WE’VE often heard the phrase “Beauty is only skin deep”. Apparently, so too is the nature of public discussion when it comes to women’s health.

Topics on women’s health inevitably revolve around appearance (“oh, your hair and skin look so good, what products do you use?”) or weight (“what’s the best exercise regime to help us lose weight?”). Of course, flip open your typical women’s magazine on the stands and – on top of an infinite number of beauty adverts – you’ll find that health-related articles are usually lists of things to do or wear to increase a woman’s sex appeal.

I’m not trying to diminish the importance of the things mentioned above, but we need to start questioning why so much of the public discourse on women’s health is centred on physical appeal, rather than actual health.

From a gendered perspective, it sends a clear message to women and young girls that their worth in society is largely based on how ‘good’ they look. Even worse is the message put across to men and young boys – that women can be objectified.

Such attitudes breed a dangerous culture: one where marital rape is permissible; where a man who has raped an under-aged girl can marry her and get away scot-free; where victims of sexual harassment are afraid to come forward due to insufficient protection under the legal system, and where non-consensual female (and male) genital mutilation is justified as a cultural practice when in reality, it is a breach of human rights. These are not mere stories, but actual cases that have occurred in Malaysia.

Aside from media spin, the slew of sexist remarks made by male Members of Parliament and notable leaders in the past further underscores the notion that women in Malaysia are on unequal footing.

Many of these statements blatantly insult and degrade a woman’s dignity and worth, yet the perpetrators of these disgusting remarks have largely gone unpunished. Apparently, sexist insults do not merit reprimanding- not even in the august chambers of Parliament.

If we truly wish to inject gender equality into the public discourse on women’s health, then the premise must move beyond physical beauty, to a more serious discussion about women claiming autonomy of their own bodies.

This discussion would include topics such as menstrual irregularities; urinary tract health; choosing if one wants to get married and/or have children. These discussions should also include ‘sensitive’ or ‘taboo’ subjects such as usage of and access to contraceptives (and having the power to decide whether or not to use it) as well as the always difficult topic of abortion.

There is a need to normalise sex education for young people, and the responsibility to deliver such education should not merely rest on schools, but also families and religious organisations. For effective information-sharing to take place, educators should not ‘talk down’ to young people, but instead engage them in a sensitive and respectful manner.

Other health issues that commonly affect women but are often ignored include sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), infertility, and mental health conditions such as eating disorders (especially among young girls) and post-partum depression, which affects many mothers. Violence against women is another major health-related issue.

On a policy level, there needs to be more research and discussion on tackling women’s health-related issues: how to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and STDs, the benefits of having access to various forms of contraception, how to properly regulate abortions, just to name a few.

Firstly, the government must come up with concrete goals to reduce and eliminate gender inequality, and these must be adjusted to suit Malaysia’s unique multi-ethnic context. Using international targets like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a good first measure, but ultimately, the SDGs do not account for localised barriers such as racial inequality (Indian and Chinese women have very different lived experiences, for example). There is a need to set goals with more specific indicators and targets that can enable us to achieve true gender equality in the most effective manner.

To reduce unwanted pregnancies, access to contraceptives and abortion services must be improved. Currently, many do not know where and how to access abortion services. Certain hospitals even refuse to provide such services because of conflicting cultural attitudes despite the passing of a religious fatwa permitting it. To improve women’s health outcomes in the long run, public awareness on these services must be increased, along with greater monitoring and evaluating by relevant powers to ensure quality care.

At the same time, policymakers should also consider advocating contraception as an alternative prevention measure, given that certain groups in society may be culturally averse to seeking out abortion. This could mean, for example, subsidizing contraceptive methods like intrauterine devices (IUDs), which have had a far more successful rate of preventing unwanted pregnancies than birth pills.

The lack of comprehensive discussion on women’s health rights in Malaysia is a gaping hole in public policy, but one that can easily be filled, given our resources and expertise in healthcare (we were ranked first for healthcare by International Living). As 2018 begins, Malaysia should strive to be a vanguard of women’s health rights in the region.

Beyond holding politicians and policymakers accountable, as a collective society, we too can make a difference, by actively choosing to challenge misguided norms and standing up for positive change in our day-to-day lives. – January 7, 2017.

* Having just recently completed her B.A. (Social Science) degree from Monash University Malaysia, Leann is now interning at the Penang Institute in Kuala Lumpur. When she isn’t busy at work, she’s either playing futsal or dismantling the patriarchal class system. While she realizes her time at PI is fleeting, she hopes she will be able to leave a meaningful mark with her work.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.