Browsing by Author "Richards, Donna"
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Item The effects of intersectional stigma and discrimination on the mental well-being of Black, LBQ, female youth 18–25 years old(2018) Richards, Donna; Gateri, Hellen; Massaquoi, NotishaThis chapter focuses on Black, lesbian, bisexual, and queer female youth and the effects of intersectional stigma on their mental well-being. Labels such as "lesbian", "bisexual", and "queer" are used to refer to women who have same-sex desires. Few studies addresses the intersectional stigma that Black, lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) female youth face in a society where racism, sexual orientation, and homophobia intersect with other social inequities. Throughout the chapter, in addition to LBQ, the acronyms LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) and LGBQ are used because much of the literature reviewed concerns the larger LGBTQ community. It found that this group not only experiences discrimination in society in general, but may also face discrimination within the LGBTQ communities. Oftentimes, they also face rejection or pressure to remain closeted in their own racial/ethnic communities because of heteronormative cultural pressures. It purposely excludes transgendered populations as one's social work practice experiences have been primarily with the LBQ population. Transgender is an umbrella term used to refer to identities such as transgender and intersex.Item Exploring barriers refugees and refugee claimants experience accessing reproductive health care services in Toronto(2017) Gateri, Hellen; Richards, DonnaStudies conducted in Canada and other countries with similar health care systems, such as Britain, Australia, and the Netherlands, demonstrate that refugees and refugee claimants experience barriers in accessing reproductive health care services, such as pre- and postnatal care and cervical cancer screening. These studies further indicate that the barriers that refugees and refugee claimants experience are largely due to racism and discrimination, culture, language, and/or communication. However, these studies rarely consider the broader political, economic, historical, and social contexts from which these women are attempting to access reproductive health care services. For example, they rarely consider the effects of neoliberal immigration policies and health care cut backs resulting from Canada’s adoption of a neoliberal ideology that supports minimal government intervention in the economy. Many of the studies reviewed emphasise cultural barriers, that is, the researchers assume that a woman’s culture is the most important determinant of their participation in reproductive health care services. When culture is viewed as the main problem attention is deflected from systemic racism and discrimination and other factors that impede access to reproductive health care services. These studies also fail to capture the unique gendered and racialised experiences of women refugees and refugee claimants and how these affect their access to reproductive health care services. To improve accessibility, most of these studies recommend culturally sensitive service delivery or increased awareness of racialised cultures among health professionals. Culturally sensitive or cross-cultural care, informed and shaped by neoliberal and multicultural policies, are popular approaches to addressing the needs of ethnic minority populations, or “multicultural others,” and managing ethnic or cultural diversity within the Canadian health care system. Guided by antiracist theories and postcolonial feminist theories, this paper argues that neoliberal ideology and multicultural discourse have effectively moved attention away from racism and other systemic barriers in Canadian society and attributed the problem of unequal access primarily to the cultures of women refugees and refugee claimants. In the multicultural paradigm, the structural and material differences or inequities among populations are reduced to the issue of ethnic and cultural diversity. The discourse of diversity overlooks power differences by explaining inequities in cultural terms that construct culture, along with ethnicity and community, as static and independent of social, historical, economic, and structural forces. As such new research is required to explore whether and to what extent women refugees and refugee claimants underutilise reproductive health care services, such as pre- and postnatal care and cervical cancer screening, taking into account not just culture but also the social, economic, political, and historical context from which the women are seeking health care services.Item The implementation of Bill 212 in Ontario schools: implications for Black students(2021) Gateri, Hellen; Richards, DonnaIn February 2008, Bill 212 (Progressive Discipline and School Safety) replaced Bill 81, the Safe Schools Act of June 2000 with regards to the behaviour, discipline, and safety of students. However, since Bill 212 has been in effect, suspensions and expulsions have been unfairly implemented against Black secondary students. Using anti-Black racism (ABR) framework, this commentary paper explores the effects of sections 306–311 of the Bill on Black students within Ontario's secondary school system. Based on this exploration, we will critically examine the way suspensions and expulsions have been employed through Bill 212 and the consequences of these disciplinary measures for Black students. We recommend alternative practices such as restorative justice and the integration of ABR framework to address students’ inappropriate behaviours in the educational system.Item What is the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social workers?(2020) Gateri, Hellen; Richards, Donna; Edwards, FionaAt the start of the 2020 Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Canada, many social workers throughout Canada worked on the frontlines, providing essential services in hospitals, long-term care facilities, shelter systems, the social services sector, and the criminal justice system, as their places of employment were deemed essential services. This presented often confusing situations for social workers; who were faced with the challenges of simultaneously complying with crisis-level provincial and federal safety guidelines and mandates, directives from their regulatory bodies, and protocols from their employers, while keeping themselves and their families safe and healthy as they continued working with clients. The following paper discusses the precarious situations faced by frontline social workers, the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on them, and we offer recommendations to support frontline social workers’ mental health during this and future pandemics.