Unless you are in a certain socio-economic or religious group you may have never heard the terms “body literacy,” “fertility awareness,” or “natural family planning.” Soul Center’s intention is to inform Black and Brown communities about Cycle Charting and other forms of body literacy through our online curriculum that features visual representation, along with doing social awareness campaigns like this one.

Right now the fertility awareness landscape consists of primarily white, middle to upper class, religious and secular women. This is from the users of this practice up to the educational institutions and associations. The magnitude and depth of deficiency in racial, sexual orientation, cultural, religious and socioeconomic diversity within this field of study is alarming. 

Yet, the Couples to Couples League is currently celebrating 50 years as a non-profit organization that teaches Catholic couples, married and engaged, natural family planning (NFP). The Billings Ovulation Method Association centers the same community and has over 50 years of scientific research. There is an Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals for secular educators and institutions. Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein have teamed up to create the film “The Business of Birth Control.” Still, I see very little representation and funding with people who look like me.

Ironically these methods are steeped in African and Indigenous wisdom. The Billings Association is the only institution we know of that has acknowledged this, stating,  “Many women around the world have discovered the significance of the mucus themselves and used it as a sign of their fertility or infertility long before scientific proofs become available. Several African tribal groups including the Taita, Kamba and Luo are known to have done so for generations; as have some Indigenous Australian communities.”

 However, Black women and femmes have the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality, hysterectomies, PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis etc. Modern gynecology was built out of the experimentation of our bodies and all of this has been linked back to systemic racism.  

It wasn’t until 2020, with the uproar of the George Floyd’s murder and protest, that I saw some of the secular institutions start to make an effort around cycle charting and reproductive justice (RJ). Please note, I was the only Black/Brown (or even POC) in my 2019 training - the ONLY! 

For this reason, we have curated a growing list of Black and Brown educators, allies, as well as a disclaimer for Black and Brown people desiring certification in this field. We are glad to see institutions, associations, educators and users putting forth the effort. Nevertheless, there is so much more growth needed. Paid in full tuition for Black and Brown students is a start! Funding those of us, like Soul Center,  who are serving “marginalized” communities is a start! Offering free and discounted consultation rates is a start! 

Below we have a list of books to help white women understand the role your ancestors and you have played in how we got to this point, as well as books with healing approaches so we can move forward with solution-oriented action and some damn sense.

Until next time, much Love and continue to Be the Ritual