The Great Health Reset: How the System Fails Women of Colour
"Educating and empowering women and girls and providing family planning information enables more people to choose the size of their families." — Dame Jane Goodall, primatologist and conservationist.
Health is not just about biology — it is deeply tied to economics, anthropology and systemic structures that dictate who thrives and who struggles. The current health crisis in the U.S. is not simply an issue of personal choice; it is a result of a rigged system where profit trumps well-being and marginalised communities — particularly women of colour — bear the brunt of this reality.
The Legacy of Inequity
From an anthropological perspective, health disparities among women of colour are deeply rooted in historical and cultural oppression. The medical system has long treated Black, Indigenous and Latina women as experimental subjects, from the exploitation of Black women in gynaecology by J. Marion Sims to forced sterilisation practices in marginalised communities. This legacy of medical racism continues today, as Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts—not because of biology, but because of systemic neglect and bias in healthcare.
The Business of Sickness
The U.S. holds 70% of global pharmaceutical profits, yet it also has some of the highest rates of chronic disease, autoimmune conditions and metabolic disorders. Why? Because illness is profitable. Instead of prioritising preventative care, access to nutritious food and holistic health solutions, the system is designed to treat rather than prevent—trapping marginalised communities, particularly women of colour, in a cycle of poor health and medical debt. With 50-90% of medical studies funded by Big Pharma, whose interests are truly being served? Certainly not the people suffering the most.
And now, AI is entering the game—but is it a force for health equity or corporate control? As we enter into digital healthcare, AI has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by making diagnostics more efficient, identifying patterns in disease progression and even creating more personalised treatment plans. But when Big Pharma, tech giants and private healthcare conglomerates control the data and algorithms, the risk is that AI will reinforce existing disparities rather than dismantle them.
So, who really benefits from AI in healthcare? Will it break the cycle of profit-driven medicine, or will it further commodify our health—placing women of colour, low-income communities and uninsured populations at even greater risk?
The Reset & The Future of Women of Colour
The so-called Great Reset isn’t just about technology, economics, or power shifts—it’s also about population control and who is deemed essential in a rapidly changing world. Conversations around under population are emerging globally, with concerns that declining birth rates could threaten economic stability. But what does this mean for women of colour, who have long been at the intersection of exploitation and exclusion?
Historically, women of colour have been both targets and scapegoats in population debates. From forced sterilisation programmes to medical racism, the system has dictated who is “fit” to reproduce and who isn’t. Now, as governments and corporations fear a shrinking workforce and economic downturn, will women of colour suddenly be seen as valuable contributors—or will they continue to be marginalised under the guise of “solving” underpopulation?
Who Benefits and Who Suffers?
Corporate Interests and AI-Led Workforces – Rather than investing in policies that support women’s health, fair wages and economic mobility, corporations may lean into automation and AI to replace workers, making human labour less “necessary.” This further isolates women of colour, who have historically been relied upon for care work, service jobs and essential labour.
Reproductive Rights vs. Systemic Control – As birth rates decline, governments may push for policies encouraging childbirth, but will those benefits extend equally? Black, Latina and Indigenous women already face significant barriers to maternal healthcare, yet they may be pressured into roles that serve economic recovery rather than personal autonomy.
Health Disparities and The Medical Industry – With women of colour being the most neglected in healthcare, will underpopulation concerns lead to genuine improvements in maternal care, or will systemic biases persist—where resources flow to wealthier, white-majority populations while marginalised women continue to suffer?
The Fight for Equity & Inclusion
The reality is, if we don’t shape the conversation, we will once again be side-lined.
Women of colour have been the backbone of economies, families and communities, yet they remain the most at risk of being discarded in the next phase of societal restructuring. The fight is not just for inclusion but for equity, dignity and true autonomy in shaping the policies that affect our lives.
What will the future hold?
Will AI and corporate interests dictate the role of women of colour in a declining population, or will there be an opportunity to create real systemic change? The answer depends on whether we choose to engage, challenge the status quo and demand a seat at the table.
How do you see underpopulation debates impacting women of colour? What changes need to happen to ensure we are not side-lined in the next global shift? Share your thoughts in the comments below
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