Week 120

It’s now been a week since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. It’s taken me a week to find words for this. It’s devastating. And yet we must not let despair keep us from action.

I don't know about you, but for me it has been hard to work this week in the face of the SCOTUS rulings that systematically removed or severely eroded rights enshrined in settled law: the removal of birthing people’s national right to autonomy (and implications for miscarriage and IVF), the ability of the EPA to regulate emissions and (hopefully) slow climate change, the sovereignty of tribal lands, state regulation of guns, and more. And the implied promise to undo even more rights for more people. This is a lot…on top of a long list of developments that have made life harder over the last few years. 

So this week, I mourned and felt my big feelings (as we say to Theo). I needed space to emotionally regulate myself after this abrogation of rights. Ironic that it happened amid a week of solo parenting while my spouse was away on a (much needed) vacation, reminding me of the unrelenting and exhausting labor of having even a much-wanted child at the most well-resourced time of my life. Ironic that it happened while I am designing a study for an R01 (~500k/year for 5 years), and I realized I’m going to factor in the safety of me and my staff into my study design in a new way. I remember traveling to four different states for data collection and job interviews while pregnant with Theo, nearly having a medical emergency in one. I will not ask potential birthing people that I work with to go into states where their lives would be at risk if they had an ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical emergency. Ironic that it happened while we prepared to welcome new fellows and I thought about potential impacts of this ruling on presenting at conferences (stereotypically important for fellows in the pre-pandemic times to network for jobs and disseminate research). Ironic that it happened as multiple plans were canceled as friends tested positive for COVID amid a surge caused by dropping public health practices (like using high-quality masks indoors in public settings, large scale and cheap/free access to testing) in the face of demand for personal freedom (and capitalism).  

I appreciated those who spoke out, including statements from UC President Drake and Chancellor Hawgood for UCSF. I wished outloud that more people were talking about this, and I was gently reminded by a colleague that leadership is an ongoing choice, an ongoing series of brave actions. A much-needed reminder that led to this email/post.  

We must recognize and respond to the harms caused by these decisions - decisions that will disproportionately Black people, Indigenous peoples, and other people of color, the systematically excluded and marginalized. It may take another 40 years to undo what’s been done. Yet we have to find ways to act rather than be resigned to what comes. First, we can support those who have been doing work on reproductive justice and climate change all along, and listen to what they say is needed. For those of us who are researchers, we may help ensure the impacts are counted properly, that the stories of people’s experiences are captured and shared. As citizens, we can take actions such as calling our congresspeople to request they protect/reinstate rights to abortion and birthing people’s bodily autonomy, as well as advocate for expansions to the safety net (Child Tax Credit made permanent, expansion of WIC and SNAP benefits, paid family leave, universal childcare and preschool – ideas I heard on the Hysteria podcast). There are many more actions to take as private citizens, including phonebanking for states like Kansas that have important abortion-related votes coming up in August – there are many reputable organizations looking for volunteers – let me know if you want suggestions. 

So after a week of despair, today, on the July first, the traditional start of new postdocs and clinical fellows in schools of medicine, I’m ready to move forward. I’m remembering how much has changed in my life since I started as a T32 Fellow in Geriatrics 7 years ago, and as faculty 5 years ago. How much tragedy and change I’ve personally moved through, and the growth that has (often unwillingly) come from this time. I’m grateful for the colleagues I’m gaining among our newest fellows and faculty. I look forward to working with new and existing colleagues to change the world for the better on multiple fronts. 

In solidarity

Krista