Blog Post 9

 Racism in Health and Adoptees

Environmental racism and health inequality are directly related. We can see environmental racism in the way that Flint, Michigan, does not have safe water and how communities of color are often located near factories that pollute and emit toxins into the environment. Because these factories create an unsafe area, the people living near them (primarily people of color) suffer many health problems. An article by Berkovitz (2020) reads, “The disparate effects of air pollution alone- hardly the only harm of racism and segregation- have been shown to have adverse health effects” (para. 11). Because the environment surrounding communities of color is often not the safest, the health of its residents are in constant danger.

One thing that perpetuates health inequalities is that of bias in healthcare. According to an interview on NPR (Demby, 2018) “One in 5 [Black women] avoided going to the doctor or seeking health care out of concern that they would be racially discriminated against” (para. 43). Another thing keeping health inequalities alive is that of weathering. This is where you’re “worn down or weathered both by the chronic and repeated exposures to stressors and also by the high-effort coping with them” (Demby, 2018, para. 67). In addition to this, there is a lack of bone marrow donors from people of color. (Caputo, 2021). Because of this, many patients that are not White pass away due to not being able to receive needed treatment. Some ideas for improving health equity in Berkovitz’ (2020) article include enacting the Environmental Justice for All Act, integrating neighborhoods, and funding health care in heavily polluted areas. 

Structural racism affects transracial adoptees raised by White families in a different way than it affects racial minorities raised by parents of color. While structural racism is always present, Whites have a harder time seeing it than people of marginalized groups. Transracial adoptees raised by a White family will have more privilege than those raised by parents of color. The minorities raised by parents of color will be taught about racism and how to handle racist comments or actions, while also having to experience these things first hand. In contrast to this, White parents will be less likely to teach about racism and they will hold more privilege and power than the parents of color.

Both transracial adoptees and non-adoptees will face racism and discrimination for not being White. However, adopted children may feel disconnected from their culture, as they might have been raised by a family with a different background. Adoptees with families of a different racial/ethnic background may not ever learn their native language, how to prepare cultural dishes, or celebrate cultural holidays. In these ways, adoptees may have a harder time accepting where they came from, as opposed to transracial children who grew up with their birth family.


References

Berkovitz, C. (2020, May 19). Environmental racism has left black communities especially vulnerable to covid-19. The Century Foundation. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://tcf.org/content/commentary/environmental-racism-left-black-communities-especially-vulnerable-covid-19/?agreed=1. 

Caputo, I. (2021, January 6). Finding 'A perfect match'. NPR. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/transcripts/953674992. 

Demby, G. (2018, January 10). This racism is Killing me inside. NPR. Retrieved March 11, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/transcripts/576818478. 


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