“Part of Being a Girl”: Analyzing TikTok Narratives of Reproductive Health Care Open Access

Abstract

This study intends to fill the gap in research on the subjective experiences of patients assigned female at birth (AFAB) in receiving reproductive health care. I review literature on how gender stereotypes have contributed to perceptions of women and how they influence health care professionals’ (HCPs) evaluation and subsequent treatment of AFAB patients. I also explore how people with intersectional identities (i.e., LGBTQ individuals, people of color, people with lower socioeconomic status) experience reproductive health care. Eight relevant hashtags were searched on the social media platform, TikTok, to gather AFAB people’s narratives about their reproductive health care experiences. A total of 78 videos were extracted for analysis. After transcribing the videos, the patterns of behavior exhibited by HCPs according to users’ narratives were examined. Seven themes arose: dismissal, unhelpful solutions, withholding help, normalization, unprofessionalism, diagnostic delay, and positive experiences. Analysis focuses on the different ways in which HCPs exhibited these themes and how users felt about their experiences based on their narratives and how they shared them. The implications of unequal power dynamics and intersectionality are also explored. 

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

Topic Overview: Gender Disparities in Pain Care

Theoretical Framework: Intersectionality and Power

RELEVANT LITERATURE

The History of Gender Stereotypes in Medicine

Contemporary Stereotype-Based Perceptions of Women

Treatment-Seeking Pathways

Treatment of Women in Reproductive Health Care

The Impact of Intersectional Identity on Reproductive Health Care

RESEARCH METHODS

The Internet as a Narrative Source

Identifying Data Sets

Inclusion Criteria

Data Collection

Coding

Methods Used in the Current Study

RESULTS

Description of the Sample

Format, Style, and Content

Themes

Dismissal

Unhelpful Solutions

Withholding Help

Normalization

Unprofessionalism

Diagnostic Delay

Positive Experiences

DISCUSSION

Negative Experience Bias

Traditional Versus Non-Traditional Methods

Theoretical Lenses

CONCLUSION

Limitations

Future Directions

APPENDICES

REFERENCES

About this Honors Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Emory College
Department	Sociology
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Women's Studies Sociology, Public and Social Welfare Multimedia Communications
Keyword	intersectionality health-seeking women health care social media sexual and reproductive health gender
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Sohn, Heeju, Emory University Mulla, Sameena, Emory University Hall-Clifford, Rachel, Emory University

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