Social Media: Breaking the Silence
By Richa Gupta, Medical Student Intern, SpeakUpOrtho
Thank you all for being here today!
It’s an honor to speak on behalf of Speak Up Ortho, primarily focusing on social media, mentorship, and future directions as a whole. Knowing that I’d be following Dr. Cannada’s words, I reflected a lot on what I, as just a student, could possibly share with a room full of peers, mentors, and generally women whose footsteps I can only aspire to follow. I realized that the most meaningful thing I can offer is my own story which led me to join the Speak Up Ortho team, and hope that my experience conveys to you the vital role this community plays in orthopaedics.
So I was introduced to orthopaedics early in my undergraduate education and I have since been immersed in various ortho-related settings—athletics, research, gap-year positions, and now clinical experiences as a medical student. I am being vague about these experiences intentionally. I truly believe the specifics aren’t important for this message, and I would guess that many of these experiences may sound familiar to many of you in your journey to orthopaedics.
As Dr. Cannada talked about, Speak Up Ortho addresses five key concepts: Micro aggressions, bullying/harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Which you can read more about in this JAAOS article if you’d like. Unfortunately, at some point during my journey, I experienced these harmful behaviors from a male in a position of authority relative to me at the time. Following that event, I turned to another individual in that setting—I wasn’t asking for an apology or to demand any drastic cultural change, but simply to ask for some protection and overall assurance that my place in that environment wouldn’t be jeopardized. Instead of support, I was met with a dismissive response. The conversation literally ended with the words, *“You know, you’re a pretty girl.”*
I cannot emphasize enough how isolating and debilitating this experience was, and the willpower it took to still explore my interest in orthopaedics following this. But still, I’m not sharing to elicit any sympathy or outrage from you. Instead, I hope to illustrate a harsh reality. I thought that speaking up was going to be the hardest part. However, I learned that speaking up alone, without a community on the other side willing to listen and support each other is not enough. That’s where the power of a community like Speak Up Ortho truly lies.
Social media has given us an incredible tool to connect with women in ortho and their advocates nationwide or even on a global scale. Each post we share breaks the silence around behaviors that are too often excused or ignored, while also bringing us closer together, making it clear that we are not alone in these struggles. Take a look at a few of the stories that we have shared, and take a look at the comments in response to these stories. Even if you’re not the one sharing your story, you can see yourself in the experiences of others. Everything from frustration to the hope for change—it’s all there. Now, on top of the power of social media, we have events like this, where and Dr. Bishop and Dr. Ponzio have brought us all here together at Inspire, strengthening this community even further.
Again, each submission and interaction helps us build a future where these issues are no longer tolerated. It’s a collective step towards learning how to defend ourselves, defend others, and ultimately drive systemic change. In preparation for this event, I asked the students registered to attend to submit anonymous stories from their experiences in orthopaedics, some of which you can see here, and the responses were both revealing and powerful. They remind us of the work we still need to do, but also of the strength and courage within our community.
While on the topic of experiences of students and trainees,I have reflected on how the outcome of my experience that I just shared with you might have been different if there had been just one woman there to guide and support me—or if there had been a man who understood how to recognize uncomfortable situations and step in for those who might not have the safety to do so. If I may offer one comment to the amazing men and women hereat Inspire, it’s that mentorship isn’t just about professional or academic growth; it’s about creating safe spaces for others. On behalf of Speak Up Ortho, I want to commend everyone here, men and women alike, for being those faces of support. Whether or not you have an existing relationship with someone, you are the faces that someone will recognize as comfort and a safe place in times of need. You may be the leaders who will create a future in which these stories,such as my story, are no longer the norm.
Looking ahead, Speak Up Ortho, is working to expand our social media presence—not just for awareness, but to build a truly interactive community. We’re working on creating content that start conversations about actionable solutions, where you can contribute your support, own experiences, and offer solutions to one another. As Dr. Cannada mentioned, we’re also excited to share that Speak Up Ortho will be speaking at AAOS in 2025. This is an incredible opportunity to broaden our reach, connect with more advocates, and engage with new voices in the community. In addition, we’re actively working on building stronger resources for medical students—the next generation of leaders in orthopaedics. As Dr.Cannada also mentioned, we are collaborating with RJOS to build a journal club available to departments and RJOS student chapters, and many of you have already expressed interest to me in getting involved. We are thrilled to see such enthusiasm.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds. We’re optimistic and ready for all of this work ahead. But most importantly, we are grateful to have all of you as partners in this movement toward meaningful, lasting change. PLEASE continue to submit your stories to our website or social media. They will remain anonymous to protect you and all stories are welcome. Together, we can ensure that orthopaedics becomes a place where everyone feels safe, supported, and able to thrive.
Thank you, and thank you again to Dr. Bishop and Dr. Ponzio for having us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
