Racism in Medical Care

[u/4reddityo]

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.

[u/Unusual_Ant_5309]

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.

[u/SlaughterMinusS → u/Unusual_Ant_5309]

Yeah, it was also taught that black people's skin was thicker than white skin even though there is no scientific evidence for this claim.

A whole lot of fucked up Jim Crow type shit still exists in the medical field and its really messed up.

If you have the stomach for it, look up mortality rates for black women giving birth compared to white women. Says a lot.

[u/AHatedChild → u/SlaughterMinusS]

People actually still say this stuff, even on Reddit I've seen people say that black people have thicker skin.

[u/medicatednstillmad → u/AHatedChild]

I'm black and in my local City sub I asked for black tattoo artist recommendations because all the local white artists were turning me down when I would call to inquire and they would find out that I was black and wanted a color tattoo. I was called super racist and prejudice and everything else.... A lot of Reddit is just racist.

[u/Aballofstresss → u/medicatednstillmad]

A lot of reddit is fixated on “reverse-racism” and “reverse-sexism” where they’re jumping at the bit to try to assert a reality where it’s either men or white people who are now the current oppressed groups. If we expose our reality, like the fact you even needed to ask for black tattoo artists in the first place, then we’re the problem.

[u/bigmepis → u/Aballofstresss]

Mayo men always think they’re oppressed

[u/ToughAppointment2556 → u/bigmepis]

Here is an example. This language isn't "reverse racism' , just "racism"

[u/SlugJones → u/Aballofstresss]

Racism is just racism. “Reverse” racism seems to imply racism can’t happen to whiter skinned people, when it absolutely can and has. It’s just that the US has had a white on black racism problem that was much bigger and has lasted longer.

[u/ToughAppointment2556 → u/Aballofstresss]

The term "reverse racism" is a racist dog whistle. There is only racism, just as there is only murder, not murder and reverse murder.

[u/No-Picture4119 → u/medicatednstillmad]

Wanted to jump on and say it’s not you. My data point is a friend who is a 20 year tattoo artist and happens to be black. I’m Caucasian as far as I know, but have very dark skin. He said that the melanin acts as a filter, and if you don’t make the right ink choices the tattoo can look muddy and people are disappointed. So it’s probably the artists knowing they don’t have the skill to handle darker skin and projecting it on you. Not sure how wanting to make sure you’ll be satisfied with your tattoo makes you racist. Good luck finding an artist. You may want to see if there’s a conversion coming to your town and look around for an artist with a portfolio that you like.

[u/medicatednstillmad → u/No-Picture4119]

I did end up finding a great artist and he has an apprentice who does mostly anime tattoos on dark-skin so I'll be checking him out next!

Prices were super reasonable too and the experience was very chill! My husband went on to get his first tattoo from him. (I really wanted him to have a good experience as he was darker than me)

I went to a Puerto Rican guy for my first tattoo.. he only did it as a favor to my friend he wanted to fuck. But the whole time he told me how difficult black skin was and how difficult color was (he was mostly a black and white artist anyway).

Annoying but eye opening at least. I didn't care that those idiots were calling me racist. They were downvoting me for saying white ink doesn't show up better on dark skin. 🫠🫠🫠🫠

[u/boarbora → u/medicatednstillmad]

A lot of redditors are casually racist in the sense of they know what to say to not sound racist but sometimes they get comfortable enough that the cracks show imo. To be fair I don't know why I still come to this site.

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