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The Long and Troubled History
Gaslighting women in the medical field
Although the United States leads in medical research and innovation, significant sex and gender disparities persist, often resulting in overlooking yet pervasive problem: gaslighting, where women’s physical and mental health concerns are minimized or dismissed.
Gaslighting in healthcare has a dangerous impact, which typically results in women being diagnosed with diseases about four years later than men. Specific language and behaviors signal this issue, such as attributing symptoms to aging, menopause, weight, or mental health concerns.
Heart disease symptoms are labeled as anxiety, autoimmune disorders as depression, and ovarian cysts as nothing more than “normal period pain.”A common refrain is, “It’s just part of getting older. It’s due to menopause. If you lose weight, this won’t be an issue. I believe it’s psychological.”
Research from the Katz Institute for Women’s Health cited a study in Academic Emergency Medicine, which showed that women experiencing severe abdominal pain in the emergency room had to wait nearly 33% longer than men with the same symptoms.
This environment paves the way for so-called “experts” who claim to have all the answers, manipulating trust by exuding confidence and pretending they understand a…
