March 8th is International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day is also meant to act as a call to action to address women’s equality issues and advocate for gender parity.
The 2022 International Women’s Day theme is #BreakTheBias. The organizers state that the goal associated with this theme is to break and call out gender bias, discrimination, and stereotyping in our communities, workplaces, educational institutions, and beyond. Breaking the bias is an especially important message for women with disabilities, as they face multiple forms of bias and discrimination.
Here’s how you can be a part of breaking the bias that women with disabilities face in different segments of their lives.
Breaking the bias in healthcare
Gender bias is an issue that heavily impacts women with disabilities. The Journal of Pain, a research journal of the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain, found in a recent study that female patients’ pain is often under-estimated compared to that of male patients. This perception of the patient's pain levels resulted in different treatment outcomes for female-presenting and male-presenting patients. Women and female-presenting patients were more likely to receive referrals for psychotherapy whereas men were more likely to receive pain medications. Women are often stereotyped as being more emotional, and thus their health concerns are often attributed to emotions or mental health rather than being properly investigated.
This is an issue that is often discussed and experienced by women with disabilities. Due to gender bias within the medical community and stereotypes surrounding women, many women with disabilities experience difficulty receiving proper diagnoses and the correct level of care for their disabling conditions. Without proper diagnosis and provider support, people with disabilities often cannot access necessary services such as social security disability insurance (SSDI), disabled parking access, and other benefits and support for which they qualify. The correct level of care and treatment options are also necessary for allowing people with disabilities to live safe, healthy, and productive lives.
Advocating for change is necessary to eliminate gender bias in the medical community. Medical schools, teaching hospitals, and educators should be addressing this issue with up-and-coming medical professionals to help break the bias. Making patients aware of the resources available to them for self-advocacy. Many hospital systems have patient advocates, patient navigators, or social workers available to help patients navigate the healthcare system and advocate for patient needs. These typically need to be requested, but they can be a great resource for those who feel that their concerns and treatment needs are not being recognized by their medical team.
Breaking the bias in the workplace
Gender bias, discrimination, and harassment is a major issue in many workplaces throughout the nation. People with disabilities also face a high degree of bias, discrimination, harassment, and other employment issues. Women with disabilities are impacted by both gender and disability bias, making it especially difficult to gain employment and navigate workplace issues.
Every employed person can play a role in breaking this bias. If you see something going on in your workplace that appears improper, speak to a manager or human resources staff member.
Bystanders that do not report or intervene when others are treated unfairly reinforce the behaviors and systems that allow such treatment to occur. If you have concerns about retaliation, look into whether there is an anonymous reporting hotline or inbox for your company. The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or state officers can also intervene in cases of discrimination.
Breaking the bias every day in your community
In your daily life you can help eliminate and challenge bias by being considerate about the challenges faced by women with disabilities. If a friend, family member, or acquaintance is using stereotypes or derogatory language, challenge them to think about their wording and thought processes. If you notice an opportunity to improve accessibility in your community, share it.
Advocating for change sounds like a big undertaking. However, small steps and one-on-one conversations contribute to the bigger picture. Everyone has an opportunity to challenge bias and break down barriers in different ways. Even challenging your own unconscious bias is an important step in breaking biases that harm women with disabilities.
How to support International Women’s Day
Breaking biases in your everyday communities and interactions is a great way to celebrate International Women’s Day. If you’d like to learn more about International Women’s Day and how you can get involved, visit IWD's website to find local events, resources, or fundraise for causes that help women across the globe access healthcare, fight for equality, and more. Their website also highlights many great women that are making important contributions to society right now.
Comments