The Paradox of Patient Consent: A Feminist Account of Illness and Healthcare

Through autoethnographic analysis, I present my personal illness story as a case study in patient consent. In doing so, I explore the complexities that emerge at the intersection of gender and health, including issues of autonomy and choice. Specifically, I reflect on the ideological and systemic factors that contribute to a paradox of consent versus noncompliance in US healthcare contexts. Within this paradoxical binary, control is both persistent and illusive, which is a condition fueled by individualism, paternalistic antagonism, and medical colonization. As an alternative, I offer two viable options for facilitating patients' agency in gendered health contexts, even under marginalizing conditions.

Automated summary

Through autoethnographic analysis, the author presents their personal illness story as a case study in patient consent, exploring the complexities that arise at the intersection of gender and health. Reflecting on ideological and systemic factors, the author considers the paradox of consent versus noncompliance in US healthcare contexts, offering alternative options to facilitate patients' agency in gendered health contexts.