In December 2017, as I was wrapping up my graduate studies and nearing the end of my pregnancy, I made a legal right turn on red. Almost immediately, I noticed the flashing blue lights behind me. I figured I must have committed some minor infraction. The officer approached and asked for my license and registration, then began to interrogate me about my presence in the area. I explained that I was on my way to my internship, but he continued to press me about my whereabouts, questioning why I, with a license from a neighboring city, was there.
I wanted to respond sarcastically, perhaps saying something about how cars are meant for traveling from one place to another. If I had felt safe, I might have joked about his line of questioning, but instead, I felt vulnerable. Here I was, alone on the roadside, my large pregnant belly clearly visible beneath my dress.
The officer accused me of being in the area to buy drugs. When I pointed out my obvious pregnancy, he coldly responded, “Pregnant people smoke crack all the time.” In that moment, I felt a surge of anger. I had never used drugs and don’t even drink alcohol. How could someone who is supposed to protect the community think it was acceptable to harass a visibly pregnant woman?
To him, my explanations were just excuses. In his mind, I was merely fulfilling a stereotype, assuming that I, a small-framed, articulate Black woman, couldn’t possibly be in a predominantly white area to pursue my education. Despite my innocence, he had no choice but to let me go—though I can’t help but wonder if the outcome would have been different had his dash cam not been recording.
As I continued to my internship, he trailed closely behind me, parking to watch as I made my way into the building. What struck me most was my instinct to look for any explanation for his behavior that didn’t involve race. I didn’t want this to be about race.
We all hope to find reasons for such experiences that don’t stem from racial bias. If it were my speech, I could adjust that. If it were my driving, I could change that too. But race is something I cannot alter, so I sought other explanations.
A kind colleague, a devout Christian woman, rushed to confront the officer and suggested that his actions were racially motivated. I brushed her off, telling her I was okay, while inside I felt deeply hurt and out of place in a country I was born into.
This isn’t my first encounter with such biases. Some days, I muster the courage to speak up; other times, it feels safer to remain silent. No one should have to navigate their safety based on their willingness to be vocal or to appease others.
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Summary
In December 2017, I was racially profiled by a police officer while visibly pregnant. Despite my explanations for being in the area, the officer insisted on questioning my intentions and even accused me of drug use based solely on stereotypes. This encounter highlighted the impact of racial profiling and the emotional toll it can take on individuals, particularly in vulnerable situations.
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Keywords: Racial profiling, pregnancy, police encounter, stereotypes, emotional impact, vulnerability, bias, fertility journey, IVF, home insemination.