Racism has stemmed from the days of colonization and slavery. This has a continuous impact on minority women’s health. In addition, racism towards minority women in North American is quite prevalent and it is revealed in the health care system. It is stated that “Racism is an institutionalized system of oppression that designates value to persons based on race or ethnicity” (Prather et al).  Neoliberalism is prominent in the racial conduct because of capitalism that minority women endure which declines their physical health and mental health. The types of racism that is categorized in society that minority women endures is institutionalized racism, personally medicated racism and internalized racism (Prather et al).  Minority women, that are living in poverty and receiving government assistance, were forced to make a decision that was in fact not a decision but an ultimatum to be sterilized in order to continue receiving government benefits; also there has been women sterilized without their knowledge (Ross 11).  These factors plays a huge effect on the minority women’s heath which leads to aliment in their body, low birth rate and even morality. I will expose that slavery and colonization are the main culprit of racism, the impacts that it has on minority women and the continuous cycle, also the changes that needs to be set in place for equality in the health care system.

            The minority women have been treated less then equal to their oppressors.  It is not surprising that in the days of colonization and slavery, the superior white society had looked down upon them and forced unthinkable treatments towards them. Ross argues that “during the colorization of the United States, Native American women were intentionally given blankets infected with smallpox” (14).  In addition, during the slavery era women where rape and were forced to get married all due to reproduction of children for the slave master. Now that times have changed and slavery has been abolished that doesn’t stop the oppressor in society taking control of minority women and removing their choices. The new source is population control which has been forced on women of color in ways such as sterilization and hysterectomy. Between the year of 1928 and 1972 approximately 64% of women in Alberta were force to be sterilized through a provincial act that was in place to control the population in society (Egan, and Gardner 438). The historical context that women endured created a stereotypical view of black women as being promiscuous. These imageries have been internalized in many black women. It is not their fault of the way they internalized these stereotypes and discrimination that they face, it was all due to the social injustice, mistreatment and sexual violence that has been taken place for years towards minority women. (Prather et al).

           

 

 

Minority women, as well as immigrate women, face alarming mistreatment fueled by racism, oppression and discrimination when accessing the healthcare system. They are faced with judgemental treatment as well as perceived notion that healthcare providers may have towards the minority women. In addition due to these actions minority women starts to believe the stigmatization that is thrown at them on a regular basis from society. In Ontario, there is a deficiency of information that is available for immigrate women regarding healthcare procedures that are available to them. It is stated by (Egan, and Gardner) “there is a lack of adequate translation and interpreter services, which creates real barriers and can greatly increase a sense of anxiety, alienation, and isolation” (439). Minority women may also feel that healthcare providers view them as uneducated, poverty stricken, devalued and looked down upon. It is proven that “social determinants of health, including poverty, unemployment limited education, contribute to health disparities” (Prather et al). Also, racism has a detrimental effect on pregnant minority women in ways such as mortality of the infant due to economic, discrimination, inadequate healthcare and poverty. Minority women are less likely than Caucasian women to receive adequate care such as cancer or even treatment for the type of cancer they may have (“General Socioeconomic” 458). It is also documented that black women are at risk to die earlier than whites due to not receiving surgeries that is needed to save their lives (“General Socioeconomic” 459).  This diagram indicates the multilevel of the societal outcome of oppressed groups in society and ways to create prevention for change.

            In conclusion, the effect of racism has been passed down from generation to generation in the black community. The fact that numerous of minority women’s health is jeopardized due to racism in the healthcare sector is appalling. It is demonstrated that “internalized racism can impact the sexual and reproductive health by promoting psychological distress, substance use, and physical health conditions that contribute to pregnancy-related complications as well as negatively affect behavioural decisions that my contribute to HIV/STI risk” (Prather et al). Choices for numerous women regarding their body becomes a forceful decision that needs to be made due to economic constraints and institutional limitations. For example, some minority women who choose to have an abortion, it is not a choice per se it’s the only decision they feel they have due to these oppression factors that they face. What needs to be changed is the mindset and approach that the healthcare system is taking. Currently there are organizations that has created safe places for minority women to go to get the adequate healthcare help that they need. Immigrate Women’s Heath Centre (IWHC), African American Women Evolving (AAWE) these organization addresses the needs that minority women face in society especially the issue of reproductive healthcare issues. IWHC established a place that the counsellors are community members who are multilingual. It is stated that the “centre was started because of the racism that women encounter in mainstream health services, and the need for healthcare geared to meet their needs.”(Egan, and Gardner 440). In retrospect, organizations such as these are becoming more prominent in society therefore the healthcare system needs to take an in-depth look within their practice for equality to be felt in the healthcare sector.

References

Egan, Gardner. “Racism, Women’s Health, and Reproductive Freedom.” Scratching the Surface: Canadian Anti-Racist Feminist Thought 1999: 438-443. Print.

Fusion. The Racist Roots of Reproductive Rights in America . You Tube. 8 May 2017. Web. 18 July 2017.

“General Socioeconomic, Cultural, and Environmental Conditions .” Equally Well: Report of the Ministerial Task Forcee on Health Inequalities 2008: 458-459. Print .

Prather, Fuller, Marshall, Jeffries. “The Impact of Racism on the Sexual and Reproductive Health of African American Women.” 26 May 2016. National Center of Biotechnology Information. 18 July 2017.

Reyes. Impact of Racism on health examined. USA Today. 10 March 2016. Web. 18 July 2016.

Ross, Gutierrez, Gerber, Silliman. Undivided Rights: Women of Color Orgainzing for Reproductive Justice . Chicago: Haymarket Books , 2016. Print