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Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
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27 Mar, 4 tweets, 2 min read
Last night, a woman opened up a space - I am so humbled & honored to have been there. Instead of the curated communication, women from around the world were real with each other on struggles, hopes, successes #WomensHistoryMonth #womenintech #WomenInSTEM #WomenInLeadership
I am fired up today but in a very hopeful way. Things are changing. We spoke of how to activate allies and how to choose when to speak and when to navigate. To be honest, this space was in a broader space I had started to get so frustrated with I was settling into cynicism.
That female energy was particularly meaningful as I'm still raw and processing the loss of my mother. Mommy was like my own personal Ruth Bader Ginsberg speaking the Queen's English as taught to her by German nuns in Karachi (yeah that's a brain pretzel) and using due process.
The fearful, disempowered woman relies only on optics, narrative, emotions. This position also relies on being the "right" kind of woman per society and patriarchy and is inherently about affirming status quo and aligning with past.

Compared to:

brainpickings.org/2014/08/19/may…

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More from @usnehal

Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
29 Mar
Just stop these tiny violins. As a woman of color who lost my mother to the pandemic, as a licensed physician, and as a public servant, I can say it is EXACTLY women like Dr. Birx who drive out women like me from “her” turf & prematurely end the lives of women like my mother.
You don’t have to buy an assault rifle and show up to shoot someone’s mother to have blood on your hands.
Bureaucrats like Dr. Birx has blood on their hands no different from as if she did this. You can kill, passively, while wrapped in an Hermès scarf.

usatoday.com/story/news/nat…
@JeromeAdamsMD this is an example of bureaucrats & policies causing death

Perhaps before implying seeking accountability for the policy-driven deaths of so many mothers & loved ones

is “anti-feminist”
learn history
bureaucrats kill women & men of color

m.economictimes.com/news/politics-…
Read 48 tweets
Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
28 Mar
When I look at reactions to Birx, several faculty defending her
deeply concerns me how strong the Colonial mind control still is in South Asian women
some of whom are born and raised here

South Asians: Look at anti-Asian hate
You are not white
You can & will go under the bus
I fully expect WW to see selves in Birx & close ranks. This apology piece, as if Birx were a naive child, unable to operate in a “male-centered” world, typical

cnn.com/2021/03/28/opi…

This is American feminism
It is for wives and daughters of those who “belong”
But play victim
“Male-centered”

appropriates a term
used by black women

“Centered on women” is not the goal.
Which women?

Get PAST respectability

We already have failed feminism thar centers on WW and WW are unhappy while BIPOC remain paid worse or the “mammy”

newamerica.org/family-centere…
Read 5 tweets
Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
28 Mar
I don't call Fauci a hero - have criticized him. Birx is no victim. She & her scarves can go away ASAP.

>500,000 dead. My mother included.

#Leadership means something.
Those unfit for leadership or public office, unable to meet demands of the job, can & should leave the post.
There are two choices:

1- We have one definition of leadership & ethics. We don't make excuses just cuz she's a woman

2- Women have it so tough that we should use a double standard cuz, maybe, she handles media like a girl

Media is PART OF the job

nbcnews.com/politics/donal…
Look, if you want to be a scientist & just do the work, great. There thousands of non-profits, universities, aid agencies to do #publichealth and #policy.

If you seek out the limelight, guess what, you will have public accountability for when you betray science. Sounds...fair
Read 21 tweets
Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
28 Mar
Trump was propped up by everyone standing besides him. Birx has blood on her hands.

“Leaders”, sadly, often sadly, women, like her are exactly why I left public service. Why would I rubber stamp death?

Birx and others like her are responsible for my mother’s #COVID19 death.
Compare Birx, who is on a reputation management tour, to a true #publichealth #servantleadership role model like Dr. Hasan Gokal

Is Birx defending him, her peer?

No, she’s playing victim exactly per the playbook of American-style feminism.

khou.com/article/news/h…
It was evangelical “science” that ruled the last administration - Birx included.

Where was Birx’s loyalty?

To vetted, verified facts and preserving human life?

I judge by actions and outcomes, not by “narrative” spun after a change of administration.

khn.org/news/religious…
Read 14 tweets
Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
27 Mar
The reason #ethics or doing the right thing seems so hard to fairly privileged people

is cuz their ethics have to fit within the zip code in which they already live, their budget for a Peloton, etc, etc

This is all called being "responsible"
Maybe we shoud redefine the word?
Everyone wants to hashtag on equity
but no one wants to so much as have to drive 20 minutes further

Meanwhile we a-okay with black CHILDREN having fought these battles for us

"They spat. Someone carried a black doll in a small coffin."

eastbaytimes.com/2006/10/28/rub…
Even if, let's say we think "well, ok towards others' kids but mine...they are precious and need to be protected jewels" in fact, there is no such protection for the so-called model minority. No matter how fast you pedal on that Peloton, you will face:

nbcnews.com/news/asian-ame…
Read 4 tweets
Umbereen S. Nehal, MD, MPH Profile picture
27 Mar
I don't want to hear about how (female) doctors are too afraid to speak up. It's simple: resign.

Believe me, doctors can get jobs. No one is in any impossible position.

The apology tour after a change of administration to match shifting winds makes me embarrassed for her.
It's impressive how much people are willing to portray selves as powerless victims forced into putting a pretty face on hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths.

I don't believe in "shame" - in every form it is toxic. I do believe in being honest. Doctors still have power.
I've been in the #publichealth arena myself and in the executive suite arena. I get the "if I am not 'in the room' I will lose power and things will be worse" dilemma

BUT

I am done with narrative and ego
Results, people
>500,000 deaths
Leave and do something better
Read 4 tweets

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