Brooke Shields had a seizure, MDs said some odd things next
Key Takeaways
Industry Insights
“There are times when women’s health seems to focus too much on losing weight. For example, menstrual abnormalities, infertility, or even fatigue are common and often immediately associated with weight problems rather than other factors.” –Michael Chichak, MD, Medical Director of MEDvidi
“When cultural positions of power are at play, like a male physician treating a woman, or a White physician treating a Black patient, we need to pay attention and listen to patients.” –Grace Lautman, LMHC, a certified nutritionist and the owner at Honor Nutrition & Counseling
Actor Brooke Shields’ new book, “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman,” tackles some heavy issues—like aging as a woman in a society that relentlessly values youth and beauty.[]
Medical sexism
She recently appeared on “Good Morning America” to talk about her book, during which she mentioned her experience of experiencing a grand mal seizure.[] Shields told the morning show that she was asked an inappropriate question by two male doctors after the seizure.[]
“I had a seizure not too long ago and the two male doctors said, ‘Are you restricting yourself for dietary reasons?’ And I was like, ‘No. I’m a 59-year-old woman who looks younger bloated. Give me some potato chips!’ You wouldn’t say that to a man,” she said.[] “Women go through stuff. We need to be able to say, ‘This isn’t fair.’ We need to be able to self-advocate.”
She continued, explaining, “It’s time to kind of explore this without yelling, without being angry. I tell my girls… we don’t have to yell louder …We just have to be secure in what we believe and to be heard, because we’re not going to get anywhere by just screaming.”
Making assumptions about patients
The assumption that Shields’ seizure had to do with food restriction for weight loss purposes can be reductive to the patient experience, says Michael Chichak, MD, Medical Director of MEDvidi. “There are times when women’s health seems to focus too much on losing weight,” he tells MDLinx. “For example, menstrual abnormalities, infertility, or even fatigue are common and often immediately associated with weight problems rather than other factors.”
This approach, he says, not only “estranges the patients, but also closes them off from getting a more meaningful discussion about their health.” He recommends that physicians look beyond their patients’ weight. Rather, he says, healthcare providers should focus on education, compassion, and real, actionable advice. “These conversations have the potential to cause emotional destruction, but with great medical care and attention, we can ensure that they are approachable,” Dr. Chichak says.
Grace Lautman, LMHC, a certified nutritionist and the owner of Honor Nutrition & Counseling, agrees. She tells MDLinx that the assumption that a woman is concerned about staying thin or gaining weight is a systemic problem. “It seems a bit assumptive,” she says. “Many people feel objectified and harmed by internalized biases in medicine—women included. When cultural positions of power are at play, like a male physician treating a woman, or a White physician treating a Black patient, we need to pay attention and listen to patients.”
Her suggestion on how physicians should have approached Shields? “More open-ended questions like, ‘Can you tell me about your food and water intake recently?’ would be indicative of more thoughtful care.”