“We Dem Girls:” Healing and Protecting Our Black Masculine Girls and Women in Academia

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 5:10 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: QTBIPOC Experiences and Epistemologies in Higher Education (Table 3)

Abstract

From Gladys Bently to Lena Waithe, Black queer self-identified masculine women continue to be trailblazers in American history, yet continue to fight for their inclusivity and existence within healthcare, legislation, entertainment and education. Mayo(2022) states,“school architecture, policies, and institutional norms all structure an educational world in which heterosexuality is the only publicly sanctioned identity” (34). Intersectionalities that defy white heteronormality are negatively perceived. This investigation will analyze narratives of Black queer masculine identifying women and their educational experiences in high school to higher education. There is a gap in research that exclusively analyzes these experiences of these intersectionalities in the sexist and racist American educational system. This research intends to remedy healing spaces of protection in educational sectors.

Author

• Torie Wheatley, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools