Sexism in the Medical Field

Abstract

Behavioral expectations, or rather cultural; norms drawn to distinguish men and women have created the analogies of ‘ought’ and ‘should’ in significant roles of sexes. A larger segment in society holds on to the belief of a distinction in the superiority of men and women, with men being bestowed with the upper hand in this context. The belief that socially prescribed differences between the sexes are inherent and biologically based, and that one sex is limited in some sense inferior by those handicaps, has been termed as “sexism.” When it trickles down to gender equity, medicine sees itself as being progressive compared to other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Programmes. However, experiences of lower quality care and discrimination in healthcare centers is centered in religion, ethnicity, and varying language groups.

Keywords: Sexism, Medicine, Health care, Practitioners, Physicians

JEL Classification: I1, I2, I24, I3