Monica Potts Poor White Woman

On the morning of May 23, 2012, Monica Potts finds the perfect example to support her claim that poor white women are dying. This is the same day that Crystal Wilson, a 38 year old poor white women from Cave City, Arkansas, dies due to natural causes. Wilson is a part of a demographic of white women who did not graduate from high school and whose life expectancy has declined over the past few years— but no one knows why. Potts is determined to find a reason for the decline of poor white women. She uses Crystal’s story to make her claim that the decline is caused by a lack of education, medical care, good wages, and healthy food. Potts is mistaken because she overlooks the victimization of poor white women and fails to provide evidence

The hypothesis to support the claims that white women who are already unhealthy are less able to and are more likely to die did not hold up. She attributes the decline of white women to drug use and employment issues. Potts says,”It is well known that smoking shortens life; in fact, smoking led to the early deaths of both of Crystal’s parents and her sister and brother. Crystal, though, never smoke or drank. But the researchers discovered something else that was driving women like her to early graves: Whether the women had a job mattered, and it mattered more than income or other signs of financial stability . . . In fact, smoking and employment were the only two factors of any significance” (7). When comparing those two factors of smoking and employment to black women, Potts does not reinforce her hypothesis. She gives no thought to any women of a minority race the option of feeling like they have a sense of purpose in life. Potts says, “Black women are more likely to feel like they’re on an upward trajectory. Perhaps they have more control relative to the men in their communities”(11). Her assumptions are opinion based and they do not show factual evidence that black women are on an upward trajectory and do not struggle with drug abuse issues and a lack of self-importance. Participating in a community and working among others can give a women a “sense of purpose”. Women without a sense of purpose find the will to live harder. Having a reason to live is not a matter of race. Potts could be expressing her underlying feelings toward white feminism— that poor women as a whole may be struggling, but more importantly poor white