The Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Blog is a bi-monthly column in the Women’s Cancer News. Established in 2020, the blog is supported by the SGO DIHE Committee and sponsored by an unrestricted grant from GSK. Its primary aim is to provide a platform for SGO and FWC members to share their experiences and perspectives on DIHE issues faced in the field of gynecologic oncology. Each article, ranging from 500 to 700 words, is authored by diverse voices within the SGO and FWC community. Past authors include attendings, trainees, allied health professionals, and patients.
This column has played a crucial role in sustaining the momentum of the anti-discrimination and health equity movements and dialogues in SGO. The SGO DIHE Blog helps to operationalize the mission of SGO and many of the SGO core values including: advocacy, diversity and inclusion, engagement and patient care. It has served as a means of amplifying underrepresented voices within our specialty, including those of Black, Brown, Latin, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
As editors of this column, we continue to invite contributors, curate topics, and collaborate with authors to ensure that their messages resonate with our membership. We are indebted to the many authors who have been willing to share their observations and experiences. Over the past year, this column has focused on a broad spectrum of issues, from challenges in caring for our patients in rural areas to urban and global experiences with cervical cancer, and a diverse range of places and populations represented in between. Authors have boldly shared their personal reflections on how race, ethnicity, and gender impact their daily lives in this profession and as patients navigating our healthcare systems. These powerful words have educated us, opened our minds to new ways of seeing and being, encouraged and inspired us, and, ultimately, healed us more than they could possible know.
We are deeply grateful for all of those who served as authors over the past year and thankful that so many SGO members have taken the time to read our colleagues’ perspectives each month. We hope that this column will inspire you to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with your colleagues, trainees, and patients. To access previous articles in this series, visit the SGO DIHE Blog. If you would like to contribute to this column or recommend a contributor, please contact DIHE@sgo.org or Enishia Valentine-Davis, Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; we look forward to hearing your unique perspective!