Nurses For Justice – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode we delve into weight stigma and size bias in health systems. We dispel some myths that equate a person’s body size with their health, and explore how nurses can mitigate the harms of these assumptions through research and practice. 

We are joined by two nurse-midwives who research, write, and practice at this intersection: Dr. Ellen Solis and Elizabeth Muñoz.

Dr. Ellen Solis, DNP, CNM, FACNM (she/her) is a Teaching Professor at the University of Washington and the specialty director of the nurse-midwifery program and the Graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health (GCSRH) and is the co-director of the UW-ACTIONS (Abortion Care Training Incubator for Outstanding Nurse Scholars) program. She is also a practicing nurse-midwife in Seattle and the board secretary of Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health. As a midwife, and educator, Ellen is committed to centering the voices of her clients, students, and colleagues—especially those from BIPOC and queer communities—and working towards increasing their voices in healthcare, education, and policy development. 

Elizabeth Muñoz, DNP, CNM, FACNM (she/her) is a Certified Nurse-Midwife with experience in midwifery education, scholarship, and clinical practice. She is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and received her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, TN. Her scholarship activities include integrating nurse-midwifery models of care in rural Alabama through the AL MOMS HRSA Grant at UAB School of Nursing, preventing size-bias in those providing pregnancy care, and innovation in nurse-midwifery clinical education. Dr. Muñoz is also passionate about improving access to full-scope midwifery care and expanding public knowledge about midwifery, including deepening the understanding that midwives can lead the charge for practice change in various settings.

Resources (to link in episode description) 

Health at Every Size® (HAES®) Principles – ASDAH

Plus Size Birth

Plus Mommy Podcast

Evidence Based Birth® Podcast

The Fat Studies Reader Edited by Esther Rothblum and Sondra Solovay; Foreword by Marilyn Wann

Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings

Asia Brown, a nursing student at Emory, co-founded a nonprofit called  601 for Period Equity, to promote menstrual equity and mitigate period shame in the Black community. Asia leads the nonprofit’s community pantry, Rosie's Pantry, which distributes essential hygiene products, diapers, and menstrual supplies to families in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Asia’s work in period equity and reproductive justice has garnered national attention, with features in The New York Times and NBC News. Asia has also served as a speaker and panelist for organizations such as CVS Health and Girls, Inc., where she continues to advocate for the intersection of healthcare access and social justice. Asia recently completed the Karen Edlund Future Nurse Leader Fellowship - a fellowship that Nurses for Sexual & Reproductive Health runs annually, for nursing students of color who are leaders in sexual and reproductive health. 

In today’s episode we talk about period poverty, menstrual equity, and the importance of expansive advocacy efforts that include and uplift Southern, Black, rural communities.

Be sure to check out Asia’s nonprofit 601 for Period Equity and to follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 

In this episode, we are joined by historian, author, and scholar, Donna J. Drucker. We spoke with Donna about her most recent book, Fertility Technology.

Donna is the assistant director of Scholarship and Research Development at the Columbia University School of Nursing. She holds a master in library science degree and PhD in history from Indiana University. She is the author of numerous articles, book reviews, and blog posts, along with four books: The Classification of Sex: Alfred Kinsey and the Organization of Knowledge (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2014), The Machines of Sex Research: Technology and the Politics of Identity (Springer, 2014), Contraception: A Concise History (MIT Press, 2020), and Fertility Technology (MIT Press, 2023). She is at work on a new manuscript on the global history of abortion from the 1860s through the present titled Unwanted, under contract with Reaktion Books. 

Happy Pride! Regardless of the time of year, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights are inextricable. Laws, policies, healthcare discrimination, and stigma negatively impact LGBTQ+ people's access to safe and comprehensive sexual & reproductive healthcare. Tune in to learn how SRH advocates and nurses can stand in support of LGBTQ+ patients and ensure they receive healthcare that is tailored to their individual needs.

In this episode, we’re joined by Mar Marqusee (they/them), who identifies as a non-binary/adopted/indigenous/queer individual and works as an LVN. Mar currently works at Essential Access Health, where their work focuses on establishing comprehensive abortion services for various kinds of health centers. Mar specializes in providing personalized healthcare for the LGBTQIA+ community, with a particular focus on the trans and non-binary community. 

As part of Nurses Week, we sat down with Stephanie Tillman also known as the "feminist midwife." Stephanie is a midwife, writer, advocate, speaker, and PhD student in Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University where she studies consent in intimate exams. We spoke about consent in clinical settings amidst asymmetrical power dynamics, trauma-informed and queer inclusive care, full-spectrum sexual and reproductive healthcare, and advocating for liberatory and equitable health systems. We also discussed how Stephanie built her platform, what she's working on now, and her future goals.

Find her on social media @FeministMidwife

Stephanie's Instagram, Twitter, Website, and weekly newsletter subscription link.

Resource List:

• Birth Place Lab
• Unbound by Tarana Burke
• Know My Name by Chanel Miller
• Is Rape a Crime? Michelle Bowdler
• Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
• Luster by Raven Leilani
• The Vegetarian by Han Kang
• “Severance” by Dan Erickson Ben Stiller on Apple TV+

In this episode, we’re joined by Shanti Moore, SisterSong’s Birth Justice Coordinator, who walks us through her pathway to reproductive justice, as well as her personal connection to this work. Shanti spent the early stages of her career in mental health nursing, then as a licensed massage therapist, and finally as a birth justice activist. Shanti has many heart-warming stories to share about her passion for serving the most marginalized communities growing over the years. 

In her role as a Birth Justice Coordinator, she spearheads partnerships, creates community programming, and promotes SisterSong’s Birth Justice Care Fund. Tune in to hear more about Shanti’s work with SisterSong and the wonderful accomplishments of this organization! 

Abortion Provider Appreciation Day is celebrated annually in recognition of the heroic work of resilient and compassionate abortion providers! APAD was established in 1996 and highlights the essential work of abortion providers who provide care in the face of increased restrictions, violence, and stigma.

In today’s episode, we recognize the importance of bodily autonomy as well as those who continue to provide comprehensive healthcare. Tune in to hear from 5 different abortion care providers across the country who speak about their day-to-day challenges, their motivation to continue providing full-spectrum care, and what abortion access means to them!

Everyone deserves accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare and we’re grateful to those who provide it every day.

Megan (she/her) is working on her Accelerated Second Degree BSN program at Oakland University in Michigan, and has recently established a new NSRH chapter at the school. She has a background in bodywork and sexual assault crisis support. Once she is an RN, she plans to continue her education to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.

In this episode, Megan speaks to her experience volunteering as a clinic escort in Michigan, which inspired her to pursue a career in sexual and reproductive health. She is working towards being able to protect patients’ reproductive health, sexual health, and provide gender-affirming care.

Megan joined NSRH in the hopes of starting a student chapter at her university to provide training for nursing students.

In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Stephanie Mitchell who founded the first midwifery owned and led birth center in Gainesville, Alabama. The birth sanctuary works to honor the ancient wisdom of people giving birth, as well as modern experiences to create comprehensive care. Dr. Mitchell is a passionate advocate of midwifery and has been practicing since 2016.

Dr. Mitchell spoke to the need for a midwifery center outside of the industrial medical complex, especially in the context of healthcare disparities experienced by Black people. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it is critical that people of color, who will inevitably be funneled into a system of pregnancy, have holistic healthcare options.

In this episode, we’re joined by NSRH’s Education Director, Anna Brown, who dives into some of the educational opportunities and resources that arose from curriculum gaps in formal nursing education. We also hear about Anna’s own journey to both becoming a dedicated sexual & reproductive health leader and joining the NSRH team!

Many of the professional programs discussed in All Things Education are geared toward helping nurses and SRH advocates navigate an increasingly restrictive landscape for comprehensive sexual & reproductive health. Anna speaks to the importance of consistency when identifying issues within the reproductive healthcare sector and making incremental changes to address them. NSRH is committed to providing a safe place for nurses and allies who are looking to disrupt systems of oppression and are eager to collectively learn how.

Tune in to lean more about the Training in Abortion Care Residency, NSRH’s Online Institute, the 6-month Member Education Series, which dissect a myriad of topics that impact community well-being and discusses changes to move towards a Reproductive Justice-minded nursing practice, and more!