QUEERSENSITIVE SUPPORT
It is especially important to me to be a trusted person for queer people as a doula and to stand up for visibility in birth culture. Being pregnant or even being able to become pregnant, giving birth and breastfeeding usually bring additional challenges for queer people. Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding are deeply influenced by society's belief that only women have children and if they have a partner it would be a man.
But queer people also become pregnant, give birth and may want to breastfeed.
Queer people may have multiple partners, are not heterosexual, do not identify as cis women - and have children. Queer people may be non-binary or trans* and use individual pronouns and terms for gendered body parts.
Queer people may take hormones or undergo surgery to feel more comfortable in their bodies and in the society - and still want to give birth and/or breastfeed children. It is important to me to offer my support to everyone equally. So you feel comfortable and seen - for everything you are and everything you are not. I am happy to be an allied companion who supports you, sensitizes those around you, looks into your eyes and researches information with you.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
There is a global lack of education and appropriate care for queer people in healthcare. To be queer in Austria legally again is only since a few decades possible. However, there are still everyday experiences of discrimination as well as emotional and/or physical violence against queer people. This everyday experience is of course also reflected in the healthcare system and in research. Health workers are largely not adequately trained to competently care for queer people. I myself studied nursing and worked in a hospital and it was neither discussed in my studies nor in clinical practice.
A large number of extensive studies are still needed in medical research in order to be able to guarantee well-founded treatment for queer people. Queersensitive care and medical treatment are particularly needed in obstetrics, gynecology and breastfeeding counseling, as it has so far been a very gender-specific area and focuses on the care of cis women. Non-binary people and trans* people are not recognized as part of the patient clientele. This leads to major challenges for queer people and mostly also for health workers. Queer people often do not feel seen, taken seriously or cared for competently. Meanwhile, health workers are often overwhelmed when it comes to meeting needs and medical requests. This combination often leads to conflict, misgendering and discrimination. It is therefore important that people in the healthcare system are made aware of potential discrimination experiences of patients. This includes not only gender identity and sexual orientation, but also skin color, body, origin, faith, class and culture. Many people are also affected by several forms of discrimination at the same time, which requires special attention.
A queer feminist discussion of breastfeeding
