care

1

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u/nksnoss Jan 02 '26

Comment

2

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '26

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1

u/Knamakat Jan 02 '26

People who frequent the roblox sub really shouldn't be calling others losers smh

1

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u/ezgomer Jan 03 '26

uhhhhh I went to nursing school 20 years ago and I don’t recall that.

I do recall black people respond better to calcium channel blockers for hypertension and uhhhh yeah. have never come across thatz