A Ray of Light for the Underserved - Deshawn Taylor, MD
By Edward Araujo, Managing Editor, Arizona Physician
Photography by Noble Pictures, jeffnoblepictures.com
Women’s health and reproductive rights are hot button issues in today’s America. Yet, there are a few physicians unflinching and unafraid to help their patients ensure they receive the care they need. Dr. DeShawn Taylor is a ray of light for them. As a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist in mid-town Phoenix, she has championed reproductive health services for underserved Arizonans for over 15 years.
DeShawn Taylor, MD, FACOG, MSc, born and raised in Los Angeles, CA has been an attending physician since 2005. She earned her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Taylor completed residency training at the Los Angeles County King/ Drew Medical Center and completed a Complex Family Planning Fellowship at the Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center.
Upon beginning her medical education Dr. Taylor was conflicted as to whether to become a family medicine physician or an OB-GYN. After countless discussions with her mentors and practicing physicians, she decided “I like fixing things,” which made it quite clear for her that she wanted to perform surgeries to help her patients. Becoming an OB-GYN allowed her the opportunity to fix problems with surgery but also allowed her to have longitudinal relationships with patients and their next generation of family.
WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
Dr. Taylor understands that her voice as a physician can be powerful. She understands that she isn’t only a medical professional but an ambassador for women’s reproductive rights and sexual health. She understands that her black female patients come to her because they want their OB-GYN to look like them, relate to their struggles, and be sincere and discreet.
In a time when women’s reproductive rights were under a national microscope, Dr. Taylor found ways to evolve her education and advocacy. Men are also her patients. She not only educates them on the importance of sexual health, but by connecting with her male patients, she feels they then in turn become better advocates for women in their lives and for their rights. Also, it makes conversations men may have with women in their lives regarding sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) easier.​
Dr. Taylor is committed to her work as an OB-GYN and advocate of women’s reproductive rights and sexual health to fighting misinformation. When it comes to access to abortion and contraceptive care, misinformation is rampant, especially in medically underserved communities. She is helping to change the current societal narratives around sexuality and reproductive health.
Reproductive justice for all through advocacy is a major part of Dr. Taylor’s work along with the services her practice provides. The right to bear children, not bear children, parent children in a safe & sustainable community, and bodily autonomy are the four major tenets of reproductive justice. Dr. Taylor shares, “advocacy and services just kind of tie themselves together at this moment and time.”​
OWNING HER PRACTICE AND BECOMING A NON-PROFIT
After working for a few years in both clinics and hospitals, Dr. Taylor decided to open her own practice. What looked like a great idea because of a high demand for her services became a tough grind for Dr. Taylor during her time as a sole practitioner for the first 10 years. Lenders weren’t underwriting loans for all the services her practice was providing for patients, she was working 7 days a week because she had a difficult time convincing other physicians to join her, Roe v Wade was being overturned, and her health started to deteriorate. Being diagnosed prediabetic was a game changer for her, she had to make some changes.
While in practice, Dr. Taylor always had an abundance of medical students, residents, and attending physicians wanting to learn abortion care. Yet, with all she was dealing with and the number of trainees, she just couldn’t meet the increasing demand for that training. That moved Dr. Taylor to create Desert Family Institute for Family Planning, a non-profit organization that has evolved into a reproductive justice organization. As a non-profit, her organization can offset costs of trainees, provide long-term birth control to uninsured peoples,’ as well as fund their community engagement activities, and fund her and her team’s salaries.
BEYOND HER PRACTICE
Dr. Taylor continues to help families in need. She’s a professor, does speaking engagements on behalf of reproductive justice, advocates to reframe abortion as a social good, and has written a book, Undue Burden: A Black, Woman Physician on Being Christian and Pro- Abortion in the Reproductive Justice Movement, in which she shares stories on her life, her medical education, and practice.
Dr. Taylor truly walks the walk in being a champion for underserved women and families across the Valley as they seek access to reproductive and sexual health services. She’s continually working as a voice for the underserved by helping to remove the stigma from reproductive health and providing patient centered care. Her medical journey is inspiring and hopefully gives physicians of all ages and backgrounds just a little hope that their work is appreciated. â–
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Edward Araujo is the Managing Editor of Arizona Physician magazine and puts together Arizona Physician media. He is also Director of Marketing and Communications for the Maricopa County Medical Society (MCMS). Edward has over 20 years of marketing, operational, donor relations, volunteer management, and board development experience. He is highly skilled and experienced as a creator of print, digital, & audio media and social media.