"The Experts" parents, doctors, therapists

There is a pattern between those in roles of authority who care for vulnerable populations. Whether its not being allowed to go to the restroom without asking in school, ideas being disregarded as children, wisdom being brushed off or being unheard and unseen with your doctor, for those who experience chronic illness, for individuals who have had traumatic gynecologist experiences, and those who have been dismissed, sometimes further traumatized by therapists, there is an issue of refusal to respect people's autonomy and hear their lived experiences, to believe children, patients, students, clients, and to treat people in need of care and support as equals. Commonly in these roles, within the institutions of education, still learning outdated information as truth (such as issues within the DSM and fatphobia in the medical field) as well as the narrative norms of dominance and power, this power is often abused, maybe sometimes subconsciously. It is essential for all "experts" to retract that title and learn from their children, patients, and clients too, to believe the people that they are "helping" and to show up compassionately, to intentionally cultivate a deeper understanding for the validity and importance of other's lived experiences and needs. We must expand our understanding of the complexity and capacity of humans especially when we find ourselves in a trusted role.