Using Nussbaum’s conceptualization of objectification and Acker’s understanding of inequality regimes, this article examines the practices and processes of intersectional inequality in the form of gendered dehumanization in the Finnish public healthcare sector. By examining the lived experiences of 17 nurses in the aftermaths of the most recent labor dispute and Covid-19, our analysis suggests that gendered dehumanization unfolds through specific patterns of objectifying social and organizational dynamics and structures that feed into maintenance and reproduction of the identified care work regime. Empirically, this article enhances our understanding of the ways in which intersectional inequalities are reproduced in this sector and advocates for recognizing and addressing the systemic undervaluation of nursing within healthcare systems. Theoretically, the article deepens our understanding of inequality regimes in female-dominated industries and reveals the dehumanizing potential of inequality regimes in care labor.
