S2E8 Dismissing Your Pain Violates Your Civil Rights x IUD Pain x Reproductive Justice with Madeline Morcelle

This week, we’re talking about how having our pain believed no matter our sex or race isn’t just a reproductive justice issue, it’s our civil right.The TabooPain dismissal in women’s healthcare is so common, it’s considered normal. But what if it’s not just medical neglect—it’s a civil rights violation?Links + Resources* Human Rites by Juno Dawson 📘* National Health Law Program (NHeLP) ⚖️Sign up for the NHeLP newsletterNHeLP on FacebookNHeLP on BlueSky* Sexual and Reproductive Health Equity Resource Hub 💻* 📝 related blog post* Follow Madeline on Instagram @reprolawyer 📱* 2025 Landmines in Healthcare Policy 💣“ Reproductive justice means trusting people with the truth of what’s happening in our bodies. So that we can have all the information and can decide what’s right for us.”— Madeline MorcelleThe Guest ExpertMadeline T. Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H., is a Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), where she leads work advancing civil rights and equitable access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, particularly for people with disabilities, immigrants, and low-income communities. A movement lawyer and coalition-builder, she focuses on Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and federal health policy reform. Previously, she directed public benefits law at the Mississippi Center for Justice and held legal and policy roles at CMS and public health institutions. A Harvard-trained public health leader, Madeline has received numerous national honors and serves on advisory boards supporting reproductive health access and early abortion training.Key Takeaways🩺 1. Pain dismissal in women’s healthcare is systemic, and it’s a civil rights violation.What many people write off as “bad bedside manner” is actually a pattern of discrimination. When providers ignore or downplay women’s pain, like in reproductive care, it’s not just harmful, it’s a violation of federal civil rights law under the Affordable Care Act (Section 1557).🧬 2. Dismissed pain delays diagnoses and derails reproductive autonomy.Conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, endometriosis, and others often go undiagnosed for years due to providers ignoring women’s reports of pain. This leads to missed or delayed information about pregnancy risks, fertility issues, and hereditary conditions, which robs patients of informed decision-making and violates the core tenets of reproductive justice.🔥 3. You have rights!If a healthcare provider refuses to treat or acknowledge your pain, you may have legal recourse. While the current administration is rolling back protections, the law still stands. You can take action: know your rights, report civil rights violations, and advocate for stronger state-level protections.Time Stamps5:29 | How does pain dismissal show up in the reproductive health space? 10:23 | Pain dismissal and chronic conditions 18:37 | Fannie Lou Hamer19:58 | Aside: ‘Mississippi Appendectomies’23:34 | Affordable Care Act (ACA) and patient protections28:31 | What can we do to protect ourselves in a medical context?33:41 | What systemic changes are most urgent right now? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit micahlarsen.substack.com