Queer doulas make childbirth safer for Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ people, but barriers remain

“You’re pretty much the plaster that goes over the cracks of the medical system.” That’s how Bonnie Silva, a full-spectrum doula based in New York City, describes the role of doulas and birth workers. For many people who are pregnant or have just given birth, the landscape of unknowns—the changes to one’s body, what the labor process will look like, and what happens after—can be daunting. The medical system, with all of its cracks, doesn’t always prepare new parents for the physical and emotional toll of pregnancy and birth. “Doctors are very quick,” Silva told Stacker. “They don’t take a lot of time with their patients. And patients, a lot of times, don’t know what to ask.” That’s where doulas come in. Doulas are nonmedical care workers who assist people throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum processes by providing education, emotional, physical, and logistical support, as well as advocacy within medical settings. Full-spectrum doulas offer support for everything from preconception to miscarriage, abortion, and adoption. Doulas differ from midwives in that they do not necessarily have medical training and generally work outside of the medical system. Doulas can, however, act as intermediaries between patients and doctors. Stacker spoke with doulas,...