Author: Harley Bray BSc
Patriarchy has not been removed from our society, it has merely adapted to ensure subtle, dominating power over the women of today. Many women pursuing a career in medicine, including myself, exist in environments that oppose a world where women are expected to live in the shadows of, or at least inferior to, men. Women in medicine who highlight social injustices and challenge heteronormative gender roles are, in turn, perceived as the problem for simply exposing the problems. The multiple internalized and externalized power inequalities between men and women have contributed to the construction of the way healthcare perceives the strength and ability of women. The oppression of patriarchy exists within healthcare and will be explored through the lens of Sara Ahmed’s theory of ‘Feminist Killjoys’.
Keywords: feminist killjoys, patriarchy, healthcare