Week 5

In the documentary "Crip Camp" the previous campers speak about the connections that the camp provided them with, the sense of community they had, and how difficult it was for many people to leave the camp and go home not knowing if they would return the next year. While the sense of togetherness that something like this brings is invaluable, there is also an alternative view that a girl named Nancy provides at a point in the documentary. She explains that disabled people are often denied the basic right to privacy by reason of being disabled and not seen as deserving or needing of privacy, a sentiment that is echoed by other campers. While neither of these points exist in isolation (people can enjoy a sense of community, togetherness, and relatability amongst peers while also needing time to themselves that may not be granted to them) her message was extremely touching and, like much of the rest of this documentary, highlighted an issue that can easily go overlooked if you are not experiencing firsthand the kind of discrimination that is being spoken about.

This made me think about how easily overlooked discrimination is if it is not experienced firsthand in the contexts of other movements, including my own. I have watched countless videos and read countless articles on the topic of medical misogyny, and a sentiment that I see echoed through them all in the comments is the often male (but not always) perspective that medical misogyny is not a real problem or alternatively that women actually receive better physical and mental health care than men. I can see how these opinions would arise, as it is very difficult to notice and bring attention to an issue that does not directly affect you; additionally, as problems are not often black and white, they may be right in some regards such as men receiving less mental health care where necessary. However, this does not negate the fact that the issue of medical misogyny should still be given attention, and in fact learning about the movement and participating in activism will benefit everyone's healthcare --not only women. Below are a few examples of medical misogyny denial, unawareness, or being uneducated on the topic.