Women in America: The Doctor Won't See You Now
In this Women in America episode, hosts Pari and Eve speak with Dr. Kristen Lyerly, an OBGYN from Wisconsin, about the escalating crisis in women’s health amid abortion restrictions and a federal government shutdown.
Dr. Lyerly details how fear and stigma, rather than law, are limiting access to essential care, even in states like Minnesota where abortion remains legal. She describes shuttered rural hospitals, rising violence against healthcare workers and doctors fleeing restrictive states.
As public health systems crumble and Medicaid cuts deepen inequalities, Dr. Lyerly urges Americans to engage in honest community conversations and vote in every election. Despite harsh realities, she finds hope in a new generation of young physicians entering medicine as advocates, determined to rebuild healthcare on a foundation of compassion, science and equity.
By Pari & Eve
Pari and Eve are public health professionals who have dedicated their 15-year careers to fighting for global reproductive rights. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, they felt compelled to turn their attention to domestic activism; growing their decade-long friendship into an advocacy partnership committed to educating the American public on the importance of gender equality, and specifically women’s healthcare. Seeing a major gap in the presence of qualified public health voices on social media, Pari and Eve established a trusted digital presence that elevates women’s voices and combats misinformation on health issues. Their Instagram and TikTok accounts facilitate evidence-based learning on a range of sexual and reproductive health topics, highlighting the intersectionality of health with human rights and social justice. Pari and Eve went viral after launching a “Women in America” series focused on the daily inequities that women in the U.S. experience economically, environmentally, in health care, at work, and more - garnering over 25M views across both platforms.
For more on Pari and Eve, visit their website at www.pariandeve.com.