I’m Not Your Superwoman: Ethnographies of Softness, Silence, and Healing for Black Girls

• In Event: Weight of the Crown: Anti-Essentialist Futures for Black Girls’ Identity Construction

Abstract

Racial stereotypes are beliefs that an actual or imagined cultural tendency is a natural
characteristic of all members of a particular racialized group. Research on the origins and
consequences of racial stereotypes tends to examine negative racial stereotypes, a focus is born of necessity for those who study Black children and schooling. Less attention has been devoted to positive racial stereotypes and the roles they might play in the lives of Black people, specifically Black girls. Positive racial stereotypes are generalized beliefs that members of the target racial group are naturally more inclined toward a particular social value or desirable attribute than members of other racial groups (Armenta, 2010; Czopp, 2010; Ho & Jackson,
2001). Though intended to be affirming, these stereotypes invoke essentializing rubrics of
racial ability and racial authenticity that can be internalized by members of the target group in
ways that cause harm (Cokley, 2002; Siy & Cheryan, 2016).

Given concerns that positive racial stereotypes are a “double-edged sword” (Cokley, 2002),
understanding the nature of benevolent racial caricatures in Afrocentric approaches to Black
children’s development is essential to developing sustainable, emancipatory practice. This
paper reports findings from a six-month, critical race ethnographic study that examined how
10 Black girls encounter and interpret ‘strong Black woman’ and ‘Black Girl Magic’ motifs both
within and outside of schools. We were specifically interested in the racial mythology that all Black girls are either the literal descendants of, or otherwise symbolically connected to, historical African queens. In Afrocentric traditions (Asante, 1995), African queen mythology has been ritualized, recited as historical fact, and viewed as an innate quality of Black women and girls to varying degrees.

Findings indicate that positive racial stereotypes support a ‘thin’ positive racial identity, but do
not seem to influence a ‘thick’ positive racial identity. Positive racial stereotypes also bear the risk of increasing imposter syndrome, internalized racism, and stereotype threat. Positive racial stereotypes also magnify Black girls’ lived experiences with adultification. This research advances educational psychology by modeling how to utilize critical race ethnographic
methods in the field, and by adding to literature that identifies the needs and development of
Black girls. It contributes to the conference theme, “Dismantling Racial Injustice Across P-20
Systems,” by insisting on new language and disciplinary precedent for recognizing Black girls
in education research.

Authors

• Ashley N. Woodson, Black epiSTEMologies

• Kristen Duncan, Clemson University

• Alexis E. Hunter, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Brittany Smotherson, University of Missouri