Feminism and Profit in American Hospitals: The Corporate Construction of Women's Health Centers

• Published in: Gender & society Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 359 - 383
• Main Authors: Thomas, Jan E., Zimmerman, Mary K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications 01.06.2007; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Brochures; Content analysis; Empowerment; Facilities; Feminism; Health care; Health facilities; Health services; Hospitals; Marketing; Personal empowerment; Physicians; Profit maximization; Profits; Quality of Health Care; Revenue; Social construction; U.S.A; Women; Women's status; Womens health; Womens Health Care; Womens health services; Womens rights movements; United States > US; empowerment; feminism; profit; women's health; co-optation
• ISSN: 0891-2432; 1552-3977
• DOI: 10.1177/0891243207299947

This article provides a critical analysis of the evolution and impact of hospital-sponsored women's health centers. Using original data gathered from interviews, participant observation, and content analysis of documents and brochures, the authors describe the development of four models of hospital-sponsored women's health centers and illustrate three specific mechanisms of the co-optation process. They show how many elements of feminist health care were used for the purpose of marketing and revenue production rather than for empowering women and transforming the delivery of care. Following Stratigaki's notion of negative countereffect, the authors show how the key feminist concepts of women-centered care and empowerment ended up contradicting their original meaning and purpose. Rather than being the subject of care, women became the object of treatment and revenue production.