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Gendered Racial Identity of Black Young Women

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Abstract

In order to understand the experience and identity development of Black adolescents and young women, it is important to understand the intersection of race and gender, or gendered racial identity development. The study sought to unpack aspects of social identity particularly gendered racial identity from the phenomenological perspective of participants. This study included dyadic focus groups of 17 African American young women between the ages of 15–21. Participants were asked about meaning and salience of gendered racial identity. Results suggest that gendered racial identity had greater salience for the participants as compared to the separate constructs of racial or gender identity. The participants identified with negative stereotypes and images of African American women, issues of colorism and standards of beauty. They also emphasized the importance of self-determination. Furthermore, when asked directly about the meaning of race and gender in their lives participants indicated that race and gender simultaneously influenced their perceptions of themselves. The findings that emerge from this study further the discourse regarding limitations that may occur when using single identity factor models to understand identity development among ethnic minority youth. Implications for prevention programs and areas for future research are included.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Loyola University Chicago, School of Education, 820 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Anita Jones Thomas, Jason Daniel Hacker & Denada Hoxha

Authors
  1. Anita Jones Thomas
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  2. Jason Daniel Hacker
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  3. Denada Hoxha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anita Jones Thomas.

Appendix A

Appendix A

Focus Group Script-African American Girls

Introduction

Thanks for coming to participate in the focus group. As the letter and flyers explained, this is a study that explores the role of stress, current stressors, and experiences of oppression on identity and psychological functioning of African American and Latina young women. We will be meeting for about 90 min today. We have a series of questions that we would like to ask you. There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know the thoughts that you have about each of the questions or topics. We hope to allow each of you the chance to answer the questions. But as this is voluntary, do not feel as if you have to answer each question. If you are not comfortable with a question, please let us know. Also, if you do not understand a question, let us know that as well.

There may be times when you have an answer for a question, but the girl in front of you says what you wanted to say. It is fine if you repeat what was said before you if that is how you wanted to answer the question. We hope that as you listen to each other, that new ideas and responses will come to you. If that happens, feel free to answer each question more than one time.

Why don’t we start with introductions. (Facilitators introduce selves)

(Girls will be given or can select fake names with nametags. Have them introduce themselves according to their fake names). Feel free to share something about yourself with the group if you wish.

We have an exercise for you to do before we start the group questions. In front of you is a list of different aspects of identity. Some of them have been specified, such as daughter and friend, and some have been left for you to specify, such as gender and religion. Please fill in the top seven (7) blanks (gender through race). You have also been provided with some blanks in case there are any aspects of your identity that you think are important that were not included in the list provided.

(Wait until subjects have completed this task).

Now that you have compiled a list of the different aspects of your identity, we want you to think about those parts of your identity that you think are most important. At the bottom of the page there is a circle. This circle represents your identity. Divide this circle into pie pieces representing the different aspects of your identity that appear on the list. The more important you think a certain item is, the bigger the pie piece. You may divide the circle however you wish. If you think one or more items should not appear on the circle, that’s fine. If you think one or two items should make up the whole circle, that’s fine too.

When deciding how to divide the circle it may be helpful to consider the question, “When you meet people for the first time, what do you want them to know about you?”

Thanks for completing that. Are we ready to start the group? Do you have any questions for us before we begin?

Identity

  • What is your ethnicity?

  • What is your race?

  • (If different, what is the difference between your race and ethnicity?)

  • What does it mean to you to be of your ethnicity/race?

  • What does being a woman mean to you?

  • What does being an African American girl or woman mean to you?

  • Can you describe the first time you realized that you were an African American girl or woman?

Prompts: Where were you? What was happening? Where other people involved?

  • Have you thought about these ideas before? How have your ideas changed over time? Consider some experiences you’ve had that may have caused you to change your thoughts about ethnicity, race and gender.

Standard facilitation prompts:

Thank you for sharing.

Does anyone want to respond to what she said?

Does anyone else want to respond? What were you thinking as she was sharing?

____________ do you want to answer this question?

Standard elaboration prompts:

What I heard you say is ________________. (Simply summarize or paraphrase.) Do you want to add anything else?

Closing

Why did you choose to participate in this study?

Did you learn anything today?

What was helpful?

What do you think we should do with the information as psychologists to help other people?

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Thomas, A.J., Hacker, J.D. & Hoxha, D. Gendered Racial Identity of Black Young Women. Sex Roles 64, 530–542 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9939-y

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