The Price of Being Black in Suburbia: Black Young Women’s Identity Shifting on TikTok

• In Event: Black Girlhoods

Abstract

This study examines how Black young women and girls navigate identity shifting on TikTok, a platform whose algorithm-driven format shapes visibility, self‑presentation, and audience perception. Drawing on intersectionality, digital Black feminism, and the shifting framework, the project investigates how users describe and respond to gendered racism and the pressures of predominantly white digital and offline spaces. Using a qualitative sample of 100 TikTok videos collected through relevant hashtags and trending sounds, abductive coding was used to identify patterns in how creators articulate discrimination, community-building, and strategies of adaptive self‑presentation. Preliminary findings show that users often frame microaggressions and racist encounters as “prices” they must pay to access social and educational opportunities, and commenters frequently validate these experiences. Creators describe anticipatory adjustments to speech, aesthetics, and behavior to avoid misinterpretation or stereotype reinforcement, revealing how TikTok amplifies the racialized and gendered labor required for visibility and safety. The study highlights how Black young women negotiate identity within algorithmically mediated environments.

Author

• Zara Houser, Louisiana State University