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“We were going to ask you to take off your hijab.”
I was made aware of this idea at the end of my term at one of the institutions I trained in. Timeline ranges from 2004-2015.
This was the conclusion reached after a faculty meeting.
A FACULTY MEETING
I was made aware of this idea at the end of my term at one of the institutions I trained in. Timeline ranges from 2004-2015.
This was the conclusion reached after a faculty meeting.
A FACULTY MEETING
I wasn’t told the thought process behind this ask or who brought up the idea.
I was simply told that my hijab could be “a potential problem.”
For who?
But lucky for them, there was someone in the room who knew better and told them the potential consequences of this ask.
I was simply told that my hijab could be “a potential problem.”
For who?
But lucky for them, there was someone in the room who knew better and told them the potential consequences of this ask.
So, they ended up not asking me to take off my hijab NOT because they respected me and my decisions in how I chose to practice my religion.
Not because I belonged in medicine as my authentic self.
They didn’t ask me because they were afraid of the legal consequences.
Not because I belonged in medicine as my authentic self.
They didn’t ask me because they were afraid of the legal consequences.
On further discussion with the mentor who told me this, he said “We didn’t know you well back then. But having gotten to know you the past few years, you would’ve probably told us to [go to hell...]”
A few thoughts on this:
1. While we focus on implicit bias and ways people are marginalized in medicine, we overlook the overtly racist practices which are comfortable upheld publicly. This was a conversation among educators who felt comfortable violating a student’s right.
1. While we focus on implicit bias and ways people are marginalized in medicine, we overlook the overtly racist practices which are comfortable upheld publicly. This was a conversation among educators who felt comfortable violating a student’s right.
2. There continues to be no support for students and trainees who are subjected to these violations. Looking back, even if I was asked, I wouldn’t know who to turn to for help.
I would certainly have been at risk of retaliation had I pushed back.
Hell, it’s been yrs and I’m still not comfortable outing this institution.
Hell, it’s been yrs and I’m still not comfortable outing this institution.
3. I’m not sure I would’ve told them to “go to hell” that early in my training. The confidence I have now took years to build. I’ve tolerated many forms of disrespect and violations of my rights over the years.
Many will say “I would never put up with this!!”
But many URiM have to be strategic and navigate racism because there are no protections in place. If we didn’t, not many of us would make it through.
But many URiM have to be strategic and navigate racism because there are no protections in place. If we didn’t, not many of us would make it through.
But we have to make it through. We have to make it to the end so we can be in positions to change this culture. I wholeheartedly believe that it will take those directly impacted by these practices to change the system.
Those currently in positions of power are reluctant to acknowledge the very existence of #SystemicRacism in medicine and how this bias extends to our patient care.
We cannot rely on them to fix this. Unfortunately it’ll be up to us to do this work.
We cannot rely on them to fix this. Unfortunately it’ll be up to us to do this work.
