ep 118: Undervalued and Underfunded // women's health, equity, and community voices with Kanwal Haq

Disclaimer: The term woman is frequently used in this episode and Kanwal’s book Taking Care of You, to refer to the target audience, although the material discussed applies to anyone with a uterus, cervix, or vagina. We recognize that not all people with these body parts identify as a woman and that not all people who identify as a woman have these body parts

Kanwal Haq is dedicated to improving health and care for women across the world. With 17+ years of experience working in various healthcare roles and spaces, Kanwal brings dedication, creativity, and humility to keep learning and moving forward. Kanwal founded TCY Women to build better tools, resources, and systems of care to support women’s health, across the lifespan. Kanwal completed her B.S. in biology from the University of Missouri, her M.S. in medical anthropology from Boston University, and is working on her PhD in public health at UTHealth. Kanwal is the co-author of “Taking Care of You: The Empowered Woman’s Guide to Better Health (Mayo Clinic Press 2022). Kanwal’s rural midwestern roots cultivated her passion to make health education and care both accessible and appropriate for every woman.

When we look at the research, a clear pattern emerges — women and gender diverse people are too often dismissed, undertreated, and left behind by our healthcare system. The 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey found that one in three women reported being ignored or disbelieved by a healthcare provider, and data from the PNAS (2024) study showed that clinicians consistently rated women’s pain as less severe than men’s for the same symptoms. Together, these studies tell a sobering truth — gender bias is not anecdotal, it’s structural.