Hey hey!

Sorry for the somewhat lengthy hiatus – This past week has been extremely tasking and full of challenges. Thankfully, things are quieter and I can share my thoughts on last week’s episode of Greys Anatomy.

I know that I shouldn’t play favourites considering that I try to portray an objective point of view, but Grey’s is MY show. I’ve pretty much been ‘ride or die’ for the show since its first season – talk about dedication!

And it deserves every bit of my dedication; believe you me. Grey’s has three special elements that connect me so closely to it- The perfect blend of medical mystery and daring drama, the loveable nature of the characters, and it’s believability.

At this juncture, Im sure you’re all wondering why this is my first post on Grey’s, and to be honest, the answer is simple.

Fear.

Over the years, I have learned so much from Grey’s that I’m worried I will be unable to convey the intricacies and details of its lessons to others based on their innate complexity. So like the mere mortal I am, I have been running from it…Until now.

As a brief bit of background, Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series created by Shonda Rhimes. The title is a play on the human anatomy textbook Gray’s Anatomy, written by Henry Gray, but in my eyes it also depicts the depth of the relationships the audience will form with Meredith Grey (protagonist) and all the other characters – an understanding of what makes each of them who they truly are in the same way that our anatomy reflects our physical composition. The show follows the work of surgical interns, residents and attendings, while highlighting the pressures they face in finding love and maintaining relationships both inside the hospital and outside of it.

The past 11 seasons have brought surprises to most of the characters, not least Meredith herself, who has had two half sisters that she didn’t even know existed join the family that is HER hospital unexpectedly. She also came to the realization that the man who broke up her family was the chief of surgery at the hospital. Conversely, this same hospital brought her the love of her life, Derek Shepherd, her best friend and person, Christina Yang, and strong relationships with the other hospital staff who she now regards as her friends.

The show seems to be plagued by the Peyton Sawyer’s profound statement on One Tree Hill – ‘people always leave’. Each character on the show has had to contend with loss of their own life, a loved one, a limb, or a relationship that they thought they would have forever. However, the protagonist is saddled with most of these losses rather than just one. Meredith has one half sister to a plane crash, her person and best friend to a different hospital half way across the world, her husband to a car crash that shouldn’t have been fatal, her mother to Alzheimer’s and a host of friends to death or desertion. Mer has the weight of the world on her shoulders and it would be so great to see her become free of it all – but that is a tale for another post.

Last week, Dr Maggie Pierce (the second of Meredith’s half sisters) told a fellow surgeon and friend Amelia Shepherd (Meredith’s sister in law) to “check her white privilege” I know you’re wondering how this lesson is applicable to everyone who isn’t white, but I’ll end with that…                      

Amelia’s African american resident, Stephanie Edwards, explained to her that the reason she was not comfortable with an unorthodox treatment that she was being asked to carry out on a patient was because she endured similar pain as a child due to her sickle cell condition. As such, she couldn’t bear to watch the patient suffer the way she had. A caucasian resident, Jo Wilson, did not believe Steph and accused her of lying. She decided she didn’t want to be honest with Jo, and she pretty much affirmed that her story was a lie. Jo immediately reported her to Amelia, and she believed her over Edwards. In the process of reporting her to a superior, she found out the story was in fact true.

In an attempt to absolve herself of guilt, Amelia thinks it best to ask her ‘sister’, (more like half sister-in-law) another African american doctor, what her opinion is on the situation. Maggie is offended by this, and asks Amelia is she is asking her opinion because she is her ‘sister’, or her ‘sistah’. In my opinion, it is obvious that is it a perfect combination of both, and honestly there is nothing wrong with asking someone YOU KNOW WELL who you think would understand a situation best what they feel was right or wrong. However, it is important to own up to it. Personally, I think Amelia should have admitted that when she said ‘Oh, good! I can talk to you about this. I am worried I offended Edwards. I need you to tell me’, she meant you – my sister who is a black doctor! Perfect! But she didn’t. Instead she pretended it wasn’t a criteria, and that in itself is avoiding reality. It’s simply unnecessary.

On the issue in question, Amelia isn’t sure why she took the word of the resident she had no relationship with, over the one with whom she spent all her time. She doesn’t exactly think she did it because Edwards is black, but she’s confused. In the midst of her feelings, she blurts out that she hates that ‘this is even an issue all of a sudden.’

Naturally, her response frustrates Maggie, and leads her to describe the difficulties she faces as an african american female, and doctor – ‘It’s when people assume I’m a nurse. Or when I go to get on an airplane with my first-class ticket, and they tell me that they’re not boarding coach yet. It’s like a low buzz in the background. And sometimes you don’t even notice it, and sometimes it’s loud and annoying. And sometimes it can get dangerous. And sometimes it is ridiculous, like right now.’ She lets Amelia know that though it may not be an issue for her, or as overt as the events detailed in ‘Mississippi Burning’, it is an issue for those who experience it on a daily basis. Amelia tries to play the innocent card, and explains that she might be doing it without realizing. However she is encouraged to ‘notice it’ and make a conscious effort to avoid it, rather than sweep it under the carpet. At the same time, Maggie reminded her that if she is asked to let it go, she should. She explained that who feel the effects of racial bias shouldn’t have to be given ‘the extra work of having to make you feel good about it’ when you’re not the aggrieved party.

Maggie’s final comment is of utmost importance because it refutes this idea that to be ‘black’ is to be homogenous. ‘I-I don’t speak for all black people. I am not the spokeswoman. No one is. And it is kind of annoying to be asked questions like I am.…if you feel uncomfortable having done it, check your white privilege and don’t do it again…‘ Though her tone seems to admonish Amelia, it puts plainly the most important truths about how humans should interact with one another.

First, each person is an individual with feelings separate from any class of people, and should be treated as such; Second, no one person can speak for the feelings of an entire sect of people who have had varying experiences; Third, everyone should be mindful of the first and second points, and avoid asking any single person questions as though they are the authority on an entire sect of people, many of whom they haven’t even met; Fourth, when one does make such a mistake, they must check themselves and figure out what makes them act the way they do – be it ‘white’ privilege, the ‘ I am educated overseas privilege’ , the common ‘family wealth privilege’ , ‘the privilege of personal triumph’ and anything else that would make YOU feel like you are above someone else – anything that puts you in first place, and someone in second. Those are the very things that could lead to entitled behaviour, and poor treatment of others.

It might seem like a small point, but I think if you reflect on your treatment of others, you might find a few times where you have allowed your privilege to rule your actions. I know I have. My hope is that in coming to these realizations, we put the privilege in check, and make sure that we don’t repeat our mistakes.

 

Happy Sunday! If you enjoyed this post, or felt I missed something out, please comment! I would love to hear from you!

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Love

Jo 🙂