"Black mothers" and "White birthing bodies" is an electoral disaster.


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This is the Chief Medical Officer of the New York State Health Department, speaking from her official account.

Prior to this message a few weeks ago, she is perhaps most famous among the general public for promoting an initiative to give preferential admission to specialty cardiology services based on skin color instead of medical need.

She is very highly educated and has a strong professional background in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She's not some random idiot with a twitter account.

I have genuine, non-rhetorical questions for my progressive friends that are reading this:

When a high visibility, highly placed public health official talks about "Black and Puerto Rican mothers" and "White birthing bodies", do you believe this increases or decreases the electorate's trust in public health officials, at a moment when that trust is at an all time low?

At a moment when half of the electorate is already skeptical of the entire concept of "public health", do you think referring to women as "birthing bodies", is beneficial or detrimental to public health?

Taking the pulse of the general populace, do you believe that contrasting "Black and Puerto Rican mothers" with "white birthing bodies" increases or decreases public support for diversity, inclusion, and equity?

I'm not asking how you feel about the phrasing, I'm asking if you believe that this messaging by the New York State Health Department is likely to increase or decrease faith in public officials, public health, diversity, and equity? (Again, I don't care how you feel about the messaging, I'm asking you what you believe the effect is on the population as a whole.... as it is, not as you wish it were)

Rational, clearly expressed thoughts that don't refer to allies in demeaning, dehumanizing language are encouraged.

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