Experiences of Hypervisibility and Invisibility for Girls of Color in Elite Independent Schools

• In Event: Educational Experiences of Girls and Women of Color

Abstract

In predominantly white spaces, Girls of Color often experience a dichotomy of hypervisibility and invisibility (Fordham, 2016). They are often hypervisible in a literal sense in that, because there are not many Girls of Color in predominantly white spaces, they stand out. Invisibility for Girls of Color exists in that their needs and emotions are often overlooked or ignored by their white peers, teachers, and administrators. In this presentation, we call upon qualitative research conducted in elite, independent, all-girls schools environments to examine how Girls of Color experience hypervisibility and invisibility in these unique educational contexts.

Authors

• Charlotte E Jacobs, University of Pennsylvania

• Katherine Clonan-Roy, Cleveland State University

• Erika Edith Clark

• Ran Wang, The University of Hong Kong

• Haley Dunavant