This story and experience posted by Obstetrician & Gynecologist Tamika Cross on her Facebook page is stomach-turning and it’s stirring up social media. Cross writes about being on a Delta Airlines flight when a man two rows in front of her became unresponsive. What happened next is despicable.
October 9 at 9:03am ·
I'm sure many of my fellow young, corporate America working women of color can all understand my frustration when I say I'm sick of being disrespected.
Was on Delta flight DL945 and someone 2 rows in front of me was screaming for help. Her husband was unresponsive. I naturally jumped into Doctor mode as no one else was getting up. Unbuckle my seatbelt and throw my tray table up and as I'm about to stand up, flight attendant says "everyone stay calm, it's just a night terror, he is alright". I continue to watch the scene closely.
A couple mins later he is unresponsive again and the flight attendant yells "call overhead for a physician on board". I raised my hand to grab her attention. She said to me "oh no sweetie put ur hand down, we are looking for actual physicians or nurses or some type of medical personnel, we don't have time to talk to you" I tried to inform her that I was a physician but I was continually cut off by condescending remarks.
Then overhead they paged "any physician on board please press your button". I stare at her as I go to press my button. She said "oh wow you're an actual physician?" I reply yes. She said "let me see your credentials. What type of Doctor are you? Where do you work? Why were you in Detroit?" (Please remember this man is still in need of help and she is blocking my row from even standing up while Bombarding me with questions).
I respond "OBGYN, work in Houston, in Detroit for a wedding, but believe it or not they DO HAVE doctors in Detroit. Now excuse me so I can help the man in need". Another "seasoned" white male approaches the row and says he is a physician as well. She says to me "thanks for your help but he can help us, and he has his credentials". (Mind you he hasn't shown anything to her. Just showed up and fit the "description of a doctor") I stay seated. Mind blown. Blood boiling. (Man is responding the his questions and is seemingly better now Thank God)
Then this heifer has the nerve to ask for my input on what to do next about 10 mins later. I tell her we need vitals and blood sugar. She comes back to report to me a BP of 80/50 (super low, to my non medical peeps) and they can't find a glucometer. We continue down that pathway of medical work up, but the point is she needed my help and I continued to help despite the choice words I had saved up for her. The patient and his wife weren't the problem, they needed help and we were mid flight.
She came and apologized to me several times and offering me skymiles. I kindly refused. This is going higher than her. I don't want skymiles in exchange for blatant discrimination. Whether this was race, age, gender discrimination, it's not right. She will not get away with this....and I will still get my skymiles....
This was a personal post by Cross and her anger is more than justified. At the time of this publishing, the personal post has one 100k Facebook likes and and close to 40k Facebook shares.
The Washington Post refers to Cross’s story as being common for many black professionals and it’s reminiscent of Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) speech given last summer on Senate floor last summer describing his experience of being questioned by police multiple times on one year, because of the color of his skin.
Delta Airlines condemned the flight attendant’s actions, but there are some injustices we just can’t walk back, and they need to be addressed publicly in order to first expose them, then discuss them, and then to work to help prevent them. Thank you, Tamika Cross for doing all of the above and your service in the medical field.