Black Women Face Health Discrimination in America

“Ain’t I a Woman?” This question is attributed to Sojourner Truth‘s speech at a women’s convention in 1851. And it’s a question that’s still relevant to African American women in 2012, as demonstrated by first lady Michelle Obama‘s speech at the Democratic National Convention this week where she touched upon health care and women’s choices.

When it comes to women’s health and rights, more black women need to be a part of the conversation. We have to be included in discussions on health because women of color regardless of class are disproportionately affected by major health crises affecting U.S. women.

• African American women are nearly four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women.

• Nationally, black women account for 66 percent of new cases of HIV among women.

• HIV/AIDS-related illness is now the leading cause of death among black women ages 25-34.

• Black and Hispanic women’s rates of unwanted pregnancy and abortion are significantly higher than those of white women, according to the New York-based Guttmacher Institute.

• Black women are three times more likely to experience an unintended pregnancy than white women. These higher rates in unexpected pregnancy reflect a disparity in access to quality affordable contraceptive services along with other quality women’s health care services.

Census report projections suggest women of color are rapidly on their way to becoming the majority of women in the United States by 2041.

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