Beyond The Byline: Venus Williams Was Gaslit About Her Fibroids. I Was Too.
Accessing healthcare in a Black fat body is a mess.
It’s hard to be Black, fat, and female in a lot of places. It is hardest at the doctor. I sought out support for a pain I was experiencing, armed with details about my family history. I was told to go to the gym. There were no tests. No blood was drawn. No temperatures were checked. No thoughtful questions were asked.
I got a lecture when I needed care. My doctor decided to gaslight me.
Black people have fibroid tumors more often than others, and they are worse in our cases. That didn’t factor into how I was treated at all.
Fat people are often dismissed in healthcare settings. People do not believe or respect people who look like us. We are discriminated against in clothing stores and job interviews.
That is why I am grateful to Venus Williams. Having a woman with a flat stomach and a full bank account on our side might change the experience of people with fibroids.
If one of the greatest athletes of all time can not be believed, it is clear something needs to change.
Her symptoms were cast aside as if she did not know her body. She was gaslit and spoke up about it.
She told her story on the Today show. This platform is one where the people who need to hear this gather. We already know what the problem is. I understand her choice.
Related: Beyond The Byline: Why I Broke My No Cameras Policy For Tasha Smith
I told my story at BlackHealthMatters, a platform I am proud to contribute to that reaches people who are engaged and committed to changing their health outcomes. Williams adding her voice will amplify spaces like that. Those who go looking after being enlightened by her story will find the stories of women like me who do not have her massive platform who have been asking for help.
