The health disparities that make up our healthcare system today did not just show up. These disparities come from historically rooted systemic racism that has been around for a while, starting from 19th-century doctors such as Dr. J Marion Sims and following all the way to today with the false ideology of “Black immunity” during a global pandemic. This article introduces and defines the topic of intersectionality and the role it plays in health care treatment from the past to the present. Also, sheds light on the importance of education and reflection so the next generation can positively impact the future. In our world, today, being surrounded by civic unrest and a demand for change across the country, a very bright light has shined on intersectionality. Intersectionality is defined as, “the complex way in which effects of multiple forms of discrimination combine and overlap in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups” (Merriam-Webster). In other words, if we look at our country’s social standings as a chain, the white male would be at the top. His race is white, and his gender is male, making him the majority. Another example, emphasizing the concept of intersectionality, is the black woman. The black woman not only faces discrimination based on the color of her skin but also her gender. In the United States today, black women experience the highest infant mortality rate. To make a difference and get rid of the health disparities that significantly affect our society, there needs to be an understanding of how the intersection of your race and gender play a significant role in how you receive health care. Historically, systemic racism has affected black women and their health care treatment, and it is up to us as future aspiring health care providers to educate ourselves on the historical roots of this treatment. One of the most well-known doctors who has evicted this historical pain upon black women is Dr. J. Marion Sims, an American surgeon known as the “Father of Gynecology.” In the 19th century, vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) were quite common among American women. These fistulas present as, “an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina, resulting in restless urinating control” (Stamatakos, 2014). With this illness affecting more and more women each day, Dr. Sims took it upon himself to seek out the cure (Ojanuga, 1993). To conduct his research, he performed on female slaves over a four-year period (1845-1849). The enslaved women gave no admission of consent and never received any anesthetics during these procedures. After four years, Dr. Sims found a cure leading to many white women coming his way, asking for the procedure. According to my research, “...none of them (the white women), due to the pain, were able to endure a single operation” (Ojanuga, 1993). Dr. J. Marion Sims put his ambition and success in finding a much-needed medical cure before the humanity of black women during this time. Up until 2018, Dr. Sims had held the impressive title of the “Father of Gynecology” with hospitals and statues honoring him across the country. In 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio, from New York City, reviewed the presence of Dr. Sim’s statue in Central Park and called for its removal. The city called for a “...reassessment of his career because of his exploitation of female slaves” (Neuman, 2018). Until almost 169 years later, a statue, honoring a man who detrimentally hurt multiple black women for the sake of medicine, stood proudly in Central Park. Although studying and learning about Dr. Sim’s mistreatment of black women in the 19th century is important, there needs to be recognition and education on the current treatment of black women in today’s healthcare system. As we all know, we are living through a momentous and quite dangerous global pandemic. Amidst our COVID-19 crisis, it is up to us to identify and address racial health disparities that are present right now (Laurencin and McClinton, 2020). Historically, in our healthcare system, there has been a falsified conclusion of “Black immunity,” meaning, in short, that Black Americans are immune to our current global crisis. Social media spread that “the presence of melanin rendered Blacks immune to the virus” (Laurencin and McClinton, 2020). This unproven claim and spread of erroneous information furthered the mistreatment and or lack of treatment for the Black community during an international public health crisis. The Black community is disproportionately affected by infant mortality, health care access, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease, respiratory illness, and HIV (Laurencin and McClinton, 2020). And, no, people of color do not have such high numbers because of the presence of melanin in their skin. When educating the community, our friends, family, and ourselves on health disparities, we must shed light on the systemic racism that has brought such disparities. The historical roots and doctors who have mistreated people of color as well as the current falsified information that would lead to the lack of treatment for those who are suffering during this pandemic. As future healthcare providers, students, and the next generation to take over, it is up to us to learn about how systemic racism and health disparities monopolize our healthcare systems and the role intersectionality plays in this setting. If you are interested in getting more involved in advocating for women of color and supporting policies that will provide health care coverage and better maternal health, check out Black Women’s Health Imperative (https://bwhi.org/who-we-are/). This organization is dedicated to improving health and wellness, physically, emotionally, and financially, for all Black women and girls. Sources:
http://www2.jabsom.hawaii.edu/native/docs/publications/2017/Perspectives-on-Health-Equity-an d-Social-Determinants-of-Health_2017.pdf#page=27
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/nyregion/nyc-sims-statue-central-park-monument.html
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12262-012-0787-y.
AuthorBecca Horrow is a sophomore from Manhattan Beach, California majoring in Health Promotion and Health Equity. Comments are closed.
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aboutThis blog is composed by students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Beyond Symptoms Organization. This blog serves to educate the public on disparities in healthcare. Categories |