Remembering the Real Mothers Of Gynecology-

Institutionalized racism is a concept we have heard more and more after George Floyd’s murder. We have seen racism against Black Americans across all spectrums, however, America’s Medical System, its evolution of modern science, and practices are all a direct product of racism, abuse, and non-ethical standards. Today, I want to highlight the abuse of several black, enslaved, women who underwent the exploitation of a racist and unethical physician, James Marion Sims, a 19th century doctor who was known, initially, as the “Father of Gynecology,” a title that has been taken away after uncovering the truth.

Physician James Marion Sims violated the basic autonomy of his patients (several were unnamed; however, we have come across Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey) and experimented on Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, in several ways that led to detrimental effects to their health. These experiments began with his, extremely, erroneous idea, that black women felt zero pain, so there was no use of anesthesia for a vesicovaginal fistula surgery that many of these women went through. This monster, also, invited several people to watch these surgeries to “enhance” their medical knowledge. The horrible practice of slavery further perpetuated the concept that black women were property of their masters, hence, they do not have the right to consent to medical procedures happening on themselves. This was the reality of enslaved black women-they were subjected to the absence of autonomy, human rights, and a voice, something their counterparts, white women, never needed to go through.

Today, I am writing, to commemorate the lives of Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, one of the many patients of James Marion Sims (that were identified). Very little is known about them, most of the information are medical observations. But they were women of great strength, love, and fortitude to have gone through the misery and bear the burden, for all of us women, of being violated for the “name” of medicine and the foundation of gynecology.

I wish there were more information on these women, for example, personal anecdotes or vignettes speaking about their passions in life, or even their favorite things to do. With the lack of information today, I feel they are wronged, we cannot even celebrate their lives to the utmost ability they deserve. Black women are the most oppressed in society and we must start recognizing places where society has failed them, where racism prevails, and put a stop to it. Something as important as gynecology, would not be developed if it were not for Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey, and others who are unknown. Women’s Medicine, something so vital for women of all races, would have not been advanced or slightly better, if it was not for this manipulation.

A common theme I see in the History of America, is the pattern of white men exploiting vulnerable populations, like black women, and claiming their hardships, their land, and their culture, and inflicting the “White Man’s Burden,” to modify certain aspects, and claiming it as their own. We see the hardships of Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, and Sims profiting from it. Systemic Racism is built in the history of the United States, in broad plain site, and still is happening. The capitalization of Black Women’s experiences, especially in Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey case, is way too common in our nation’s history.

Black women are the founders of this country when it comes to their discoveries, their sacrifices, and their passions. Instead of turning a blind eye to Institutionalized racism, let us celebrate the truth uncovered about the real mothers of gynecology and further uncover more lies with knowledge, truth, and change.

For Vocal's Challenge, Black Women in Business, I want to celebrate the lives of the REAL Mother's of Gynecology, they might not be business owners, but their hardships, their pain, and the experimentation performed on them, created the research and capitalization of gynecology for women we know today.