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Now that Sincerely, Your Gynecologist has been released, I look for all opportunities to listen to famous authors speak in preparation for my speaking engagements. This past Friday, I had the chance to listen to Jon Meacham at the Celebration of Learning event hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Jon Meacham is a Presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. He truly is a skilled orator and has a unique ability to bring history to life. I just finished his book, The Soul of America, and realized there were times in history when there was fear and division in the United States, even worse than now, and our nation survived. There is hope. In his talk, he left the audience with three things we should strive to have – curiosity, candor, and empathy.

I have been thinking of those three words and thinking about this upcoming election. I went to dictionary.com to get a clear definition. Not only should I strive to have curiosity, candor, and empathy, but I want this from my elected officials.

Curiosity – the desire to learn or know about anything – Will the person I vote for have the curiosity to understand why maternal death rates in the United States have doubled over the last two decades? Will that person want to know why black mothers die 2 -3 times more than any other racial or ethnic group? Will that person be curious to know why life expectancy depends on your zip code?

Candor – the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression. Freedom from bias; fairness – I am looking for someone who is truly sincere and believes in fairness. I want the person to make sure birth control options are available and accessible for everyone who wants them.

Empathy – the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the emotions, thoughts, or attitudes of another. I want someone to ask themselves, what if that happens to my family or me? Should the law be involved in deciding what happens to my body?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, removed legal barriers at the state and local levels preventing African-Americans from voting. It was August 18, 1920, when the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote. I encourage you to vote on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Our health may be dependent on the outcome of the election.

FYI – Sincerely, Your Gynecologist is now available on Amazon (hardcover), Apple (e-book), and google (e-book).