The High Maintenance Black Girl: Exploring Intraracial Stereotypes Experienced by Black Female College Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Marginalized Identities in Higher Education (Table 13)

Abstract

Existing literature has documented interracial stereotypes faced by Black individuals. This study delved into the lesser-explored stereotypes from within the Black community. It explored the experiences of Black female college students in predominantly white educational environments and the pervasive influence of intraracial stereotypes. Grounded in phenomenological inquiry and guided by Black Feminist Critique, this study found that Black female college students experience stereotypes (or microaggressions) from within their racial group across Black family members, Black peers, and the broader Black community that paralleled their academic intellect or pursuits to whiteness. Understanding these experiences addresses ongoing historical trauma rooted in white supremacist attitudes – reinforcing the importance of educational equity and the promotion of healthy communities, consistent with this year’s AERA theme.

Author

• Alexis Thrower, Hartnell College