Politics and women's health

Politics and women’s health: Why they can't be seen as separate

When we talk about women’s health, it’s easy to focus solely on clinical care—access to screening, contraceptives, fertility support, menopause care, or safe childbirth. But to fully understand the state of women’s health, we must recognise a truth that often goes unspoken or is even actively denied: women’s health is inherently political.

The personal is political - And so is health

The phrase "the personal is political" became a feminist rallying cry in the 1960s and 70s. It still rings true today, especially in the realm of health. Every policy decision—about funding, access, regulation, and research priorities—shapes how women experience healthcare. Whether it’s access to abortion services, the availability of affordable treatments, or funding for endometriosis research, political choices directly influence women’s bodies and lives.

Women’s health Is more than reproductive health

For too long, women’s health has been narrowly defined by reproductive capacity. While pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive autonomy are critically important, there's more to women than our ability to reproduce.

For example, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death and disability among women, yet it remains under-recognised, underdiagnosed, under-treated and under-researched. Women are less likely to be referred for appropriate testing, less likely to receive evidence-based treatment, and often present with different symptoms than men—differences that are frequently missed in a health system shaped by male-centric research.

Other serious health issues affecting women—such as autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, mental health, and osteoporosis—are likewise overlooked or minimised in policy and practice.

When health policy narrowly focuses exclusively, or almost exclusively on reproduction, it fails to account for the complexity and breadth of women’s health across the life course.

Who gets heard, who gets help

Research has repeatedly shown that women—particularly women of colour, LGBTQ+ people, women living with disabilities, women from culturally and linguistic diverse backgrounds, and those living in rural or low-income settings—can face significant barriers to having their health needs recognised and met. Political will determines whether these barriers are addressed or ignored.

For instance:

• Endometriosis affects one in nine Australian women, yet it took decades of advocacy before it received national attention and targeted funding.
• Maternal health outcomes vary greatly depending on race and socioeconomic status, highlighting systemic inequalities rooted in political and social structures.
• Reproductive rights, including abortion access and IVF funding, remain subject to shifting political tides, even in high-income countries (especially in the USA at the moment).

These are not just medical issues—they are issues of equity, justice, and representation.

Health policy is not gender neutral

A common misconception is that health policy applies equally to everyone. But a 'gender-neutral' approach often fails to recognise that men and women experience health and illness differently—and are affected differently by policy decisions.

For example:

• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women, but it’s still widely seen as a “man’s disease,” leading to underdiagnosis and under-treatment in women.
• Clinical research has historically prioritised male bodies, with women excluded from many trials until the 1990s. That legacy still affects the quality of evidence we have for treating women today.

This is why we need gender-informed health policy, not gender-blind policy.

From clinics to cabinets: The need for representation

Women’s health will remain an afterthought unless women—and diverse voices—are involved in shaping policy. Representation matters not just in parliament, but in health leadership, research funding bodies, and medical boards. Without it, decisions are made about women, but not with women.

A call for political engagement

Recognising the political dimensions of women’s health is not about partisanship. It’s about accountability. It’s about asking:

• Who gets to make decisions about women's bodies?
• Whose voices are centred in health debates?
• What values shape the laws and funding priorities that govern care?

Advocating for women’s health means engaging with these political questions. It means voting with health in mind. It means holding leaders to account. And it means refusing to accept that the clinic and the cabinet room are unrelated.

Because when women’s health is sidelined, it’s not just a health issue - it’s a political failure.