06/19/2025
Today is and we are highlighting in during Migraine & Headache Awareness Month.
Chronic illnesses like are shaped by more than just physical symptoms and medical treatments. Social, cultural, and economic factors, especially race and gender, intersect and influence how people experience, manage, and receive treatment for their illness.
For me, as a Black woman, the intersections of race, gender, and chronic illness have been a central part of my experience. They have influenced how I am perceived and treated by healthcare providers, how I navigate social and professional spaces, and how I understand and manage my own health. They have also shaped the challenges I face in advocating for myself and others in the migraine community.
As a Black woman living with chronic migraine, I have faced numerous challenges in accessing appropriate care. From the very beginning, I encountered healthcare providers who dismissed my symptoms, minimized my pain, or failed to take my condition seriously. This experience is, unfortunately, all too common among Black women, who are often perceived as being more resilient to pain and less in need of care than their white counterparts.
Studies have shown that Black patients are less likely to receive adequate pain management compared to white patients, even when presenting with the same symptoms. This is particularly troubling in the context of , a condition that is characterized by severe, debilitating pain. When healthcare providers fail to take Black patients’ pain seriously, they are less likely to prescribe effective treatments, less likely to refer patients to specialists, and less likely to provide the comprehensive care that is needed to manage a chronic condition.
You can read more about the intersection of race, gender, and in my book 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐀 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 on sale now for just $9.99 on Amazon. Link in my bio.
