Gender Bias In Medicine

Did you know that the term “HYSTERICAL” originated as a medical diagnosis used to describe “emotional excess stemming from a defect in the uterus”? Excuse us while we roll our eyes into our heads 🙄

Gender bias has long existed in the medical field, and sadly, still exists today. Women are considered “pains in the ass” while men are considered “opinionated”. Men are more likely to have their concerns taken seriously than women with the exact same symptoms. It goes deeper than this- animals used in drug trials are overwhelmingly male and guidelines for diagnosis and treatment are often based on the average white male’s body.

Gender is more than just our reproductive organs- a 2001 MIT report showed that there are gender difference in liver metabolism, kidney function, and digestive enzymes. Heart issues in women can often fly under the radar because the scoring rubrics for stress tests are based on research performed on men.

In Chinese Medicine, the differences between men and women are respected and celebrated. Women tend to be more “yin” while men tend to be more “yang” and our pathologies reflect that. Women’s life stages happen in 7 year cycles while men’s happen in 8. Understanding these differences is a foundation of the medicine.

So what’s a woman to do? Build yourself a team of health care professionals who are aware of these issues, and take your concerns seriously. Advocate for yourself, ask questions, and if the answers aren’t sufficient, or you don’t feel heard, look elsewhere. The answer is not that women should be treated “like men”, it’s that we should be treated with an equal level of respect and care. It might take some work to find, but you’re worth it.

📷: @duvet_days