During the pre-1960s racism, society focused exclusively on improving life for whites, even though blacks as a group were far worse off.
Similar to this component of racism is today's new sexism:

When it comes to heart disease (and to the other 14 leading causes of death) society has become almost exclusively focused on women, even though men as a group, especially black men, are far more vulnerable to the disease in every age bracket. Even thousands of men, including many doctors, take part in the fight against women's heart disease but not against men's. How many women campaign against the disease in the group that is actually more at risk? How many reports, commentaries, and editorials on women's heart disease speak as if men literally did not exist?

That's the new sexism. What would you call it if the shoe were on the other foot and women developed heart disease about ten years sooner than men, died of it at a higher rate at every age, and everyone focused on men's heart disease?

See: "Women's Advocates Wrong About Why More Women Than Men Die of Heart Disease" at Web Link and "Health Disparites Persist for Men, and Doctors Ask Why" at Web Link

Dear Male Matters:

I completely agree with you. I have seen this in public education, too-- generally, girls being treated more favorably than boys, depending on the teacher. As a parent with two sons, I believe that issues, such as health issues and education issues, can and do affect everyone-- not just one part of the population.

Thanks for bringing this up! I'm glad you're standing up for the rights of men and boys (who grow up to be men.)

You are kidding right? If you will recalll, actually I'm showing my age (in my sixties) all studies that were ever done had only white males as people who were studied in regards to heart disease (my mother was the head of a portion of the Heart Association of Ohio for many years so I was schooled early on in all the studies and developing treatments). There was constant talk about men and heart disease women weren't even thought of. And in fact the symptoms of women and heart disease are very differnt than men's. In fact I lost a friend only 6 years ago as her only symptom was fatigue and her heart disease was never discovered until it was too late. The number one killer of women is heart disease if you divide up the cancers into individual sections. Why does it scare you that someone has created a day for women and health? That seems odd. Do a forum on men and health no one is stopping you. The fact that finally it is common talk about women and heart disease is great. It doesn't take away from any other group.