What is intersectionality?
Just as race and medicine share a complicated relationship, so too do gender and health. As the title of this post suggests, a gendered analysis is an example of intersectionality--a willingness to understand that systems of power and oppression do not act unilaterally but rather are mutually reinforcing. The experiences of an indigenous woman and that of a European immigrant will inherently be vastly different. An examination of solely race, or solely sexual orientation, or solely socio-economic status will always paint an incomplete picture.
Gendered Hierarchies and Health
Gender is more entangled with healthcare, treatment, and disease than it initially seems.
For one, power relations for gender minorities often magnify vulnerabilities that increase their susceptibility to certain conditions. Additionally, certain diseases affect the population differently: studies have shown that men have a higher risk of becoming infected by COVID-19 due not only to the presence of a certain enzyme, but also other related behaviors such as increased rates of smoking and alcohol abuse.
In addition, the hierarchies of gender and persisting gender norms sometimes prevent gender minorities and children from accessing critical treatment and information. Societal gender roles may lead to women and children to possess less bodily autonomy in their relationships, which can manifest in domestic violence, sexually transmitted infections, malnutrition, and poor mental health. Structurally patriarchal institutions also limit women’s access to education and therefore general information about medicine and healthy decision-making.
Minorities in Health
Additionally, gender, racial, sexual (and more) minorities are unfortunately more likely to experience discrimination from healthcare workers and clinicians. Studies have found that perceived sexual and gender minorities often experience heightened levels of violence, especially transgender people.
Other research indicates that these institutional abuses only magnify health inequities such as mental health issues, substance abuse, and self-harm.
What's Next
How is it possible to address or even begin to untangle such systemic inequalities and harms? Well, certain reforms and frameworks for healthcare may become potential reparations.
USAID sponsors information and services, especially for women and children, to ensure they are well-informed about a variety of relevant health risks, including reproductive health, nutrition, malaria, and infectious diseases. Gender mainstreaming--a topic for another article entirely--has been adopted by many institutions to attempt to bridge the unequal gap. Change can even begin at the level of individual healthcare providers to reduce the violent impacts of heteronormativity and homophobia in medicine through truly inclusive and affirming practices. And for that to happen, first comes awareness and research, as Vaccines4Good hopes to promote.
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