Walking The Tightrope

Black women in the workplace often face a unique set of challenges stemming from both racial and gender biases. While workplace toxicity can affect anyone, the compounded effects of misogynoir - anti-Black misogyny - create particularly harmful environments for Black women.

One major issue is being held to higher standards and scrutinized more intensely than peers. Black women can be perceived as less competent or warm, leading to harsher judgments and higher bars for proving themselves. They may have less margin for error, with small mistakes amplified.

Stereotypes around Black women as aggressive, angry or difficult can create a double-bind - if direct, they're seen as rude, but being passive is judged as weak. This "tightrope" Black women must walk to modulate their behavior is emotionally taxing, as many Black women will take whatever steps they must to avoid being labelled as “the angry black women”.

Black women also frequently experience disrespect, dismissiveness and having their contributions devalued, ignored or even co-opted by others without credit. Their thoughts and opinions may be questioned excessively or talked over in meetings.

There are often fewer mentors or sponsors for career development, limited networking opportunities, and lack of other Black women in leadership roles as representation matters. Feelings of isolation and being an "only" can compound stress. Black women are also less likely to have allies from other women of color or white women in the work place, even from those who consider themselves “woke” and are aware of the negative experiences suffered by their colleague.

There is also the real fear and possibility of being terminated, if Black women express their feelings about microaggressions, slights and insults. Termination means a loss of income and for some Black women significant amounts of income, which may be hard to find elsewhere. Many Black women may also be the sole income earner in their families and may be supporting others outside of their immediate family. As a result, Black women will stay in these workplaces and repress their anger, hurt, disappointment, frustration and more.

Tragically, experiencing racism, microaggressions and bias takes a toll mentally and physically. Black women report higher rates of health issues like anxiety, depression and heart disease connected to workplace discrimination and are also less likely to receive timely and competent medical treatment for these conditions.

If you are a Black woman having mental or physical health issues that you believe may be related to your workplace experience please reach out to your primary care provider or to www.langniappetherapy.com