Disrupting Racism in Ontario Midwifery

There are a limited number of Canadian studies that explore the experiences of racism among health care providers who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), and specifically within the context of midwifery in Ontario. More information is needed to better understand how to achieve racial equity and justice at all levels of the midwifery profession.

Semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with racialized midwives in Ontario to understand how racism manifests in the midwifery profession and to conduct a needs assessment of interventions required. The researchers used thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes within the data and to develop a better understanding of participants' experiences and perspectives.

Ten racialized midwives participated in key informant interviews. The vast majority of participants reported experiences of racism in their work as a midwife, including being subject to or witnessing racism from clients and colleagues, tokenism, and exclusionary hiring practices. More than half of participants also emphasized their commitment to providing culturally concordant care for BIPOC clients. Participants relayed that access to BIPOC-centered gatherings, workshops, peer reviews, conferences, support groups, and mentorship opportunities constitute important supports for improving diversity and equity in midwifery. They also expressed a need for midwives and midwifery organizations to actively work to disrupt racism and the power structures in midwifery that enable racial inequity to proliferate.

The manifestations of racism in midwifery have negative impacts on the career trajectory, career satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, and well-being of BIPOC midwives. It is crucial to understand the role of racism in midwifery and make meaningful changes toward dismantling interpersonal and systemic racism in the profession. These progressive changes will serve to create a more diverse and equitable profession, where all midwives can belong and thrive.