SZA Sparks Discussion on Black Women Focusing on Their Health

SZA has become a role model and inspiration for countless fans. The personal nature of her music offers a glimpse into her emotional struggles and life experience. Of course, not every important story can fit into a song: The Grammy winner recently appeared on the “S.H.E. MD” podcast to discuss how she’s dealing with her family’s history of breast cancer.

According to PEOPLE, the “SOS” artist revealed that her mother was diagnosed with the disease, her aunt had a mastectomy and that “she has a 53 percent lifetime risk” of getting breast cancer. She explained that it wasn’t something she contemplated until she went to get breast implants and had to be treated for “fibrosis — the thickening and scarring of connective tissue — in her breasts.”

“When I got my boobs done, my doctor took out some of my fibrosis, but…there was so much fibrosis, it was crazy,” SZA said. “And he took it out. And so, when I went back, a lot of the concerns were gone.”

For years, Black women have ignored their health issues, choosing to power through until they can’t be pushed aside anymore due to medical racism, an overwhelming amount of responsibilities or just a general distrust of doctors. It’s vitally important that influential women like SZA speak openly about these sorts of issues so everyone knows they need to be taken seriously.

The “Kill Bill” singer’s response wasn’t perfect: She admitted she was supposed to see the podcast’s co-host, Dr. Thais Aliabadi OB/GYN, before she got breast implants, because her fibrosis meant she shouldn’t have them done. But she “snuck and got it anyways.” However, she got the implants removed when they caused more problems.

“So basically, I put them in. They ended up hurting me,” she said. “I got way too much scar tissue because my breasts are too dense and I’m not supposed to have breast implants. And so I ended up getting extra fibrosis like with tissue, whatever, and I didn’t feel good and it was painful. So, I took them out, and now, they’re just my boobs.”

As Black women, we don’t always allow ourselves the space to focus solely on our needs. Considering how mentally and physically straining the world is right now, we have to be selfish sometimes and take care of ourselves first.