Family Caregiving Includes Self-Care

Caregivers, parents, and birthing folks face challenges every day. While often times rewarding, there are many hardships to these roles. One of those hardships should not be access to proper healthcare.

Last week, Mayor Bowser, signed into law the Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act. This act is a comprehensive transgender and abortion refuge bill that provides the right to bodily autonomy for out-of-state transgender folks and reproductive care and abortion seekers. When a person has access to healthcare that provides bodily autonomy, their mental health also benefits. Abortion rights, access to contraception, and gender-affirming care are simple services that provide huge (sometimes life-saving) differences. Parents are not the first people who come to mind when talking about gender-affirming and reproductive care but it is time that we start to move away from our traditional views of what motherhood means and start expanding our views of what it means to be a parent. Parenting is no longer a gender-exclusive role and every parent and caregiver should have access to the healthcare that they need. Banning gender-affirming and reproductive care is harmful to all genders, not just those who identify as mothers. Through the passage of this law, DC is now a safe space for those who cannot access the care they need within their own communities. 

A caregiver’s own needs are something that goes neglected far too often. With the passing of this law, every caregiver and/or parent will be able to receive the care they need in order to be their strongest selves. When a parent is able to take care of themselves, their children benefit.