
Why are Black Women Still Flighting to be Heard in Healthcare?
Black women face higher maternal mortality rates, greater dismissal of pain, and more challenges accessing quality healthcare than other groups. But why? The answer isn't just lack of access - it's who makes the decisions in medicine.
In this episode of Black Women's Health, I sit down with Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, a bioethicist and author of Womanist Bioethics, to discuss how race, gender and ethics intersect in healthcare- and what that means for Black women's reproductive health.
What is Womanist Bioethics?
Traditional medical ethics often focus on a Euro-centric perspective focusing on the individual patient-physician relationship while womanist bioethics expands the conversation to include race, gender, systemic inequities focusing on the most vulnerable.
Dr. Wildon explains that Black Women's healthcare experiences cannot be separated from the realities of racism and sexism. Woman bioethics ask:
- who makes the rules in medicine
- are Black women's voices included in medical decision-making
- how do we shift from being passive patients to active advocates for our health
"Womanist bioethics isn't just about fairness - it's about justice. It's about reclaiming our right to shape our own healthcare experiences." -Dr. Wylin D. Wilson