[𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟖] 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟓

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝟸𝟷-𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 '𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨', 𝘪.𝘦. 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦

[𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟖] 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟓

Did you know women in the UK have only been able to open bank accounts in their own names since 1975? We will not solve issues around women and birthing people's autonomy in my lifetime. The problems are too big and ingrained. The 'good girl' of medical appointments is the tip of the iceberg. Financial insecurity and exhaustion from balancing work and childbearing are hurting the women I love. But what's the point of concentrating on this? I was so annoyed when I realised I had to write about this today. It feels unsolvable.

But...I have a photo of Mars Lord open on my other screen. It's a professionally done photo that she's put in one of her emails. She's in a green and pink top. She's beaming at me. This woman brought her kids up using funds from being a doula. She now sits on the RCOG equality board and runs a yearly conference celebrating black and brown excellence in perinatal health. I don't know the ins and outs of Mars' finances, but she's done exceptionally well. There is a path here. It is possible to have a profession that is entirely about the well-being of women and birthing people, with expert anti-racism work as a dominant thread, and make a good living from that. I think about this a lot. I guess people like Mars are part of capitalism, but it's a different kind, and it's heartening that the power of the economy might one day be tilted away from the patriarchy.

The activists are not going to break through and make all the problems evaporate in the next few years. But we can witness what's happening while knowing we are on a different path. The energy from that will keep us in a positive spiral and then we're part of the solution.

To your needs,⁣

Ellie.

⁣⁣⁣p.s.⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣In part I'm writing this series to help launch my new book, ‘Becoming a Midwife: A Student’s Guide’. It's out 23/2/23. ⁣⁣

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