Rethinking difference: a feminist reframing of gender/race/class for the improvement of women's health research.
In exploring the history of the social construction of gender/race/class in Western scientific discourse and examining the legacy of these persisting constructions in modern research on women's health, the authors join in a growing debate about sexism/racism/classism in women's health research--a debate being forwarded most forcefully by feminist epidemiologists. A major purpose of this article is to aid in the development of a new research paradigm for examining the relationship between gender, race, and class, one that considers the interdisciplinary theorizing of Third World feminists and European/American feminists of color. Following the examination of both historical and epistemological issues surrounding interlocking forms of oppression based on gender/race/class, the authors propose a feminist research agenda that not only is responsive to different women's health needs, but can potentially contribute to a process for understanding and answering the health needs of all persons.
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
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Whittle
M C
MC
Inhorn
D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism / Q000266:history; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D011822:Race Relations / Q000266:history; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000266:history*; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012962:Sociology, Medical / Q000266:history*; D019366:Western World / Q000266:history; D016387:Women's Health