The intersectionality of breast cancer

October marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During this time, it is important we all reflect on this highly prevalent disease, consider how many people it impacts and strengthen efforts to find a cure. In the United States, 240,000 women are diagnosed with and 42,000 women die of breast cancer each year. While the highest percentage of breast cancer is found in cisgender women, people of all genders can be impacted by this disease. While there has been significant progress in combating breast cancer, it is still highly prevalent and does not affect every person equally. 

According to the American Cancer Society, Black women are 42% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. The main reason for this is systemic racism, a term which describes how racism is embedded in social institutions. Black women are more likely to face conscious and unconscious bias in the healthcare system. Not only does this lead to lower-quality treatment, but this can prevent black women from seeking care which increases the chance they will be diagnosed too late to receive certain preventative treatments. Systemic racism creates barriers for people of color when navigating different social institutions including but not limited to healthcare, education, employment, food and housing. While systemic racism impacts everyone within the BIPOC community, black women are particularly impacted because of their identity.

Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, describes the ways different forms of oppression overlap and intersect within an individual’s identity. Black women experience the oppression of their race and gender, and other factors such as their economic status can dictate their experience in the world. 

Intersectionality is a helpful tool for social justice — it diagnoses the problem and offers a solution. In a healthcare setting, simply being aware of a patient's intersectional identities can widen doctors' perspectives when it comes to providing the best care they can for their patients. Considering the ways in which systemic racism can make the healthcare system seem like an oppressive rather than a safe space can help healthcare providers understand that they may need to take a different approach with each patient they have. Additionally, factors such as access to grocery stores, leisurely time for exercise and financial stability are important determinants when analyzing a person’s health. For example, redlining — a discriminatory government practice which highlights non-white neighborhoods as “high risk” and ineligible for federal mortgage insurance — dictates the quality of institutions which residents in these neighborhoods have access to. This political practice blocks Black families from living in certain neighborhoods and therefore impacts their access to things such as nutritious foods and fresh produce in grocery stores. At the same time, a lack of financial stability limits an individual’s leisure time for exercise. There are many factors which contribute to one’s oppression. It is essential to make healthcare professionals aware of these different circumstances, so they can offer the most tailored care to their patients without perpetuating the same discrimination oppressed groups face on a daily basis.

Ending systemic racism means combating this issue within institutions through education. While the integration of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I.) programs in the medical field has increased, it is essential these institutions continue to put their education into action and address the disparities between individuals seeking healthcare. By highlighting these issues, healthcare providers can hold an increased awareness about the patient they are attempting to treat and offer the best care possible, the type which takes into account their intersectional identity. An individual’s health is a personal, vulnerable and at times difficult subject to talk about. That is why it is essential for medical professionals to do everything they can to make sure their patient feels welcomed, safe and heard. As stated by the organization BE MORE, “ending unconscious bias in healthcare, trusting patients to tell their providers what they are feeling, and refusing to ignore or minimize symptoms can be game-changing in allowing Black women to feel seen and heard at the doctor’s office — and to receive better care as a result.” Education and awareness about institutional forms of oppression are the solution to systemic racism in healthcare. By centering people’s individual experiences, medical professionals will be able to treat diseases like breast cancer with a wider perspective which integrates intersectionality into their approach and ultimately strengthens efforts to combat breast cancer.

Grace Sullivan is a sophomore at Notre Dame studying global affairs with minors in gender and peace studies. In her column I.M.P.A.C.T. (Intersectionality Makes Political Activist Change Transpire), she is passionate about looking at global social justice issues through an intersectional feminist lens. Outside of The Observer, she enjoys hiking, painting and being a plant mom. She can be reached at gsulli22@nd.edu.