The Intersection of Black History Month & Sexual Health

February is designated as a time to observe Black history. As a sexual health educator, I would like to take some time to share resources where folks can learn more about the great accomplishments and contributions Black pioneers have made to the field AND the cultural destructiveness that they have faced. We cannot work to end health disparities that continue to exist today without acknowledging the impact of these historical underpinnings still have today.  

Spotlighting The Good 

• Black History Month and the Intersection of Race and Sexual Health - Amplify  
  LaKala Williams reflects on the intersectionality of race and sexual health, especially through the lens of a Black woman, in the sexual health field.   

• Women of Color Who Have Pioneered in Sexual and Reproductive Health - Healthy Teen Network 
  Jerrica Davis, MPH pays tribute to Dr. Dorothy Ferebee, Dr. N. Louise Young Spencer, Byllye Avery, and the creators of the Reproductive Justice Movement 

• Honoring Black Innovators in Sexual Health and HIV Care | novusacs.com 
  This article pays tribute to Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick,Phill Wilson, and Dr. David Malebranche 

• About Henrietta Lacks - Lacks Family  
  Learn about the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose cells became the first immortal human cell line and revolutionized medical research.  

Acknowledging the Bad and the Ugly 

• Black Resistance: Reproductive Justice – National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 

• The Dark Legacy of Compulsory Sterilization / SamePassage  

• Medical racism persists 50 years after the syphilis study at Tuskegee 

More Than a Month 

I often have a mixed reaction to observance months. We acknowledge LGBTQ+ Pride is more than a day, more than a weekend, and more than a month. At that same time, we reserve a day, week, or month to create space to consciously make sure that we recognize the history, obstacles, and accomplishments of certain populations since we know they are erased due to historic and systemic discrimination and cultural destructiveness.  If we want to make our world better, we need to make sure these observances are more than just a form of tokenism. The work to eliminate disparities and create equity and justice for all needs to be an ongoing effort.