Created by Corliss D. Heath, MPH A Transcultural Analysis of Race, Class, and Gender Womanist Ethics...

Created by Corliss D. Heath, MPH

Womanist Ethics and Inequality in Women’s Mental Health:

A Transcultural Analysis of Race, Class, and A Transcultural Analysis of Race, Class, and GenderGender

Corliss D. Heath, MPHCorliss D. Heath, MPH

Candler School of Theology, Emory UniversityCandler School of Theology, Emory University

Morehouse School of MedicineMorehouse School of Medicine


Definition of WomanistDefinition of Womanist

As defined by Alice Walker in her book, In Search of Our Mother’s

Garden: Womanist Prose, a womanist is a black feminist or feminist of

color. Committed to the survival and wholeness of entire people, both

male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically for health.


PURPOSEPURPOSE

To address the issues of inequality in women’s mental health from a

womanist perspective.

To examine the particularities and universality of black women in the

United States, Caribbean, and South Africa and their experiences with

accessing mental health care and treatment.


BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

Black women’s health is a cultural production of biological, social,

environmental, and economic conditions impacting their quality of life.

Black women’s methods of coping in a white male structured society

are based upon their own cultural conditions.


Inequality in Mental HealthInequality in Mental Health

The World Health Organization defines health as a complete state ofphysical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Women’s health involves the emotional, social, and physical well-beingand is determined by the biological, social, political, and economic contextof their lives. However health and well-being eludes the majority of women and even more so black women.

Mental disorders related to marginalization, powerlessness, and poverty

along with overwork and stress are growing concerns for black women.

Yet there is a significant gap between the mental health resources that

black women need and the resources that actually exists.


Inequality in Mental HealthInequality in Mental Health

There are a lack of studies in mental health directed towards black

women, thus information concerning women of African heritage and

mental health is not readily available.

For black women who face sexism and class disadvantage, the adoptionof negative attitudes among mainstream health clinicians can translateinto negative treatment options in some cases and denial of access toappropriate treatment in others.

In the same regards that male therapists devalue women by looking for a medical or biological reason for explaining abnormal behavior, white feminist therapists devalue black women by not recognizing thattraditional constructs of mental health need to be expanded to include ethnic and cultural diversity.


Beijing Platform for ActionBeijing Platform for Action

The Beijing Platform for Action states that women have the right to

enjoy the highest attainable standards of mental health regardless of

gender, race, or class. However, research shows that racial, socio-

economic and gender inequalities strongly impact black women’s

experiences with mental health care and treatment.


IncreaseIncrease women’swomen’s accessaccess toto appropriateappropriate, , affordableaffordable, , andand qualityquality mentalmental healthhealth care:care:

(a)(a) Reaffirming the right for women to enjoy the highest attainable Reaffirming the right for women to enjoy the highest attainable standard of care by incorporating the affirmation in national legislation standard of care by incorporating the affirmation in national legislation and policies to reflect a commitment to women’s mental health;and policies to reflect a commitment to women’s mental health;

(b)(b) Ensuring that all mental health service workers conform to human Ensuring that all mental health service workers conform to humanrights as well as ethical, professional, and gender sensitive standards inrights as well as ethical, professional, and gender sensitive standards inthe delivery of women’s mental health services;the delivery of women’s mental health services;

(c) (c) Design and implement mental health programs that are genderDesign and implement mental health programs that are gendersensitive and addresses the needs of all women regardless of socio-sensitive and addresses the needs of all women regardless of socio-economic status or cultural differences;economic status or cultural differences;

(d)(d) Taking measures to eliminate inappropriate medication and over- Taking measures to eliminate inappropriate medication and over-medication of women as well as making sure that all women aremedication of women as well as making sure that all women areinformed of their options in treatment and care. informed of their options in treatment and care.


Promote research and disseminate information on Promote research and disseminate information on women’s mental health:women’s mental health:

(a) (a) Conducting mental health research that allows for the use of data Conducting mental health research that allows for the use of data

collected and analyzed to include variables providing specificcollected and analyzed to include variables providing specific

demographic information, such as sex, age, and socio-economic demographic information, such as sex, age, and socio-economic

status;status;

(b)(b) Increase funding for preventive behavioral, and epidemiological Increase funding for preventive behavioral, and epidemiological

health service research on women’s mental health issues as well as health service research on women’s mental health issues as well as

research on the social, economic, and political causes of women’sresearch on the social, economic, and political causes of women’s

mental health problems and consequences. mental health problems and consequences.


Increase resources and monitor follow-up for women’s Increase resources and monitor follow-up for women’s health:health:

(a)(a) Increasing budgets for mental health care and services, with Increasing budgets for mental health care and services, with

adequate support for follow-up care and treatment;adequate support for follow-up care and treatment;

(b) (b) Develop mental health services and preventive health programsDevelop mental health services and preventive health programs

that promote gender sensitive community-based participation and self-that promote gender sensitive community-based participation and self-

care;care;

(c) (c) Give higher priority to women’s mental health and developGive higher priority to women’s mental health and develop

mechanisms for coordinating and implementing the health objectives ofmechanisms for coordinating and implementing the health objectives of

the Platform for Action and relevant international agreements to ensurethe Platform for Action and relevant international agreements to ensure

progress. progress.


RATIONALERATIONALE

Women of postmodern and third world cultures have questioned the

applicability of international human rights documents, given that they

are usually Western derived and developed in the absence of and

largely without regard to women from non-western cultures. However

for this paper, we will focus our attention to whether or not the

applicability of the Beijing Platform for Action is extended to include

black women of African heritage.


A transcultural analysis of women’s mental health articulated as a human

right in the Beijing Platform for Action and the concern of inadequate care

and treatment that disproportionately affects black women due to race,

class, and gender.

Examine and critique the Beijing Platform for Action (drafted in 1995)

using the universality and particularities of black women of African

heritage to determine whether or not the document’s identity of the

subject of human rights is universal for all women in all cultures, given the

intersectionality of gender, race, and class of black women often has

more significant differences than commonalities.

METHODSMETHODS


ObservationsObservations


Universality of Black WomenUniversality of Black Women

Caribbean

South AfricaUnited States


Universality of Black WomenUniversality of Black Women

Black women are not only oppressed by the constructs of white supremacy

in the larger society, black women also have to endure the oppressive

strongholds of sexism and classism that occur within their own racial and

ethnic communities.

Despite nationality, marital status, or educational background, all black

women, whether in the United States, the Caribbean, or South Africa,

experience either the combined or independent effects of racism, sexism,

classism, and oppression, both internally and externally.


Particularities of Black WomenParticularities of Black Women

United States

Caribbean

South Africa


Particularities of Black WomenParticularities of Black Women

Black women of African heritage share a universal bond of many

commonalties, yet the tradition of gender roles, differ in respect to their

individual cultures.

While black women collectively struggle to survive in a world filled with

mental anguish, physical abuse, and emotional agony, by assimilation

and compliance, black women may respond differently to culture

gender role norms.


Black Women in the United States Black Women in the Caribbean Black Women in South Africa

Born into a social environment, historically filled with racist, sexist, and classsist oppression that institutionalizes the devaluation of African-American women as it idealizes their white counterparts.

Possesses a culturally rich heritage of languages, religions, and ethnic diversities, where religious beliefs and practices are vital components of her culture.

Born into a culture where gender has been used by societal institutions to dominate and subjugate black women as members of a disenfranchised group.

Often exploited and stereotyped as being inferior, lacking sexual restraint, and being less intelligent than their white counterparts.

Views race differently since blacks are in the majority. Oppression becomes more of a function of intra-cultural dynamics.

Within their own culture, are treated and valued as possessions.

Regardless of socio-economic status or education level, will experience a high rate of depression and low self-esteem, due to feelings of deficiency in their roles in society.

Women do not talk about their problems, emotions are seldom expressed verbally, and there is very little if any discussion about issues of mental health.

Poor mental health is a major concern and is often the result of the adverse socio-political conditions.

Often accused of harboring violent tendencies or of being ‘angry’.

Believes that when things go wrong in life it is either the result of something they’ve done or witchcraft.

Little to no information on women’s mental health due to Colonial psychiatrists’ notions of the “happy native theory”.

Many internalize the stereotype of strong matriarch, where she acknowledges no personal pain, can bear all burdens and will take care of everyone.

Historically mental health care has not been a positive experience. Many who seek mental health care are more than likely to be detained in locked wards of psychiatric hospitals, diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia or receive extremely high dosages of medication.

Colonial psychiatrists have said that depression does not exist in black South African culture because “depression is something that happens in the realm of sophisticated people, not primitive people (i.e. black South Africans).


RESULTSRESULTS

Although the Beijing Platform for Action was written as a universal

framework advocating women’s rights, racism and classism prohibits the

document from functioning with a universal understanding. Mental

health is a multi-dimensional issue requiring a multi-dimensional

approach to addressing it.


Transformation in Mental Health Care for Transformation in Mental Health Care for Black WomenBlack Women

If the Beijing Platform for Action is to have any relevance to womeneverywhere, specifically black women of African heritage, racists

conceptsand conceptions of cultural forms and habits, must be challenged.

Mental health has many different meanings that are comprised of several

dimensions. Not only does it concern the issue of medical maintenance;

but it extends to include the cultural dynamics of religion and ethics.


Transformation in Mental Health Care for Transformation in Mental Health Care for Black WomenBlack Women

Mental health reform from a womanist perspective means:

(1) understanding that black women’s life experiences under oppression are real and should be included in standards of care;

(2) exploring an interdisciplinary approach of religion, ethics, and public health, in order to provide black women of African heritage with adequate mental health care and treatment.


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

To declare mental health rights for “all” as stated in the Beijing Platform

for Action, we must consider how cultural differences impact women’s

rights, specifically black women. Thus an anti-racial ethic of care and

cultural competency is required in mental health practice to improve

inequalities among black women.

The Beijing Platform for Action sought to identify women’s rights as

human rights, which includes equality in mental health care.

However, we find that differences of race, ethnicity, and culture

determine the difference of whether or not women of African heritage

are considered as human or not.

Created by Corliss D. Heath, MPH A Transcultural Analysis of Race, Class, and Gender Womanist Ethics...

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