When you go to seek care from healthcare professionals, you expect to get the best treatment possible. You expect to speak to a doctor or nurse, describe the pain you are in and plan to receive the most adequate treatment possible. However, these expectations are not a reality for black women. For black women in America, gender and racial bias affect the outcome of their health. Racism along with the horrible stereotype that “black women are resilient to pain” has had catastrophic effects on us. This stereotype has caused many black women to have traumatic experiences and even lose their lives. This is a stereotype that has gone on for way too long. This stereotype regarding black women interests me because it proves that even when black women need the help of others to survive, they are ignored and failed. As a member of the National Council of Negro Women, I plan to educate others on this stereotype and on ways to seize it.
With understanding the stereotype, it is important to know the historical context. It is important to grasp why this stereotype persist. A man by the name of James Marion Sims who is regarded as “The Father of Gynecology” conducted extensive research on enslaved black women. The research he conducted on the enslaved women were without the use of anesthesia, medical ethicists, and other adequate resources. The basis of his research was to see how much pain enslaved women could endure and if they could even feel pain at all. He worked on many enslaved women without the use of intense pain medication until they later died. Sim’s experiments and notion that black women are resilient to pain has had a major negative impact on the American healthcare system. Not only that, but it has insinuated to other races of individuals the same viewpoint.
While the historical finding relating back to Sims contributes to this stereotype, there is another notion that does as well. The opinion that since “black women endure a lot in their daily lives, physical pain does not bother them as much”. This opinion is more common than many realize. Since this country is inherently racist, black women are continuously fighting to be seen, heard and downright respected by counterparts. While black women indeed have to be strong in situations, when we are showing physical signs of weakness, we should be given full attention. We deserve it just as everyone else does.
How Do We Change the Narrative?
1. Educate Others on this stereotype.
2. Support black women
3. Listen to individuals when they express signs of physical weakness
4. Support black women interested in healthcare careers
5. Realiza the impact of racism