Health, Medicine, and the Body
Overview
Welcome to Health, Medicine, and the Body, a unit that delves into the cultural, social, and political dimensions of health, medical ethics, and body autonomy. Using foundational readings such as Dying to be Loved by Daniel Black, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, and Recovering Against Personal Enemies by Jordan Wiggins, this module highlights the challenges and triumphs faced by marginalized communities in health-related contexts, especially within the Black experience. You will explore the AABA Statement on Race and Racism and examine how implicit biases impact patient care through Conscious and Unconscious Bias in Health Care.
In this unit, you’ll research critical topics like epistemic responsibility, herd immunity, the impact of hustle culture, and the portrayal of figures like Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman to understand the intersections of health, identity, and societal values. From exploring the rhetoric of beauty and body rights to interrogating ideas around laziness, disability, and fatigue, this unit invites you to consider how personal and collective beliefs shape our healthcare systems, practices, and perceptions of the body.
This unit also encourages you to question how pseudo-science and health myths contribute to misinformation and distrust within communities. Topics like ableism, the “Black Woman Jezebel” stereotype, and body autonomy offer insight into the unique challenges different communities face in seeking equitable healthcare.
You’ll analyze these topics through videos, including one on practical tips for nurses on protecting their licenses in emergency care. This unit aims to equip you with the critical tools to recognize, challenge, and deconstruct biases and structural inequalities in health care, and to understand how language, culture, and social frameworks influence health perceptions and body autonomy.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1p9MLoRtehfEiytlQM6ofEe6cfu_7d9mA85iG1_p9QC4/edit?usp=sharing
Research These
- Epistemic Responsibility
- Terminal Lucidity
- Are private beliefs real?
- Fannie Lou Hamer
- Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman
- Herd Immunity
- Hustle Culture
- Japanese Unit 731
- Ableism
- The Magical Negro Trope (NOT THE MOVIE!! Research the literary and cinematic trope)
- Rape (this will not be discussed in class)
- The Consumption and cannibalism of enslaved people in America.
- Laziness, Sleep, and Tired
- Goldie Williams (1898) and Vagrancy
- Capitalism
- Labor
- Slavery
- Aesthetics
- Fatness
- Beauty
- Disability
- Body Rights/ Body Autonomy
- The Black Woman Jezebel trope
- Fear
- Pseudo-Science
Watch the Following
Read all of the Following
Conscious and Unconscious Bias in Health Care | Link here: https://nccc.georgetown.edu/bias/
AABA Statement on Race and Racism | Link here: https://bioanth.org/about/aaba-statement-on-race-racism/#:~:text=The%20distribution%20of%20biological%20variation,the%20world%20%E2%80%94%20is%20very%20real.
Ideas to think About
Body Rhetorics
- Appearance and Beauty Standards:
- Idealized Images: Promoting certain body types, features, or aesthetics as aspirational or desirable, often through media representations, advertising, and popular culture.
- Body Shaming: Employing language or imagery to ridicule or criticize individuals based on their appearance, weight, or physical attributes.
- Health and Wellness Messaging:
- Fitspiration: Using language and visuals to motivate individuals to pursue health and fitness goals, often through messages promoting exercise, nutrition, and body positivity.
- Body Positivity: Advocating for acceptance and celebration of diverse body shapes, sizes, and abilities, challenging narrow beauty standards and promoting self-love.
- Gender and Sexuality Discourse:
- Gendered Expectations: Rhetoric that reinforces traditional gender roles and stereotypes regarding appearance, behavior, and presentation.
- Sexualization and Objectification: Language and imagery that reduce individuals to their physical attributes or sexual appeal, often perpetuating harmful power dynamics and inequalities.
- Disability and Inclusion Advocacy:
- Empowerment Narratives: Using rhetoric to challenge ableism and advocate for the rights, dignity, and inclusion of people with disabilities, emphasizing their agency, contributions, and capabilities.
- Accessible Language: Employing inclusive language and communication practices that recognize and respect diverse experiences and identities related to disability.
- Body Politics and Activism:
- Intersectional Analysis: Examining how systems of power, privilege, and oppression intersect with bodily experiences, advocating for social justice and equity.
- Embodied Resistance: Using the body as a site of protest, resistance, and political expression, challenging dominant narratives and advocating for change.
- Medicalization and Pathologization:
- Pathologizing Language: Framing certain body characteristics or behaviors as pathological or abnormal, often reinforcing stigma and discrimination.
- Medicalization of Beauty: Promoting medical procedures, treatments, or products as solutions to perceived bodily imperfections or deficiencies.
- Identity and Self-Representation:
- Self-Identification: Asserting agency and autonomy over one’s own body and identity, challenging external judgments and expectations.
- Visibility and Representation: Advocating for diverse and authentic portrayals of bodies in media, culture, and society, recognizing the importance of representation for marginalized groups.
1. Body Image in Media:
– Analyze how media representations of bodies influence societal standards of beauty.
– Discuss the impact of Photoshop and image editing on perceptions of realistic body standards.
2. Fashion and Body Rhetorics:
– Explore how fashion industries contribute to body rhetorics through clothing styles, sizing, and advertising.
– Discuss the role of fashion in shaping body ideals and self-expression.
3. Body Positivity and Acceptance:
– Discuss the rhetoric used in the body positivity movement and its impact on changing societal attitudes toward diverse body types.
– Explore challenges and successes in promoting body acceptance.
4. Body Language and Nonverbal Communication:
– Analyze how nonverbal cues, gestures, and body language contribute to communication.
– Discuss the cultural variations in interpreting body language.
5. Athleticism and Sports Rhetorics:
– Explore the rhetoric surrounding bodies in sports, including performance, gender expectations, and body image.
– Discuss the impact of sports rhetoric on public perceptions of athleticism and physical prowess.
6. Disability and Body Rhetorics:
– Analyze the rhetoric surrounding disability, including language use, representation, and activism.
– Discuss the role of media and society in shaping perceptions of differently-abled bodies.
7. Medical Discourse and Health Rhetorics:
– Explore how medical professionals communicate with patients about their bodies and health.
– Discuss the rhetoric surrounding health and wellness trends.
8. Tattoos, Piercings, and Body Modification:
– Analyze the rhetoric of self-expression through tattoos, piercings, and other forms of body modification.
– Discuss cultural and societal attitudes toward body art.
9. Gender and Body Rhetorics:
– Explore how gender identity is communicated through body language, clothing, and appearance.
– Discuss the impact of societal expectations on gendered body rhetorics.
10. Aging and Body Rhetorics:
– Analyze how societal attitudes toward aging influence rhetoric about older bodies.
– Discuss representations of aging bodies in media and popular culture.
11. Social Media and Influencer Bodies:
– Discuss the role of social media influencers in shaping body ideals and beauty standards.
– Analyze the rhetoric used by influencers in promoting body-related products.
12. Intersectionality and Body Rhetorics:
– Explore how race, ethnicity, sexuality, and other intersectional identities intersect with body rhetorics.
– Discuss the challenges faced by individuals at the intersections of different identity categories.
13. Religious and Cultural Perspectives on Bodies:
– Analyze how religious and cultural beliefs shape rhetoric about bodies, modesty, and physical practices.
– Discuss variations in body rhetorics across different belief systems.
14. Eating Disorders and Mental Health:
– Explore the rhetoric surrounding eating disorders and mental health, including stigma, awareness campaigns, and recovery narratives.
– Discuss the role of the media in shaping perceptions of mental health and body image.
Health & Medical Rhetorics
Medical Advertising and Persuasion:
– Analyze how pharmaceutical companies use rhetoric in advertising to promote medications.
– Discuss the ethical considerations of persuasive techniques in medical marketing.
2. Health Communication in Crisis:
– Explore how health information is communicated during public health crises (e.g., pandemics).
– Discuss the role of media, government agencies, and healthcare professionals in shaping public understanding and behavior.
3. Doctor-Patient Communication:
– Analyze the rhetoric used in doctor-patient interactions.
– Discuss the impact of effective communication on patient trust, adherence to treatment plans, and health outcomes.
4. Stigmatization and Health Rhetorics:
– Explore how certain health conditions or lifestyles are stigmatized in media and public discourse.
– Discuss the consequences of stigmatization on individuals and communities.
5. Health Advocacy and Social Media:
– Analyze how health advocates use social media to raise awareness and influence public opinion.
– Discuss the challenges and benefits of using social media for health advocacy.
6. Alternative Medicine Rhetorics:
– Explore the rhetoric surrounding alternative and complementary medicine.
– Discuss public perceptions, regulatory challenges, and the role of language in shaping attitudes toward alternative healthcare practices.
7. Public Health Campaigns:
– Analyze the rhetoric of public health campaigns aimed at promoting healthy behaviors or preventing diseases.
– Discuss the effectiveness of various communication strategies in public health messaging.
8. Vaccine Rhetorics:
– Explore the rhetoric surrounding vaccination, including debates, misinformation, and public perceptions.
– Discuss the role of communication in promoting vaccine acceptance and addressing vaccine hesitancy.
9. Health Journalism and Reporting:
– Analyze how health issues are reported in the media.
– Discuss the responsibilities of journalists in accurately and ethically conveying health information to the public.
10. Patient Narratives:
– Explore how patients use narrative to share their health experiences.
– Discuss the impact of patient stories on public understanding, empathy, and healthcare advocacy.
11. Bioethics and Medical Decision-Making:
– Analyze the rhetoric used in discussions around medical ethics, particularly in cases of complex decision-making.
– Discuss the role of language in shaping ethical considerations in medicine.
12. Crisis Communication in Healthcare Organizations:
– Explore how healthcare organizations communicate during crises, such as medical errors or organizational challenges.
– Discuss the importance of transparent and effective communication in maintaining public trust.
13. Mental Health Discourse:
– Analyze the rhetoric surrounding mental health, including stigma reduction efforts and advocacy.
– Discuss how language shapes societal attitudes toward mental health issues.
14. Health Literacy:
– Explore the rhetoric of health information and its accessibility to diverse populations.
– Discuss strategies to improve health literacy and communication for better public understanding.
15. Global Health Communication:
– Analyze how health information is communicated across cultures and languages.
– Discuss challenges and opportunities in global health communication.
Jordan Wiggins 