The Privilege of a Good Death: An Intersectional Perspective on Dying a Good Death in America
Miranda C. Kunkel
Abstract
All individuals deserve an equitable opportunity to achieve a good death. Unfortunately, access to end-of-life care and services is largely unequal on the basis of race, gender, class, and other social identities. We need to understand how individuals with multiple marginalized identities face different access in attaining a good death and use this knowledge to bring equity to end-of-life care. The conceptual framework for this argument derives from intersectionality theory and the existing disparities in end-of-life care. This argument sheds light on the relationship between intersectionality and a good death, demonstrated by a case vignette, and suggests that the more marginalized social identities one has, the more difficult their access to a good death. Because it is particularly important to both recognize and actively combat these inequities, I offer 3 practical strategies for end-of-life researchers and practitioners. For the sake of our increasingly diverse population, advancements in end-of-life care must be made to facilitate a good death for all.