• The staff at Womanly insist that all women have a right to accurate, timely and inclusive information about their health. We are dedicated to uplifting neglected voices. We hold that the promotion of self-care, body literacy, and culturally relevant information can help communities who face amplified challenges to accessing quality health care.

    Womanly is a print publication and digital platform committed to inclusivity, accessibility and diversity. We intend to support and educate women through the lens of visual and literary art, leading timely and productive conversations about the way women view and care for themselves.

    Abstract

    Womanly Magazine was founded in September of 2017 and provides accessible health information through visual and literary art. Our print and digital content amplifies narratives that are often neglected by the typical women’s health magazines. Just like our team and our audience, our content is diverse, both in terms of scope and format. Our content explores themes including discrimination in the health care system, inter-generational trauma, sexual health and expression, elder care, and preventative care.

    In an effort to reduce access barriers to health information, our magazine is available for free in community spaces across New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Oakland that regularly serve low-income women of color. We have established approximately 30 distribution sites and have distributed over 4,000 magazines across our target cities. Additionally, every issue of our publication is available for free online at www.womanlymag.com.

    Information about women’s health and bodies has been historically and systematically inaccessible. This disparity has had a particularly devastating effect on marginalized women and continues to persist. Women of color face poorer health outcomes in every category of well-being; from heart disease to maternal mortality. A lack of health information combined with discriminatory practices in the health care system has led to devastating injustices such as thirty years of forced sterilization of women in Puerto Rico and the devastating black maternal mortality rates in the United States. At Womanly Magazine, we believe that it is our duty to use our privilege, our expertise, and our voices to inform young women of color about their health, and to encourage discussion around the health issues that affect them. It is vital that these women are equipped with accurate health information to allow them to demand the care that they deserve.                                                     

    Our hope is that by sharing the personal stories and experiences of diverse women our readers feel less isolated and our magazine supports a generation of women in advocating for better health care for themselves and their peers. We have partnered with a number of community organizations including Planned Parenthood, the Henry Street Settlement, Community Action Network, It's Private Practice, Star Track, Marian House, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jefferson Hospital, the Mt. Sinai Mammography Van, and Riverside Correctional Facility.

    The staff at Womanly Magazine are constantly strengthening relationships with the communities we serve and building partnerships with various organizations and spaces. We work with these partners to collect feedback and data and allow our findings to shape our content and influence our approach at providing public health information.

  • NEW HAVEN – When a laboring mother arrives at Vidone Birth Center in need of additional support, the staff contact an on-call doula; a professionally trained birth worker who provides physical, emotional and educational support to laboring mothers. The volunteer doulas who serve Yale New Haven Hospital’s Vidone Birth Center have committed themselves to serving a vulnerable segment of the hospital’s pregnant population who would not normally be able to afford such birth services. It is in this gap of access to equal care that these doulas support other women at an intersection of birth work and social activism.

    The Vidone Volunteer Doulas came into existence in 2016 when nurse-midwife, Erin Court-Morelli, CNM, MA, recognized a gap in the quality of care experienced by her patient population. Morelli believed that the presence of doulas could provide her patients with the additional support that they needed for a better birth experience. Doulas are called into Vidone for a myriad of reasons such as supporting laboring women who are an unaccompanied, experiencing anxiety, or who are survivors of trauma.

    Doulas can be pivotal in addressing communication barriers between medical staff and patients; allowing a laboring mother to better articulate her own needs as she experiences stress, discomfort, and fear. Doulas work with a laboring person to create an environment in which they feel safe and to provide the affirmation and companionship that they need to birth confidently. Many doulas are trained to provide physical pain relief measures like massage, helping the patient work through their discomfort as they deliver.

    Morelli estimates that around 75% of the patient population who seek care at Vidone Birth Center receive Medicaid and she believes that professional doula support services should be available regardless of economic status. Morelli says that the success of doulas in improving both patient experience and birth outcomes for mother and baby is supported by medical research. In the state of Connecticut, a professional labor doula can cost anywhere between $500 and $1500, making the service inaccessible to economically vulnerable mothers.

    Morelli said medical staff are responsible for the healthcare and charting of multiple patients at once. On the other hand, each doula is focused only on their client allowing them to provide support in ways the medical staff are not always able. “Of course, the midwives, nurses and midwifery students will provide labor support whenever possible, but it’s different from a doula,” Morelli said.

    The doulas’ commitment to the women they serve is a reflection of the model of care that Vidone Birth Center works to honor. “The Vidone philosophy is a collaborative practice model with the patient in the middle and her care team surrounding her. With all members of the team having a voice and giving input into the patient’s care, including the patient,” said Morelli.

    Morelli said that most families don’t know what a doula is because of what she called “a gap in doula awareness.” Carmen Maria Conroy agrees that this gap exists. Conroy began working as a doula in her hometown of San Francisco before coming to Yale as a post-baccalaureate biology student. She has been volunteering with the program since its inception.

    Conroy spoke to the inequities in awareness. “What I have found is that most of the people who know what a doula is are not necessarily the target population that has the most to gain from doula support.”

    Conroy referenced a 2015 study by Katy Backes Kozhimannil titled “Doula Care, Birth Outcomes, and Costs Among Medicaid Beneficiaries,” which she said concluded that “studies show that upper-middle class, middle-aged white women are most likely to know what a doula is and seek one out, but these are also the women who have traditionally ‘better’ labor outcomes, as measured by rates of adverse birth outcomes.”

    Conroy spoke about her role as a volunteer doula. “My philosophy as a doula is that my role is to inform, empower, and support a mother during labor, no matter what her decisions are. I believe that just as accessibility to health care is a fundamental human right, access to doula care should be a basic right for pregnant people."

    Conroy believes that in the world of obstetric research and practice, babies’ health has taken precedence while the well-being of the mother is often overlooked. “Part of my goal as a doula is to restore the focus of labor to the mother as the centerpiece of the labor experience,” said Conroy.

    Conroy explained that the impact of a doula is often dismissed or seen as not being based in science. She  referenced a 2013 study by Kenneth Gruber, Susan Cupito and Christina Dobson, entitled 'The Impact of Doulas on Healthy Birth Outcomes’. “Multiple studies have validated the utility of doula care, and have shown that it measurably improves maternal satisfaction with the labor experience, reduces the need for medical interventions such as forceps, vacuum-assisted deliveries, or Cesarean section, increases the likelihood of successful breastfeeding, and decreases time spent in active labor,” Conroy went on to say that, “This information alone shows that doula services have a lot to offer in the way of evidence-based care, and that doulas hold potential for reducing medical costs as well as improving a mother’s birth experience.

    In 2012, The Status of Women and Girls, a report published by The Institute of Women’s Policy Research, stated that New Haven has a higher rate of single female households (23%) than the rest of the state (13%). This report stated that these households have the lowest median income of all household types at $22,660 and the highest poverty rates among all household types at 44%.

    While there has been little additional research into this segment of the population since, Conroy says that these findings are consistent with what she sees in her work.

    “I have worked almost exclusively with single mothers in New Haven, and just anecdotally, that has been the number one demographic I have seen requesting doula services at Vidone,” said Conroy “Research has shown that single mothers face greater health risks greater barriers to accessing care during pregnancy and in the delivery room.” Conroy says that this population lacks familial support which can negatively impact their labor experience and birth outcome.

    A 2001 study entitled, ‘The Girl Who Cried Pain: A Bias Against Women in the Treatment of Pain’ by Diane Hoffman and Anita Tarzian said that “women who seek medical attention are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed or under-treated for their complaints or pain.” Conroy added that “sadly, but somewhat predictably, women of color are most likely to suffer the consequences of this inattention to maternal health.”

    Conroy is grateful for the recent attention that maternal health issues have received such as ProPublica’s December 2017 article on the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality among black woman naming the US as the most dangerous industrialized country to give birth in. While economic factors do create barriers to care, the ProPublica article contends that economic status is not the single contributor of negative maternal health outcomes. The mistreatment of women of color in medical settings and the stress experienced by minorities in American must also be considered.

    The presence of a doula helps combat these issues and can bridge gaps in understanding and communication between a patient and their provider. Vanessa Hawke, doula and owner of Paper Crane Birth Services said, "Sometimes, a doula is the only person in the room whose sole job is to care for the person giving birth. This is important because a sense of safety and comfort is vital to the birthing process.” Hawke said, “In my perfect world, every parent would feel prepared, supported, and respected in terms of the way they choose to give birth. They would be encouraged to trust in their abilities during labor.”

  • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | NOVEMBER 2018

    WOMANLY MAGAZINE RELEASES NEW CONTENT

    Radical art and health magazine talks aging, equity, and wisdom in its third issue.

    NEW YORK – Womanly Magazine, a health and arts publication providing accessible health information to women and non-binary people, releases the third issue of its print publication and web platform on November 10, 2018. Issue No. 3, entitled “Words from the Wise – Geriatric Health, Aging and the Sharing of Wisdom," is ripe with powerful content and an enlightened perspective on growing older. This issue brings together the knowledge of experts like writer and influencer Nina Lorez Collins, poignant visual and literary art from female artists across the country, and the sage advice of the aging.

    In creating “Words from the Wise", “We wanted to remain aware of the difficulties of getting older while occupying vulnerable spaces of our communities, like the experiences of immigrants and low-income women, but we also hope to illuminate the beauty of aging and the power of wisdom-sharing across generations,” said Womanly Magazine Founder and CEO, Attia Taylor.

    This edition of Womanly Magazine is a guide to self-preservation for the wise women who exist at the cornerstone of our communities and deserve to be equipped with the strength and knowledge to care for themselves. “The aging and the elderly cannot be replaced in their ability to preserve our cultures and share our stories. From their experiences we can gather irreplaceable insight into womanhood and health,” said Taylor.

    “We felt that the need to discuss the topic of aging was especially pressing in the wake of so many transitions for this population group. The older population is growing and living longer, which means that we, as a society, need to develop new resources to accommodate them - at all levels of healthcare,” said Nurse Practitioner and Womanly Magazine Health Director, Diana McDonnell.

    According to data released by the Population Reference Bureau in December 2015 report called “Aging in the United States”, the number of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to double from 46 million as of 2015 to 98 million by 2060. This group is more diverse than ever, but huge economic disparities exist among ethnic lines. With rising obesity rates, Alzheimer rates that are expected to triple by 2060, and much of the older population living alone - this group is faced with challenges that will likely increase a need for at-home and elder care.

    For those interested in supporting Womanly Magazine’s mission to distribute inclusive and accessible health content for free to low income communities, the magazine will be available for purchase at Womanly Magazine’s newly introduced online store. With your help, “Words from the Wise” will be available for free for low-income readers in community spaces across New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore. This issue will encourage its younger readers to trust in the insight of their elders and urge aging readers to seek the care and vitality that they deserve. Follow @womanlymag on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to see news about public health issues, upcoming events, and new content. The magazine can also be accessed for free on their website at womanlymag.com. Womanly Magazine has been producing and sharing powerful, intersectional content within communities since 2017 and aims to continue expanding its reach to low-income women of color and non-binary persons across ages, cultures, and communities.

  • THE HEARING

    On April 8, at 1 pm there will be a virtual hearing on the need for a Philadelphia independent youth ombudsperson. This tool kit is meant to support your advocacy work as you rally with us around this need, putting pressure on decision makers to support an independent youth ombudsperson and drawing attention to the need for oversight, appropriate grievance processes and protection for our youth.

    An “Ombudsperson” can be defined as someone who acts on behalf of another as a “protector against oppressive measures by the government.” Today, “ombudsperson” has taken on a broader ‘public watchdog’ or ‘citizen defender’ meaning. An ombudsperson plays a vital role in bringing abuses and rights violations occurring daily in these facilities to the public’s attention. Many ombudsperson offices investigate, report on data and findings, while also making system-wide policy recommendations.

    Juvenile Law Center will be posting about this in anticipation of the hearing. Feel free to share our content and to do some posts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

    BACKGROUND

    Abuse is a condition of institutions. A 2011 report found clear documented evidence of systemic abuse of youth in institutional placements throughout the United States. An update 4 years later, found evidence of systemic maltreatment in an additional 14 states, including Pennsylvania. Our Philadelphia youth endure systemic abuse and mistreatment and feel they have no place to report the abuse they endure. Pennsylvania permits facilities, such as Glen Mills, a facility where youth experienced violence on a daily basis, to develop, monitor and implement their own grievance procedures. This effectively silences and invalidates youth and family reports of horrific conditions, abuse and other rights violations. The state has done an ineffective job at hearing, seeing and protecting our youth. The alternative reporting avenues, Child Line and CARO have been proven similarly ineffective. The scope of the ombudsperson office, similar to the Philadelphia residential task force, would cover youth in facilities whether through dependency, delinquency or disability (DBHIDS).

    Prior to David Hess’ (17) horrific murder at Wordsworth Academy in 2018, police were summoned to Woodsworth 800 times. His murder, along with investigative journalism brought public attention. The Defender Association of Philadelphia’s tireless advocacy and powerful reports such as Juvenile Law Center and Juveniles for Justice’s, Broken Bridges as well as Education Law Center and Children’s Rights, Unsafe and Uneducated, sparked action.The Children and Youth Committee held a hearing on May 17, 2018 on the experiences of Philadelphia youth in placement facilities. The incredible testimony of youth and other advocates resulted in City Council establishing a task force with the various city stakeholders, to recommend ways to keep our Philadelphia youth safe. The final report unanimously recommends an independent youth ombudsperson. Simultaneously, feeling left-out of the task force, youth held a visioning session, where they shared their stories and recommendations in small groups. One of many critical recommendations was the need for an independent youth ombudsperson.

    Several council members, including Helen Gym and Kenyatta Johnson, who both served on the task force, have listened.

    TWEETS

    “This office can give us our voices back. A lot of times, our voices are ripped out of us when we enter the system and youth who dare to speak up are muted. I hope this begins to change that.” Speedy, Youth Advocate, @juvlaw1975 #UnmutePHLyouth @Juv4Justice @YouthFChange

    “Pennsylvania youth are 29% more likely to be confined than youth around the country.” Transforming Justice @juvlaw1975 #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    “I was too scared to open up and talk. I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I didn’t think anything would be done...Why would I think anyone will help me if they’re sitting there harming me?” Lilly, Youth Advocate @juvlaw1975 #UnmutePHLyouth @Juv4Justice https://jlc.org/resources/broken-bridges-how-juvenile-placements-cut-youth-communities-and-successful-futures

    “I tried reporting what happened…I lost all my phone time with my family and was put in solitary” Qilah, Youth Advocate, @juvlaw1975 #UnmutePHLyouth @Juv4Justice @YouthFChange Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    “The voices of youth, families, and impacted communities are far too often missing in discussions of the problems and solutions.” @juvlaw1975 #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    “No single point of contact exists for addressing concerns about services in youth residential placement. In conversations with multiple advocacy groups, youth said they felt there was no safe way to report mistreatment while in placement.” #UnmutePHLyouth https://www.phila.gov/hhs/PDF/FINAL%20YRPTF%20report_web_2019.pdf

    @PAHumanServices received 254 reports of suspected child abuse & neglect at Deveraux 2018-2020 & dismissed 250 as “unconfirmed”@PhillyInquirer revealed that at least 41 children, 10 in PA, have been raped or sexually assaulted by Devereux staff in the last 25 yrs #UnmutePHLyouth

    2016: David Hess, 17, is murdered, after being fatally restrained at Wordsworth Academy. Before his murder, police had been called to Wordsworth over 800 times. @phillyInquirer #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    @phillyInquirer revealed that “at least 49 sex crimes” including 12 rapes and 23 accounts of sexual abuse” had been reported at Wordsworth over the past decade. #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    44% of reviewed providers had repeat violations of physical or sexual mistreatment. Yet, @PAHumanServices typically approved the plans of correction, regardless of their quality.” @EdLaw Center @ChildrensRights https://www.childrensrights.org/press-release/unsafe-and-uneducated-new-report-reveals-dangers-for-youth-in-pennsylvania-foster-care/

    For 40 years “Glen Mills failed to protect the youth entrusted to its care,...permitted youth to sustain physical injuries…[& created] a culture that instills fear in youth through coercion and intimidation.” @phillyInquirer #UnmutePHLyouth

    “...if the staff didn’t like you, they could do what they wanted.” -Lilly, 16, youth advocate @Juv4Justice @YouthFChange @juvlaw1975 #BrokenBridges Our youth need a place to go! #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    “In my group home, I got jumped and my head stomped into the ground. I was unconscious and sent to the hospital but my mom wasn’t informed until hours later when she happened to call the facility to check on me.” -Youth Advocate #UnmutePHLyouth @Juv4Justice @YouthFChange

    “Across residential placement in all three systems, approximately 75% of those in placement are Black youth.” City of Philadelphia: The Youth Residential Placement Task Force #UnmutePHLyouth Learn more + Sign: bit.ly/OmbudsSupportLetter Attend the hearing: bit.ly/RSVPOmbuds

    91% and 94% of youth placed in institutions through dependency and delinquency (respectively) are identified as Black or Brown. - Laurie Dow @PCCYTeam #UnmutePHLyouth