Black Girls' Resistance to Gendered Racial Oppression in High School

Abstract

Background

In school environments, Black girls are characterized by harmful stereotypes rooted in racism and sexism. Black adolescent girls, unfortunately, encounter gendered racial differential treatment, which may hinder well-being. Existing literature exploring maltreatment of Black girls in academic spaces focuses on criminalization, discipline, and achievement gaps (Ibrahim et al., 2022), with some examining how Black girls’ mental health can decline when encountering gendered racial stereotypes (Butler-Barnes, 2022). However, little qualitative research is focused on adolescent Black girls resisting gendered racial oppression in academic settings.

Methods

Data from a study that interviewed Black girls in high school (N=13) was analyzed and employed the grounded theory methodology to explore mechanisms of resistance to gendered racial mistreatment along with its impact on wellness, which is essential to deepening our knowledge about the complexities of Black girls’ day-to-day experiences in high school settings. With the use of the intersectionality framework, we aim to thread these contrasting experiences to understand how oppressive social forces influence the wellness of Black girls, along with providing evidence that schools employ harmful mistreatment rooted in gendered racial stereotypes.

Results

Findings unveiled that although all participants noted several instances of gendered racial mistreatment, Black girls eventually searched for ways to resist assimilation efforts by advocating against assimilation regarding Black girls communication style. Jamyahh D (age 18) said, “I would say yes, because they try to make us like, code switch like, to make them comfortable...I've had to sit there and explain like, it's not that I have an attitude...I shouldn't have to put on like, the super nice voice to be found acceptable.”

By excelling academically, Black girls aimed to assert their worth and demonstrate that they are not defined by negative gendered racial stereotypes surrounding them. Ayannah W (age 17) also expressed how gendered differential treatment serves as a motivating factor for her to succeed. “Yeah, I think maybe it makes me feel like I gotta represent with my grades because you know, I'm not going to allow my grades to suffer as a result of discrimination.”

Black girls also described how supported they felt when having a space curated by them-for them. Sydney D (age 17) said, “I felt like I wasn't alone, especially that I wasn't alone in a space where like Black girls could just like come together and vent, hear each other, and support each other. It made me want to like express to teachers, school staff and in spaces like this, like suggests other like alternatives to battling mental health.”

Conclusion

Gendered racial mistreatment harms the development and well-being of Black girls. Despite this injustice, Black girls search for avenues of empowerment and resistance by advocating for themselves, committing to academic excellence, and being included in spaces meant to uplift them. Results from this study can strengthen researchers, educators, and practitioners’ ability to combat gendered racism and support Black girls’ leadership in educational spaces.