Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health by Wylin D. Wilson (Book Review)
- Destiny Harris
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Hey Lovelies,
I had the absolute honor of reading an early digital copy of Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, and let me just say this book is groundbreaking. It made me pause, breathe, and reimagine what care, health, and justice can look like when we center Black women.
There were moments while reading that I had to put the book down and whisper to myself, “Yes, this is exactly what I’ve felt but didn’t have the words for.” It reminded me that our health, body, mind, and spirit cannot be separated, and that love, community, and justice are deeply intertwined.
About the Author
Dr. Wylin D. Wilson is Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School, where she teaches in the Theology, Medicine, and Culture program. Her research sits at the intersection of bioethics, gender, and theology.
She is the author of Economic Ethics and the Black Church and the forthcoming Womanist Bioethics. Dr. Wilson’s work has also included teaching at Harvard Medical School’s Center for Bioethics, serving as a Senior Fellow at Harvard Divinity School, and leadership at the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care.
Her expertise shines as she weaves theology, ethics, and lived experience into a call for justice in health systems that too often ignore Black women’s bodies and voices.
Synopsis
In Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health, Dr. Wilson offers the first explicitly womanist framework for bioethics. She argues that mainstream bioethics, shaped largely by white, male perspectives, has failed to fully account for the experiences and vulnerabilities of Black women.
Through historical analysis and contemporary case studies, Wilson highlights the disproportionate suffering Black women endure in healthcare: higher rates of preventable maternal death, chronic illness, and systemic neglect. She reminds us that these disparities are not about biology, but about racism, sexism, and classism baked into our institutions.
Drawing from womanist theology and the Black Christian prophetic tradition, she shows us that bioethics must go beyond abstract debates about consent and resources. Instead, it must be rooted in community, justice, and survival. Health, she writes, is a social good that requires relationships, accountability, and holistic care.
This is a must-read not only for Black women and minorities but for anyone who desires to have equity, justice, and holistic practices in our healthcare system.
The Inspirational
This book shook me in the best way possible. It made me realize how often healthcare, and even society treats illness as isolation, when in reality, illness should mean we come alongside each other.
Wilson’s words reminded me that tending to the margins is sacred work. She challenges us to see Black women not just as patients in crisis, but as whole beings whose wisdom, survival, and spiritual power can transform the field of bioethics.
One part that deeply resonated with me was her recounting of preventable maternal deaths like Kira Johnson and Amber Rose Isaac's stories, which were avoidable but dismissed. Reading those tragedies alongside Wilson’s call for systemic repair reminded me of why boundaries, advocacy, and community matter so deeply in my own life.
I also loved how she framed worth and health as communal. Too often, we measure value in terms of productivity or money, but Wilson encourages us to understand that our worth is sacred, simply because we exist. This echoes the message I’ve been holding onto: I am worthy of love and care, not because of my achievements, but because I am.
Top Five Quotes
“Illness should not automatically equal isolation but should mean that others come alongside us, walk with us, help us, and compassionately hold us accountable for our health.”
“Tending to the margins is an important step toward an expanded bioethics that is centered on social justice.”
"Black women’s bodies are not problems to be managed but sacred sites of divine power and access.”
“The tragedy in this nation is that Kira’s story is not unique; too many Black women die from preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.”
"Love is literally the most powerful force—more powerful than death itself. It must shape how we treat one another.”
Podcast Connection
I had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Wilson on my podcast to go even deeper into Womanist Bioethics. We talked about why centering Black women’s voices is urgent, the role of the Black Church in addressing health disparities, and what actionable steps institutions can take to dismantle systemic racism in healthcare.
Final Thoughts
Womanist Bioethics is not just for academics or health professionals; it’s for anyone who cares about justice, healing, and community. It’s a must-read if you believe that Black women deserve to live long, healthy, joy-filled lives, free from systemic neglect.
I’ll be carrying Wilson’s words with me for a long time, especially her reminder that love is the most powerful force we have. You can find Dr. Wilson at www.wylindwilson.com.
Have you read Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health?
What other books would you like me to review?
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