Regularly, when people hear the word 'deviance', they connect to a toddler stealing from a store with their allies. Ideally, deviance ranges from a benevolent act like tattooing a part of the body to a catastrophic act like murder (World Health Organization 4). Rock defines deviance as a behaviour that diverges from societal norms (4). In other words, it is not a criminal act and cannot be considered good or bad. In the context of law, deviance is not only an act outside society norms but one that is unlawful. Deviant conducts are unexpected and may result in positive or negative consequences. For example, feminism movements are deviance that enhances change in society. One of the most common deviant behaviours in our everyday life is youth's reaction against the ever existing patriarchal society (Rock 15). This paper focuses on the case of mentally ill Latina feminism as one of the deviant acts used by youths to fight the patriarchal society.
Feminism
Across all continents, feminists have been observed to commit deviant acts by their existence. Plainly, all women in power, women who direct their emotions in public without being repentant are deviant. Feminism involves advocacy by females for purposes of equality among sexes (Smith 20). It is a primary deviant act that one can adopt in life. Consideration of feminism as a deviant behavior is based on its violation of the normal patriarchy in societies we live in. In the past years, it has been deliberated to be a filthy term that fabricated images of a man-hating group of lesbians dressed in flattery, angry, and with unshaved armpits (Cordero & Brenda 49). Conversely, feminism has been mainstreamed in societal systems, apprehended by societies and redefined for a better cause. In as much as many appreciate feminism, there is a handful who still reason with the belief of angry, an anti-men lesbian label that men have created the concept of meninism to fight for the right of men with a hidden agenda of harassing women (WHO 14).
Discriminator
In the case of mentally ill Latina feminists, the discriminator was sex and economic status. Latina feminists exercised deviant behaviour by voicing equity on health issues for women who are marginalized when it comes to mental disorder. This advocacy is a deviance to the Latina society since it contradicts the existing normalcy of the male being the dominant sex and enjoying all privileges at the expense of the women (Smith 53). Repeatedly, men and women in Latina are diagnosed with mental disorder. However, in the WHO women mental fact sheet demonstrate that the number of women diagnosed with a depressive disorder is twice that of men (WHO 3). Cordero and Brenda pronounce that the females in Latina are denied freedom to speak openly about mental illness by their taboos (46). The discriminatory custom is a contributing factor to the high figures of mental illness recorded among women. Extensively, discrimination is envisaged in cases of chronic mental illness with women categorized as the minority and so subjected to little or no attention compared to their male counterparts. Again, poverty rates are high being that majority of the women are denied time for job opportunities based on their care giving role. As a result of financial constraints, they are not in a position to seek medical attention on time. In cases of male and female suffering mental illness, the male is given an upper hand based on patriarchal systems and the female left unattended based on limited resources and their second position in the society (Brohan et al 17).
Victims
The deviant behavior enhanced by Latina feminists exposed women and children to be the victims in mentally ill Latina feminists. When the woman suffers mental illness and receives no medical attention, then their health is at risks and they are likely to acquire more complications and even face death. Regularly, the woman is the caring pillar in the family as they carry out caregiving activities such as preparation of meals; attend to the family members when they are ill, and even the children. In a situation where they suffer mental disorder with no medication, the family is likely to face jeopardy. The children will have no stable person to tend to them (Smith 55). Once children encounter neglect based on mother's mental complications, they are likely to experience poor psychological growth and cognitive development. Moreover, their personality and attitude towards society and the male will be poor (Corder & Brenda 57). Advocacy made by the Latina feminists in the past was not only beneficial to the women and children but the entire society for mental illness among women affected its basic unit (family). Additionally, it paved way for the upcoming feminists who would practice the same deviance to voice on equal management of mental disorder among women and men.
Social Factors and Forces
Discrimination of the females of Latina with respect to mental disorder exposed a number of social factors that can escalate, alleviate, and enhance continuity of the mental illness feminism and discrimination. The social factors in the case are gender discrimination and socio-economic forces. Gender discrimination is a factor in the case enhanced by the patriarchal dominance of the male over the female even on health issues. WHO mention that gender discrimination is known to be among factors that impact on equity on the treatment of psychological disorders such as depression (22). Psychiatric epidemiologies in Europe largely show high rates of infection on women compared to men as a result of gender parity. This type of prejudice is likely to escalate discrimination in other sectors being that the patriarchal norms are what the society conform to. Again it will facilitate continuity of feminism deviance for more activists supporting the Latina feminist movement will advocate for equality.
Socio-economic forces were also envisaged in the case to escalate high rates of mental illness among women. The forces operated by gaining support from the patriarchal structures that considered the male to be privileged than the women. Low socioeconomic status has been reported to be a huge risk to the management of mental illness. Since women are discriminated in employment because of much care roles, they are likely to suffer poverty, hence limited resources to seek medical attention when faced with psychological disorders (Rock 102). If patriarchy is persistent, then women will not be in a position to access economic resources that can help them afford medication and preventive information on mental disorder. Once patriarchy persists, mental disorder escalates and feminism continues for more women will fight against patriarchy to ensure females gain resources to manage their health.
Sociological Knowledge and Insights
There are numerous socio-economic aspects that influence mental health but gender is a primary tenet. Women are reported to be resilient to mental disorders as a result of their ability to express their emotions and sharing their situations with one another. However, they record the highest number among patients with mental illness (WHO 5). Sociologically, variations in the psychological health of men and women have been explained to be influenced by the societal definition of the roles and privileges of the two sexes. Roles of informal care to children, family, and the aged, subject women to minimal leisure time, sleep, and high rates of poverty when they exercise full-time care. These activities have adverse effects on their physical and mental health (Smith 8). Brohan et al., pronounces that informal care duties are a potential explanation for the high levels of mental disorder in women (18). The socially constructed role of a carer is determined by the reproductive responsibility assigned to women. Culturally, men are assigned masculine roles that allow them time to engage in exercise, hence reduced rates of mental illness. Social theories like feminism clearly explain who women are disadvantaged by men and denied privileges that expose them to health risks. Though feminists are considered deviants, they emphasis on the equality of women and should be encouraged over time and space (Smith 30).
In conclusion, deviant behavior is a violation of societal norms that can either be good or bad. Feminism is a form of deviance that goes against the patriarchal norms of society. In the past feminists were considered to be anti-male lesbian stereotypes, but over time their emphasis on gender equality has been mainstreamed in every segment of the society. Ideally, gender inequality has had a great effect on the mental health of women leading to the emergent of mental illness Latina feminists who advocated for equality on mental health. In this case, sex and socio-economic status enhanced discriminatory practices on victims who were women, children and the society at large. Generally, gender is a significant element in understanding disparities around mental health. For as long as such discrepancies exist, so will feminism.
Work Cited
Brohan, Elaine, et al. "Experiences of mental illness stigma, prejudice and discrimination: a review of measures." BMC health services research 10.1 (2010): 80.
Cordero, Antonia, and Brenda Kurz. "Acculturation and the mental health of Latina women in the women, infant, and children program." Affilia 21.1 (2006): 46-58.
Rock, Paul. Deviant Behaviour (Routledge Revivals). Routledge, 2014: 1-210.
Smith, Caroline Ruth. "A feminist analysis of mental health providers' perspectives of Latina women." (2010): 1-191.
World Health Organization. "Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence: Gender disparities in mental health." (2013): 1-25
