In discussions about gender and mental health, it is easy to become focused on the differences of rates of psychological pathology between men and women — the “gender gap”. Often cited are statistics indicating that women are more likely than men to be depressed, women have higher rates of anxiety disorders than men, and men are more likely to be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than women. The very state of being a woman is a supposed risk factor for developing certain mental illnesses. However, gender and mental health have far bigger concerns than statistics and vulnerabilities alone. The very history of mental health and psychology is steeped in gender and stereotypes of gender differences.

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