Women’s Health & Women’s Health & IntersectionalityIntersectionality

Examining Race, Class, & GenderExamining Race, Class, & Gender

OverviewOverview What is the difference between gender & What is the difference between gender &

sex?sex? What is intersectionality?What is intersectionality?

What does intersectionality tell us about health What does intersectionality tell us about health disparities?disparities?

What roles do women have in society?What roles do women have in society? How do these roles affect women’s health?How do these roles affect women’s health?

Sex is biological; gender is cultural. Gender norms refer to societal expectations for male and female behavior and roles and reflect the relative value of males and females. They prescribe the division of labor and responsibilities between males and females and accord different rights to them. Either intentionally or unintentionally, they create inequality between the sexes in power, autonomy, and well-being, typically to the disadvantage of females (K. Mason, 1995). Children are socialized into gender-defined behaviors and attitudes early in life.

Sex, Gender & HealthSex, Gender & Health

Biological sexBiological sex ReproductionReproduction DiseaseDisease

Power imbalancePower imbalance Access to careAccess to care Access to harmAccess to harm

RolesRoles FamilialFamilial ReproductiveReproductive

IntersectionalityIntersectionality

Forms or markers of oppression cannot, Forms or markers of oppression cannot, in practice, be separated from one in practice, be separated from one anotheranother

A person’s social location is determined A person’s social location is determined by multiple factors that are intertwined by multiple factors that are intertwined

The effect of these factors on health are The effect of these factors on health are altered when multipliedaltered when multiplied

Class, Race, & GenderClass, Race, & Gender

Race Class

Gender

Infant Mortality Rates, Mothers Aged 20 Infant Mortality Rates, Mothers Aged 20 Years and Older, 1995Years and Older, 1995

Maternal Maternal EducationEducation

WhiteWhite BlackBlack Black-to-Black-to-White RatioWhite Ratio

>12 years>12 years 9.99.9 17.317.3 1.741.74

12 years12 years 6.56.5 14.814.8 2.282.28

13-15 years13-15 years 5.15.1 12.312.3 2.412.41

16 years or 16 years or moremore

4.24.2 11.411.4 2.712.71

Source: Pamuk and others (1998)

Intersectional ParadoxIntersectional Paradox

““Highest SES group of African American Highest SES group of African American women has equivalent or higher rates of women has equivalent or higher rates of infant mortality, low birthweight, infant mortality, low birthweight, hypertension, and excess weight then the hypertension, and excess weight then the lowest SES group of white women”lowest SES group of white women”

-Jackson & Williams, 2006-Jackson & Williams, 2006

How Do Women’s Roles Affect How Do Women’s Roles Affect Women’s Health?Women’s Health?

Woman as Sexual PartnerWoman as Sexual Partner Body ImageBody Image PregnancyPregnancy STIsSTIs

Woman as MotherWoman as Mother PregnancyPregnancy ChildbirthChildbirth StressStress