Psychology Behind the Oppression of Black Women

Throughout my college years, I intend to pursue the pre-medical track because I can truly see myself involved in the healthcare field in my future. I have always had a love for the sciences and a passion for helping those in need. The typical mission statement in the healthcare industry would go as follows: To inspire hope, and contribute to health and well-being by providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education and research. The thought of a doctor, whose life mission is to provide medical assistance to those in need, discriminating against some of his/her own patients, is extremely disappointing to me. Mr. Carson repeatedly references throughout his presentation that many black women experience discrimination and microaggresions while seeking medical attention. It is probable that some of this discrimination is intended to be malicious and a fraction of white physicians in the United States could have racist views; however, some other physicians may exert microaggressions that they are completely unconscious or unaware of. Mr. Carson proposes that these racist tendencies and microaggressions may be an unfortunate product of our country’s history, which was dominated by white supremacists for an extensive period of time. 

Black women not only face the struggles of being a female in our society, but must also tackle the struggles of being a person of color. Although we have made progress in achieving a society where everyone is treated equally, this objective seems nearly impossible when you consider the roots of our nation. Black women were auctioned off, raped, and used solely for their bodies for hundreds of years by white men in power. Many white children raised in the U.S. were taught to view black people as lesser or inferior. Even with the steps our nation has taken in the right direction, white Americans had been conditioned to mistreat black people for so many years that white members of our society today may hold racist views in their unconscious mind without even knowing. By no means am I making excuses for discriminatory behavior or even microaggressions that are likely not intended to be disrespectful. I can certainly agree with Mr. Carson’s proposal and believe that we still have a long way to go before we can proudly say that we are a racist free and prejudice free society.

The healthcare industry in particular serves as a prime example of how black women are still being oppressed and treated unfairly. Mr. Carson references countless black women who felt uncomfortable and neglected while seeking medical attention from white physicians, even female nurses! In the video “Black Mothers Matter: Racism and Childbirth in America,” one woman on the panel states, “In the U.S., the risk of pregnancy related deaths for black women is three-four times higher than those of white women.” This statistic goes to show how flawed and biased our healthcare system is and proves that as a nation, we have much more improving to do before we can say that all members of our society, regardless of their racial or ethnic backgrounds, recieve equal medical treatment.