We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging for a special message (that I hope one day goes without saying):
Trans* birthing folks are valuable to us.
Regardless of your gender, when giving birth, you deserve quality, affirming healthcare. You should be cared for, loved and kept safe, as should your partner and baby.
At DC Metro Maternity, we are labor and postpartum doulas who specialize in supporting women of color to successfully navigate the birthing and postpartum process. We focus on serving Black women, and we’re unapologetic about it. We’re all women of color ourselves.
On this team, we know what it means to be discriminated against, and support others through a healthcare system that wasn’t designed for any of us. And we’re not here for it.
We know that not all birthing individuals identify as women.
And we are familiar and comfortable with LGBTIA+ partners as well.
We support people who birth regardless of gender identity, and we honor your pronouns and family structure.
We oppose the Trump administration’s rollback on health protections for trans individuals.
When we say Black lives matter, that includes Black trans lives.
We grieve for Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’Mie” Fells and Tony McDade, just as we’re grieving Ahmaud Abery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (and so many more).
We celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling that protects workers from discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity.
There will be none of this TERFy JK Rowling business over here. Acknowledging trans men or non-binary people does not threaten Black women.
I recognize that it can be difficult to find a doula and birth team that affirms you, and I hope you find exactly who you need.
I also know that there are times when we need to be explicit, and not just feel things in our hearts, or say things like “birthing persons” when speaking.
Our focus on Black women is not diminished by acknowledging and honoring other people who birth inluding trans birth. Especially those discriminated against for their gender identity. In fact, I firmly believe that until every marginalized person’s birth is respected, and all of our voices are heard, we will all continue to be in danger.
None of us are free until every last one of us is free.
Please know that you’re safe and loved here.
We wish you a great pregnancy, birth and postpartum. If you’d like to talk, we’re here and available.
