An Exploration of the Gendered Racial Microaggression Experiences of Black Girls

The purpose of this study is to extend research on gendered racial microaggressions by using an intersectional approach to develop a taxonomy of gendered racial microaggressions experienced by Black adolescent girls. This study seeks to answer the following research question: What are the gendered racial microaggression experiences of Black adolescent girls? The current study uses a Black feminist and intersectionality theoretical lens to illuminate the gendered racial microaggression experiences of Black girls. A community sample of 33 high school Black adolescent girls between the ages of 13 – 17 (M = 15, SD = .92) were recruited through schools, community organizations, and churches in East Tennessee. Data was collected through four semi-structured focus group interviews. Using dimensional analysis, findings of this study uncovered several gendered racial microaggression themes, which expanded the existing taxonomy of gendered racial microaggressions (Lewis et al., 2016). The findings yielded three core themes with three subthemes each: Standards of Beauty (Standards of Aesthetics, Devaluation, Hair Exoticism), Silenced and Marginalized ((In)visibility, Overdisciplined/Under Protected, Assumption of Intelligence & Communication Styles), and Projected Stereotypes (Expectation of the Angry Black Girl, Expectation of the Ghetto Black Girl, Expectation of the Jezebel). The findings uncovered several themes that map onto the taxonomy of gendered racial microaggressions experienced by adult Black women; new themes unique to Black adolescent girls also emerged. The three core themes provided a multidimensional narrative of how controlling images and negative stereotypes operate to narrowly define Black girls within a cycle of oppression. The current study addresses several gaps in the literature on intersectional microaggressions, particularly among youth. Clinical, education, and policy implications are discussed.