Reflection – Intersectionality and Health

At this point in our short semester, we have now examined the social determinants of health, including race, social class, gender, and age. In our reading for this module, we discussed the ways in which social stress impacts health.

The concept of intersectionality argues that a true understanding of social behavior requires the acknowledgement and study of all elements of identity (race, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, etc.) to and how they intersect to create an individual experience.

For example, someone who identifies as a heterosexual, middle-aged Asian American man with an upper-class socioeconomic status will likely have a different experience than someone who identifies as a Black female in a mid to low-socioeconomic status and Queer.
For the purposes of this short reflection essay,

like for you to utilize your knowledge of our course material thus far to examine how individuals who experience different consequences of stratification, such as inequality and oppression, from an intersectional perspective. Then, apply this to our recent chapter on social stress.

How would things such as oppression contribute to social stress?

How might consequences of stratification correlate to our health? And finally, how can we use an intersectional perspective to further discussions on equity in our social systems and advocacy for equality in social institutions, including the health care system and policy?
As students and scholars of social behavior, this is where

believe we can have true applicability in our studies – we can influence real world change with our answers to these types of questions. Instead of concentrating on health as a function of individual choice, we can call attention to how our society influences our experiences.

Some examples that may help you reflect:

Women of color experience higher rates of maternal mortality in the US and are less likely to be prescribed medication for managing pain. 1
Individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ experience higher rates of depression and anxiety as members of marginalized communities. 2

 

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