The theme for this month’s Black History Month is ‘Reclaiming Narratives’. Narratives is defined as a “spoken or written account of connected events; a story”. So many stories and portrayals of the Black community are written with an anti-Black lens with the aim of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Within the media, archetypes such as the magical negro trope, mammy, the sassy sidekick and the thug/criminal, has shaped the external false narratives of Blackness and reinforced respectability politics.
Narratives I Think We Need to Reclaim
The Adultifcation of Black Children - The adultification of Black children is based on the narrative that Black children are perceived as older, more deserving of harsher punishments and less deserving of presumed innocence their non-Black counterparts experience. The narrative the Black children are streetwise or more culpable, erases their vulnerability while making them more susceptible to abuse. The adultification of Black children results in poor safeguarding, the disproportionate expulsion rate of Black children and is one of the leading perpetuators of the school to prison pipeline.
Angry Black Women - The angry black women have been embedded into society as a construct to silence and invalidate the feelings of Black women. The narrative that Black women are hyper-aggressive, irrational and volatile. This narrative relies on shame to suppress Black women who advocate for themselves or challenge inequality. We are reclaiming the angry Black women stereotype, anger and passion can be justified and when channelled effectively can bring about change.
Strong Black Women – The strong black women narrative is based around the belief that Black Women must remain resolute in the face of adversity and should remain emotionless, independent and self-sacrificing. These narratives play into the belief that Black women are more masculine that their counterparts and takes away from the vulnerability and nuances of Black womanhood. Black women are changing “Strong Black Women” narrative and embracing the #SoftGirlLifestyle, which emphasises Black women’s entitlement for softness and comfort as opposed to suffering.
The Black Family Unit - The narratives surrounding the Black family have often been shaped by stereotypes centred on dysfunctionality and fragmentation (e.g. single parent homes, poverty and absentee fathers). If you watched Everybody Hates Chris, you would have witnessed the micro-aggressions and misconceptions associated with black families and the teacher’s surprise that he wasn’t a – Chris wasn’t a crack baby, b - his parents are still together, c - his dad had a job and the were not on welfare and d - he has no half siblings. The perception of what people expect Black families to be and the use of derogatory terms such as “baby momma” is enrooted in systemic racism and ignores the resilience, love, and strength within Black families and ignores the role of structural inequity. Thankfully, through social media movements such as #BlackFathersMatters as well as Dope Black Dads and Dope Black Mums, we are re-shaping the narratives regarding Black families.
Figure 1 https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-making-breakfast-in-the-kitchen-4259140/
Bubbly Black Girl - The "bubbly Black girl" stereotype portrays Black women as perpetually cheerful, upbeat, and eager to please, often at the expense of their own emotional authenticity. The "bubbly Black girl" stereotype plays in the narrative that, in order to have value, Black people must fulfil a function. The “bubbly black girl” functions as the antithesis to the angry black women stereotype. This stereotype has its roots in the historical expectation that Black people, particularly women to perform in manner that either disarms or entertains their white counterparts.
Thugs & Gang Members – Similar to the angry women archetype, Black men across the diaspora are frequently framed as aggressive or violent. Their frequent portrayal within the media as inherently dangerous and disruptive, reinforces a fear-based image that strips them of their individuality, humanity, and complexity. In the media, Black British men are disproportionately represented in stories about gangs, knife crime, and antisocial behaviour, which reinforces the association between Blackness and delinquency. The narrative of Black men as criminal thugs, overlooks the many Black men who are contributing positively to society.
Divisive Narratives within the Black Community
As a community, we must understand privilege and deprivilege that exists within the Black community and look to reclaim narratives regarding dark skin and colourism, featurism and the and respectability politics. The Black community is not monolith and the discourse regarding individuals’ spectrum for assimilation or the level to which an individual merge their heritage with western concepts, is unhelpful. While "Black excellence" is a powerful and positive narrative, it’s important to remember that those who embody it are human and imperfect. No individual can or should be expected to represent the entire Black community. By embracing the diversity of our experiences and acknowledging both our strengths and imperfections, we can move toward a more authentic and supportive community.
Figure 2 https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-smiling-8553867/
Disclaimer: This page was written the Student Voice Manager at the Student Union. She identifies as a Black Woman.
References
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369096693_Angry_Black_Woman_Debunking_the_Stereotype_Through_Black_Women's_Lived_Narratives
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45476500
https://www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-insights/adultification-bias-of-black-children-qa-with-jahnine-davis/
https://policingequity.org/resources/blog/the-adultification-of-black-children#:~:text=In%20this%20country%2C%20Black%20children,this%20disturbing%20phenomenon%20are%20rife
https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/discrimination-toolkit-adultification-bitesize-july-2024.pdf
The End of Innocence: The Adultification of Black Girls in the UK – BLAM UK CIC https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/the-bubbly-black-girl-sheds-her-chameleon-skin
Parks AK, Hayman LL. Unveiling the Strong Black Woman Schema-Evolution and Impact: A Systematic Review. Clin Nurs Res. 2024 Jun;33(5):395-404. doi: 10.1177/10547738241234425. Epub 2024 Mar 4. PMID: 38439544.
Abrams JA, Hill A, Maxwell M. Underneath the Mask of the Strong Black Woman Schema: Disentangling Influences of Strength and Self-Silencing on Depressive Symptoms among U.S. Black Women. Sex Roles. 2019 May;80(9-10):517-526. doi: 10.1007/s11199-018-0956-y. Epub 2018 Sep 10. PMID: 31086431; PMCID: PMC6510490.