Just yesterday, the cast of Bravo’s forthcoming reality show, Married To Medicine, which is a docu-series that follows the lives of some fairly prominent Black women doctors and doctor’s wives in the Atlanta area was revealed. Less than 24 hours later, an internet petition has surfaced on Change.org, urging the network to cancel the show. The petition was organized by a group of Howard University College of Medicine students, who believe that the airing of this reality show will leave the stain of unprofessionalism and cattiness on the image of Black female doctors for years to come. A portion of the petition reads:

“Black female physicians only compose 1% of the American workforce of physicians. Due to our small numbers, the depiction of Black female doctors in media, on any scale, highly affects the public’s view on the character of all future and current African American female doctors. Bravo’s “Married to Medicine” not only exploits the 6 lives of its Black female cast members, but, through its advertisements and commercials, heavily associates Black females in medicine with materialism, “cat fights”, and unprofessionalism. In a time when doctors are being held to very high standards by the public and each other, it is unfathomable for such a depiction of medicine and black women to be broadcast on tv where it will be inevitably available for years to come, on the internet and through other media outlets.”

The ladies also went on to suggest that shows such as this one make it difficult for young Black women like themselves to move ahead professionally in the medical field:

“Additionally, as residency positions are becoming increasingly more competitive (particularly for Black women) and contingent upon social behavior of graduating medical students, this depiction will only hinder black female physicians from attaining competitive residencies. Hence, for the sake of integrity and character of black female physicians, we must ask that Bravo immediately remove and cancel “Married to Medicine” from its channel, website, and any other media.”

According to the cast bios, which appear on the Bravo website, the cast of Married To Medicine includes:

“Dr. Jacqueline Walters: Doctor to stars like Toni Braxton, T.I. and Usher…” “Dr. Simone Whitmore: The independent OBGYN, who has her own practice since 2004, has been married to her more laid-back husband, Cecil Whitmore, for 16 years, and they have sons together…” “Toya Bush-Harris: Bush-Harris met her husband, emergency medicine physician Eugene Harris, during a speed dating event five years ago while pursuing her master’s in education from the University of Phoenix and working two jobs…” “Mariah Huq: Dubbed “Queen Bee” and a mother of two, Huq is married to Dr. Aydin Huq, an emergency physician and native of Bangladesh, and openly embraces her husband’s culture…” “Quad Lunceford-Webb: Known as the “Black Barbie” in her social circle, Lunceford-Webb is newly wed to psychiatrist Dr. Gregory Lunceford, whose reserved demeanor often clashes with her unpredictable feistiness…” “Kari Wells: The British-born model has been married to Colombian-raised orthopedic surgeon Duncan Wells for 10 years.”

The show is scheduled to premiere March 24th.

Check out the show’s trailer on the next page and let us know if you think the Howard students have a valid argument.