In keeping with the narrative, California law requires maternity care staff to complete “racism in medicine” training. Evidently, most hospitals are out of compliance, and the California Attorney General is upset about it. But, as I’ve written before, racist healthcare providers are unlikely to be the cause of the racial disparities in maternal mortality. Differences in rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and multiple births are the more likely culprits. California would do better with mandatory training on how to recognize and deal with high-risk pregnancies.

[But that would solve the problem rather than keeping victim statuses in place and creating demand for top-down distribution of social goods. The answer to Gail’s question is No, but the narrative is racist, and so are those pursuing it. — Ed]