This web page is by Black women, for Black women in Canada who want to learn more about breast cancer or are on their own breast cancer journey. We focus on Black women specifically, to highlight their unique experiences, which are not interchangeable with all women of colour.
In Canada, race-based data are not routinely collected and there is very little information about breast cancer that is specific to Black women. Our team at The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers at Women’s College Hospital is actively working to change this.
Missed our virtual Breast Health for Black Women event? Click here to watch.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY BLACK WOMEN?
We use the term Black women to refer to women of African ancestry or those who self-identify as such, including those who identify as Black, African, Caribbean, African Canadian, melanated, members of the African diaspora, and others.
Black women, like the larger Black community, are not monolithic. This term is inclusive of all who identify as Black women, recognizing the diversity in social locations. The term Black women encompasses the spectrum and intersectionality of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, socioeconomic status, migration status, language, culture, and religion. The experiences of Black women are not interchangeable with those of all women of colour. We focus on Black women specifically to highlight their unique experiences.
The Purpose of this Hub
From left to right: Abigail Appiahene-Afriyie, Shireen Spencer, Dawn Barker, Debbie Pottinger, Talina Higgins, Rumaisa Khan & Ielaf Khalil. Missing: Dr. Aisha Lofters, Leila Springer, Ayan Hashi and Noor Rizvi
We know that Black women experience breast cancer differently than non-Black women. Many health and social programs center around whiteness and can be unwelcoming spaces that do not always cater to their unique experiences. Misogynoir, a unique form of misogyny and anti-Black racism, also plays a role in how Black women experience and interact with the healthcare system. The dominance of white/pink breast imagery, lack of melanated skin representation, and absence of specific research and resources can perpetuate the erasure of Black women’s experiences.
We’ve had to rely on US data to understand how Black women have been disproportionately impacted by breast cancer. In Canada, where we don’t routinely collect race-based data, there is very little research to support what we know exists in our communities and what we see in the healthcare system.
This webpage was created for Black women, by Black women, with input from clinicians, scientists and researchers in the breast cancer space. We hope Black women will be able to access critical and timely information tailored specifically for them, to allow them to feel heard, seen and represented throughout their care.
References | Glossary
Graphics Designed Nafisa Salima
We are grateful for the support for this page from Pfizer and ReThink Breast Cancer
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