Eleanor Finch
Patriarchal norms have been threatening women's health for centuries, and continue to do so today. Patriarchal societies produce unequal living conditions, which in turn drive inequalities in health. Women in these societies are often oppressed and face discriminatory gender expectations, unequal marital power, and society-imposed familial oppression. These norms restrict women's access to healthcare, nutrition, and reproductive care, and can also lead to forced sterilization, unsafe abortions, and a lack of knowledge about women's bodies and health within the medical field. Furthermore, women's unpaid care contributions are not recognized or compensated, and they face barriers to paid employment and networking opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the disproportionate health, social, and economic consequences that women face due to patriarchal systems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Discriminatory values, norms, beliefs and practices | Child marriage, polygamy, unequal gender and power relations, lack of financial and overall autonomy, and poor access to health, nutrition and reproductive care |
| Differential exposures and vulnerabilities to disease, disability and injuries | Black women on welfare have been forced to accept sterilization, while wealthier white women have had problems accessing birth control |
| Biases in health systems | Women have less authority as health workers than men and are often devalued and abused |
| Biases in health research | Medicine has historically known very little about women's bodies and health |
| Gender roles | Women's careers involve complex choices and constraints, such as restrictions on their code of conduct, education, financial engagements, marital age, property inheritance rights and public movement |
| Gender inequalities | Women's unpaid caregiving labor constrains their ability to maintain full-time jobs in the labor market |
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What You'll Learn
- Patriarchal norms often dictate unequal gender roles and power relations, leading to a lack of autonomy and poor access to healthcare
- Women's health and reproductive rights are threatened by patriarchal norms, as seen in the historical fight over abortion access
- Patriarchy results in discriminatory gender expectations, impacting women's careers and economic opportunities
- Patriarchal beliefs and practices expose women to vulnerabilities regarding disease, disability, and injuries, and biases in health systems
- Patriarchal norms contribute to gender inequalities in health, with women facing neglect, devaluation, and abuse in healthcare settings
Patriarchal norms often dictate unequal gender roles and power relations, leading to a lack of autonomy and poor access to healthcare
Patriarchy has been threatening women's health for a long time, and it continues to do so today. Patriarchal norms often dictate unequal gender roles and power relations, leading to a lack of autonomy and poor access to healthcare. This is evident in various societies and communities, impacting women's health and well-being.
In patriarchal societies, women often face oppression and discrimination both inside and outside the home. They are subjected to restrictive gender norms and gender inequalities that are replicated and reinforced in health systems. These norms contribute to gender inequalities in health, as health systems tend to neglect gender inequalities and reinforce traditional gender roles. For example, community health workers, who are often women, are underpaid or unpaid due to the belief that care is a woman's nature and responsibility, while paid employment is associated with men. This undervalues women's contributions and limits their financial autonomy.
Patriarchal norms also influence women's reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare. Historically, abortion has been a contentious issue, with wealthier white women facing challenges in obtaining abortions, while poorer women and women of color were coerced into sterilization or faced obstacles in accessing safe abortion services. These double standards in reproductive rights are detrimental to women's health and autonomy.
In addition, patriarchal norms can dictate societal expectations around women's "purity" and restrict their education, financial opportunities, marital age, property inheritance rights, and public movement. For instance, in some cultures, early marriage is enforced, hindering women's mental health and career prospects. Women may also face obstacles in obtaining consent to work from their husbands and parents-in-law, impacting their professional lives and economic empowerment.
Furthermore, patriarchal norms contribute to inequalities in healthcare knowledge and practices. Historically, medicine has lacked understanding of women's bodies and health, and beneficial treatments for women have often been discouraged. For example, training materials for emergency medical procedures like CPR often feature only male subjects, leading to a knowledge gap when treating female patients. Additionally, discussions around health conditions like strokes primarily focus on male symptoms, neglecting the unique symptoms experienced by female patients.
To address these issues, it is crucial to recognize the impact of patriarchal norms on women's health and empower women through social movements, reproductive rights advocacy, and disruptive solutions within healthcare systems. By challenging restrictive gender norms and promoting gender equality, we can improve healthcare access and outcomes for women.
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Women's health and reproductive rights are threatened by patriarchal norms, as seen in the historical fight over abortion access
Patriarchal norms have long been a threat to women's health and reproductive rights, and this is evident in the ongoing battle over abortion access. The anti-abortion movement, with its roots in patriarchal ideology, has sought to restrict women's reproductive freedom and autonomy, often under the guise of "fetal personhood" and civil rights rhetoric. This movement has resulted in unsafe abortions, maternal deaths, and a denial of women's fundamental human rights.
Abortion access is a critical component of reproductive rights and women's health. When abortion is legal, accessible, and stigma-free, individuals can obtain safe abortions without risking their health and lives. However, in many parts of the world, abortion is highly stigmatized, criminalized, or restricted, pushing people towards unsafe alternatives. According to Amnesty International, an estimated 25 million unsafe abortions occur annually, predominantly in developing countries, resulting in fatal consequences and disabilities.
The anti-abortion movement has strategically employed the language of civil rights and affirmative action to portray fetuses as victims of discrimination. This co-option of civil rights rhetoric has been particularly appealing to conservative groups, who predominantly constitute the movement. By arguing for "fetal personhood," they assert that embryos and fetuses deserve legal rights and protections, positioning them as more important than the rights of pregnant women. This ideology, if fully realized in law, would not only outlaw abortion but also pit the rights of fetuses against those of pregnant women in various contexts.
The impact of patriarchal norms on women's health is evident in the historical fight over abortion access. Patriarchy creates unequal living conditions and drives health inequalities. It perpetuates discriminatory values, norms, beliefs, and practices that directly affect women's health and social outcomes. For example, in Nepali society, rigid gender roles governed by religious and cultural beliefs impact the lives of Nepali women, influencing their healthcare-seeking behavior and health outcomes. Similarly, NSB women's health, particularly their diabetes management, is influenced by patriarchal cultural factors such as family structure, religious beliefs, traditional healthcare, and gender roles.
To uphold women's health and reproductive rights, it is essential to address patriarchal norms and disrupt restrictive gender norms within health systems. This includes recognizing the influence of gender on health systems and outcomes and promoting gender equality policies. By doing so, we can increase the representation of female physicians, improve health outcomes, and empower women to exercise their reproductive rights fully. Ultimately, achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals requires addressing the role of restrictive gender norms and gender inequalities both within and outside health systems.
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Patriarchy results in discriminatory gender expectations, impacting women's careers and economic opportunities
Patriarchy results in discriminatory gender expectations, severely impacting women's careers and economic opportunities. Women in patriarchal societies face oppression in many forms, both inside and outside the home. Gender norms restrict women's economic opportunities by limiting their access to information, networks, jobs, and assets. For instance, women often need permission from male family members to seek employment or start a business.
Patriarchy also enforces a gendered division of labour, relegating women to jobs that are deemed less valuable and thus paid lower wages. This is justified by the perception that women are better suited to certain tasks due to their work in the home. For example, a study of women in Nigeria's agricultural sector found that climbing trees to harvest nuts was considered a man's job, while women were deemed better at cleaning. Such gendered occupational segregation often results from societal norms that dictate a woman's code of conduct, emphasising submissiveness and physical beauty over education and career.
In countries with high gender inequality rates, women face more intense complexities in their career choices. Patriarchy puts restrictions on their education, financial engagements, marital age, property inheritance rights, and public movement. This leads to limited female workforce participation in certain regions, such as the Middle East and North Africa. Moreover, women in patriarchal societies often face violence and sexual harassment, which is justified by gender norms.
The impact of patriarchal norms on women's careers and economic opportunities is evident in the low representation of women in senior management positions worldwide. Despite policies promoting gender equality, gender discrimination persists due to stereotypes that shape managerial behaviour and occupational outlooks within a patriarchal framework. The "Women and Management" approach, for instance, improved women's participation but fell short of providing equal opportunities as it operated within a patriarchal managerial perspective.
To address these issues, it is essential to directly challenge patriarchal norms and values. Increasing women's access to resources and economic empowerment can create a feedback loop, improving gender relations and further challenging prevailing gender norms.
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Patriarchal beliefs and practices expose women to vulnerabilities regarding disease, disability, and injuries, and biases in health systems
Patriarchy has been threatening women's health for a long time, and it continues to do so today. Patriarchal norms create unequal living conditions for women, which in turn result in health inequalities. These inequalities are further exacerbated by biases in health systems and health research.
Women in patriarchal societies are often oppressed and face discriminatory gender expectations, unequal power dynamics, and societal oppression. They are often restricted in their education, financial engagements, property inheritance rights, and public movement. For example, a woman may be prevented from accepting a position on a national sports team because the uniform includes shorts, or she may be forced to marry before starting her career, as evidenced by the following first-hand accounts:
> “I was chosen to play for the women’s volleyball team on a national level when I was in grade six, but my father turned it down because I had to wear half pants while playing. (Diana, 43)"
> "I was depressed because my father forced me to get married before I could start my career. My mental health deteriorated even more when my first child was born immediately after the marriage" (Afrin, 26).
Patriarchal norms also expose women to vulnerabilities regarding disease, disability, and injuries. For instance, the historical lack of knowledge about female stroke symptoms has put women at a disadvantage when seeking treatment for this condition. Additionally, the way cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is taught using only male subjects can result in emergency medical technicians (EMTs) having less knowledge about how to treat female patients effectively.
The impact of patriarchy on women's health is also evident in the field of reproductive rights. Historically, abortion was typically safe and legal when performed by midwives and professionals. However, when wealthier white women started seeking abortions, it was criminalized. This led to women from marginalized communities, such as women of color and non-heterosexual women, resorting to unsafe and illegal abortions, often performed by unskilled individuals or forcing them to attempt the procedure themselves. These practices resulted in serious illnesses, injuries, and even death, all due to decisions influenced by patriarchal norms.
Furthermore, patriarchal beliefs and practices can shape gender roles within healthcare systems. Community health workers, who are often women, are typically underpaid or unpaid due to the belief that care is a natural part of a woman's nature and responsibility. This undervalues the crucial role they play in supporting the health system's reach and impact, particularly for marginalized communities. Additionally, women's empowerment collectives can increase healthcare access and provider responsiveness, yet women in the healthcare workforce often face gender inequalities, with female health workers having less authority than their male counterparts and experiencing devaluation and abuse.
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Patriarchal norms contribute to gender inequalities in health, with women facing neglect, devaluation, and abuse in healthcare settings
Patriarchy has been a threat to women's health for a long time, and it continues to be so. Patriarchal norms contribute to gender inequalities in health, with women facing neglect, devaluation, and abuse in healthcare settings.
Patriarchy produces unequal living conditions, which drive health inequalities. For example, women in patriarchal societies face discriminatory gender expectations, unequal marital power, and society-imposed familial oppression. This is evident in the stories of women who have had to give up career opportunities due to the restrictions imposed by their families. Women's health is also impacted by factors such as child marriage, polygamy, lack of financial and overall autonomy, and poor access to health, nutrition, and reproductive care.
Women's health has been threatened by patriarchal norms surrounding abortion. Historically, abortion was typically safe and legal when performed by midwives and professionals. However, when wealthier white women started seeking abortions, it was made illegal. This resulted in women resorting to unsafe and illegal abortion methods, often leading to serious illnesses, injuries, and even death. Additionally, while wealthy white women faced challenges in accessing birth control, women of color and non-heterosexual women have struggled with forced sterilization and a lack of access to abortions.
Patriarchal norms also influence the field of medicine and healthcare systems. EMTs, for example, are often trained using videos that only feature male patients, resulting in a lack of knowledge when treating female patients. Furthermore, stroke symptoms are typically discussed solely in the context of male patients, ignoring the unique symptoms experienced by female stroke patients. Gender inequalities are replicated and reinforced in healthcare systems, with women health workers having less authority and facing devaluation and abuse. Community health workers, who are often women, are also underpaid or unpaid due to the belief that care is a part of a woman's nature and responsibility.
The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the impact of patriarchal norms on women's health. Women have been disproportionately affected by the health, social, and economic consequences of the pandemic. They make up the majority of frontline and essential workers and have experienced significant income loss. Additionally, women's unpaid care contributions at home are not recognized as "social achievements" and are not monetarily compensated, impacting their ability to maintain full-time jobs.
To address these issues, it is crucial to recognize the influence of patriarchal norms and work towards disrupting restrictive gender norms and achieving gender equality in healthcare systems. This includes addressing gender biases in health research and ensuring that women's perspectives and priorities are valued and considered in decision-making processes.
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Frequently asked questions
Patriarchy creates unequal living conditions, driving inequalities in health. This results in discriminatory values, norms, beliefs, and practices, as well as biases in health systems and research.
Patriarchal norms such as child marriage, polygamy, unequal gender relations, and lack of financial autonomy have negatively impacted women's health. Additionally, abortion laws have historically been influenced by patriarchy, endangering women's lives.
Cultural norms influenced by patriarchy, such as gender roles and the emphasis on women's "purity," restrict women's education, financial opportunities, and public movement. These restrictions contribute to gender inequalities in health outcomes.
Patriarchy often results in women having less authority in the health field. Women's reproductive rights have been threatened, and their perspectives and priorities in healthcare are often undervalued or ignored.
Patriarchy can lead to oppressive household practices and restrictions on women's careers, negatively affecting their mental health. Forced marriage, for example, can cause depression and other mental health issues.
