The Cliché-ing of the Term "Women of Color"

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: I Too Am STEM: Examining the Intersections of Race, Gender, and Identity

Abstract

Promoting diversity and inclusion within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critical for meeting rising workforce demands and creating equitable structures. Women of color have made great strides regarding increased enrollment at the postsecondary level, yet they remain vastly underrepresented in STEM fields. There are challenges with addressing their underrepresentation given the ambiguous meaning of “Women of Color”. Using critical race feminism, we analyzed empirical articles in peer-reviewed journals from 2005-2019 to identify (a) how the term “women of color” was defined in the research, and (b) who was represented and how their presence or absence was integrated within the research findings. Findings and implications behind naming and representation are presented.

Authors

• Monica L. Miles, Physician Assistant Education Association

• Charlotte A. Agger, Indiana University

• Terrell Roderick Morton, University of Missouri - Columbia

• ReAnna S. Roby, Vanderbilt University