A Qualitative Exploration

“I CAN FEEL IT MORE THAN I CAN SAY IT”: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF BLACK WOMANHOOD A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Myriam Tamouhan Kadeba December, 2017 “I CAN FEEL IT MORE THAN I CAN SAY IT”: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF BLACK WOMANHOOD Myriam Tamouhan Kadeba Dissertation <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Approved: </li><li style="flex:1">Accepted: </li></ul>______________________________ Advisor ______________________________ Department Chair <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Suzette L. Speight, Ph.D. </li><li style="flex:1">Paul Levy, Ph.D. </li></ul>______________________________ Committee Member ______________________________ Dean of the College <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Amber Hewitt, Ph.D. </li><li style="flex:1">John Green, Ph.D. </li></ul>______________________________ Committee Member Dawn Johnson, Ph.D. ______________________________ Dean of the Graduate School Chand Midha, Ph.D. ______________________________ Committee Member ______________________________ Date Delila Owens, Ph.D. ______________________________ Committee Member Nicole Rousseau, Ph.D. ______________________________ Committee Member John Queener, Ph.D. ii ABSTRACT Black Womanhood has been historically defined as antithetical to the normative feminine ideals in the United States. This hegemonic femininity prescribes standards that are considered ideals in describing the archetypical feminine woman. Black women have been stereotyped as unfeminine and unattractive, and this negative and pervasive social rhetoric continue to have a long lasting adverse impact on this population. Black feminist scholars have long articulated the importance of defining Black womanhood not in relation to hegemonic femininity, but by incorporating the actual experiences of Black women. Using an interpretative phenomenological methodology and based on interviews with Black women in the United States, the current study investigated Black women’s notion of womanhood. This study uncovered ways participants self-defined, resisted negative and oppressive societal messages, and celebrated their own Black Womanhood. Participants to the study were selected using a snowball sampling method. This qualitative study sought out to advance the field of counseling psychology’s discourse on the experiences of Black women by focusing on an emic definition of Black Womanhood. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Completing this project required the unwavering support of my ever-expanding village, which is worth acknowledging. My California people (Mohamed, Christel, April, Jennifer), thank you for the laughs and for believing in me. To my Arkansas village (Amanda, Franklin, Belinda Angeline), you never doubted that I could get here, and I thank you for inspiring me. Wunam, this journey could not have taken place without you, and I thank you for knowing that I could complete this endeavor. In Virginia, I met colleagues whose help and support allowed me to see this project through completion; Dan, Danielle, Jo Ellyn, Howard, Christine, Lisa, Camille, Megan, Miki, and Kristi, I sincerely thank you. I am also thankful to the families that took me under their wings and provided support throughout the years: the Johnson, Pappa, Lebbie, and Gandee families, thank you for your unparalleled care and encouragement. Ohio became a home away from home for me, thanks to CPP, CCS, and all the amazing people I met. I would like to take the opportunity to thank supervisors and mentors who expanded my knowledge, skills, and abilities as a counseling psychologist. Although they may not have been directly involved in the completion of this research study, these individuals’ support proved invaluable throughout the years. Dr. Shawn Townes, thank you for being the first Black woman with a doctoral degree that I ever met, and for undoubtedly believing in my ability to reach such a milestone. Dr. Jeeseon iv Park-Saltzman, Dr. Dennis Alexander, Dr. Angela White, Dr. Luis Cruz-Ortega, Dr. Kayi Hui-Spears, Dr. Greg Robinson, Dr. John Harshbarger, Dr. Linda Subich, Dr. Sydney Brodeur McDonald, and Dr. Jihad Aziz, thank you for fostering a sense of curiosity and for teaching me invaluable lessons as an emerging psychologist. Additionally, it would be important for me to thank colleagues who provided necessary feedback and support during the development and execution of this research project. Kadian, Ciemone, Ariel, Sarah, Brittany, Molly, Amanda, Laura, Naomi, Ashlee, Cierra, thank you for the support, and for providing a reflective space when needed. Mike C., I thank you for the numerous consultations regarding methodology concerns, for your direct feedback associated with conducting an ethically sound research, but most importantly, for reminding me to remain critically engaged in my work. April, I thank you for your insightful and candid responses to my queries, as well as your continuous cheers of support. Vance, I thank you for pushing me and for helping me be accountable. Lau, you have reflected the passion I felt throughout the years regarding this research project, encouraged me to keep going when I felt stuck, reminded me of the greater purpose of this endeavor, and allowed me to feel grounded when challenged. For this and much more, thank you. From brainstorming meetings, to consultations, debriefing post interviews, and through reviews of countless drafts, Nicki, your unmatched support has continued to stand out. I think of the many ways I drew from your unconditional support to move forward, and truly believe a heartfelt “thank you” is warranted. Your insight and attention to details facilitated progress during this journey, and I am forever grateful. Thank you for introducing me to Malaïka, Gabby, and Cleo and for their help during the transcription process. Their hard work is most definitely worth acknowledging. v I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my dissertation committee: Dr. Amber Hewitt, Dr. Dawn Johnson, Dr. Delila Owens, Dr. Nicole Rousseau, and Dr. John Queener. This research project would not have been the same without your expertise, flexibility, and in-depth feedback. I thank you for enriching my experience and assisting my development as a researcher. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to my dissertation chair, Dr. Suzette Speight. Your wisdom, expertise, and unfaltering belief in my ability to succeed since my first year of graduate school have guided me and helped me recognize my own strength. I have learned from you how to own my voice and to use it in a manner that embodies the values espoused by the field of counseling psychology. For this, as well as the many lessons you imparted that I will carry with me through my entire career, I thank you. Enfin, je me sens redevable envers ma famille pour leurs sacrifices et leur soutien. Marybe, merci de continuer à me recevoir à bras ouverts. Pierre et Franck, merci pour le soutien. Yann, je te remercie parce que tu ne m’as pas laissé baisser les bras et tu continues à m’encourager quand j'en ai besoin. Daniel (Stu), merci pour le rappel que je suis la maîtresse de mon propre destin, agissant finalement comme une ancre pendant les périodes difficiles. À mon père, Omer, ton travail acharné n'est jamais passé inaperçu, et je suis éternellement reconnaissante. À ma mère, Fatoumata, qui continue à me montrer les valeurs de l'éducation, de la discipline, de la fierté, de la détermination et de la persévérance, pour tes sacrifices au fil des ans, et pour avoir dit que je pourrais le faire, je te remercie. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1 Femininity ..........................................................................................................................2 Black Womanhood .............................................................................................................6 Current Study .....................................................................................................................7 Rationale and Significance .................................................................................................8 II. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .....................................................................................10 Social Identity Theory ......................................................................................................10 Historical Womanist Theory ............................................................................................12 Hegemonic Femininity and Black Womanhood ..............................................................15 Social Rhetoric .................................................................................................................19 Internalized Oppression ....................................................................................................23 Black Womanhood ...........................................................................................................27 Summary ...........................................................................................................................33 III. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................36 Phenomenological Approach ...........................................................................................36 Researcher Subjectivity ....................................................................................................38 vii Recruitment Procedure .....................................................................................................40 Research Participants .......................................................................................................40 Data Collection .................................................................................................................41 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................42 Trustworthiness, Dependdability, and Reflexivity ...........................................................44 Ethical Considerations .....................................................................................................47 IV. RESULTS ...............................................................................................................................48 What does the term “Black Womanhood” mean? ............................................................48 Strength ...............................................................................................................49 Multifaceted Black Womanhood ........................................................................50 Community Connections .....................................................................................51 Pride and Respect .................................................................................................52 How did participants describe their own Black Womanhood? ........................................52 Self-distinction from Social Rhetoric ..................................................................53 Strength ...............................................................................................................55 Pride and Respect ................................................................................................58 Community Connections .....................................................................................59 Multifaceted Black Womanhood .........................................................................62 Uniqueness of Black Womanhood ...................................................................................69 Oppression ...........................................................................................................69 Strength and Resilience .......................................................................................70 viii Various types of Black Womanhood ...................................................................71 Energy ..................................................................................................................73 V. DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................................................75 Summary and Interpretation of Results .............................................................................75 Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................89 Future Directions for Research ..........................................................................................91 Implications for Interventions............................................................................................93 Personal Reflections...........................................................................................................96 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................99 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................100 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................130 APPENDIX A. STUDY FLYER...........................................................................................131 APPENDIX B. RECEIPT......................................................................................................132 APPENDIX C. DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE........................................................133 APPENDIX D. INTERVIEW PROTOCOL..........................................................................135 APPENDIX E. IRB APPROVAL..........................................................................................137 APPENDIX F. INFORMED CONSENT ..............................................................................138 ix LIST OF TABLES <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">TABLE </li><li style="flex:1">Page </li></ul>1. Study Participants' Demographic Information.................................................................... 114 x LIST OF FIGURES <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">FIGURE </li><li style="flex:1">PAGE </li></ul>1. “Strength” identified as theme from participants answering RQ1: How did participants define Black Womanhood?..................................................................................................... 120 2. “Various types of Black Womanhood” identified as theme from participants answering RQ1: How did participants define Black Womanhood? ........................................................ 121 3. “Community Connections” identified as theme from participants answering RQ1: How did participants define Black Womanhood?................................................................................. 122 4. “Pride and respect” identified as theme from participants answering RQ1: How did participants define Black Womanhood?................................................................................. 123 5. “Self-distinction from stereotypes” identified as theme from participants answering RQ2: How did participants define their own Black Womanhood?.................................................. 124 6. “Strength” identified as theme from participants answering RQ2: How did participants define their own Black Womanhood? .................................................................................... 125 7. “Pride and Respect” identified as theme from participants answering RQ2: How did participants define their own Black Womanhood?................................................................. 126 8. “Community connections” identified as theme from participants answering RQ2: How did participants define their own Black Womanhood?................................................................. 127 9. “Multifaceted Black Womanhood” identified as theme from participants answering RQ2: How did participants define their own Black Womanhood?.................................................. 128 10. Uniqueness of Black Womanhood ................................................................................... 129 xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION There has been a surge of research related to social justice in the field of counseling psychology since well over the past decade (Vera & Speight, 2003). Bell (1997) defined social justice as a vision of society where the distribution of resources is equitable and members of said society are physically and psychologically healthy. Unfortunately, years of oppression have marginalized racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States, particularly Black women. Crenshaw (1991) coined the term “intersectionality” to describe the ways race and gender interact to shape the lives of Black women. Intersectionality posits that discrimination Black women experience cannot be fully understood by considering the ways racism and sexism separately impact said experiences. Such an additive model to understanding the impact of systemic oppression is an antiquated, Eurocentric, and patriarchal lens through which Black women’s experiences are inaccurately represented (Crenshaw, 1991; Rousseau, 2013). In addition, this group of women has long been characterized as unfeminine, unkempt, and undesirable, in strong contrast to the U.S. notion of femininity, which is synonymous with White femininity (Collins, 2005). As such, varied social rhetoric negatively depicting Black women have been constructed and used to misrepresent and oppress Black women (Rousseau, 2009). Internalization of such images of Black Womanhood has been linked to psychological and physical negative outcomes for Black women, 1including eating disorders, hypertension, depression, low self-esteem, diabetes, and high blood pressure (Beauboeuf-Lafontant, 2009; Black, Murry, Cutrona, & Chen, 2009; Munhall, 1994; Neil & Wilson, 1989; Thompson, 1994). Furthermore, feminist scholars, including Patricia Hill Collins and bell hooks have argued for a definition of Black Womanhood that centers Black women’s voices and moves away from defining Black Womanhood as the antithesis of hegemonic femininity. Therefore, using an intersectional lens, this project sought to elucidate how Black women in the study defined Black Womanhood as a whole and defined their own Black Womanhood. Since Black women have long been marginalized, the current research sought to use an emic approach to defining Black Womanhood, thus holding implications to create mental health interventions that are culturally sensitive and appropriate to Black women. Femininity Femininity is understood as an ideology and subsequent cultural practices performed by women in a given society. Because of this ideology’s undeniable presence in our society, all women engage with feminine ideals, whether it is by enacting what is considered “feminine” or resisting femininity’s influence on their construct of gender. According to Collins (2005), some women possess a higher status in society due to acting according to a set of normative feminine behaviors. Collins (2005) described the dominant notion of femininity in the U.S., also known as hegemonic femininity. Under “hegemony”, members of a certain social group enact the views most prevalent in society (Connell, 2002). Since femininity is understood as a socially constructed standard for women’s appearance, demeanor, and values (Bordo, 1993), hegemonic femininity refers to the set of feminine behaviors and norms enacted by women that support the dominant 2role of men in society. According to Collins (2005), hegemonic femininity consists of beauty, demeanor, marriage and family arrangements, sexuality, and race, specifically White race (Collins, 2005). Typically, White upper-middle class women who can achieve the ideals of dominant femininity are perceived as more valuable within society, leading “other” women, racial and ethnic minority women to be viewed as unfeminine, of lesser value, and less desirable (Banks, 2012; Cole & Zucker, 2007). Hegemonic femininity has several benchmarks, according to Collins (2005). The first one prescribes women should not resemble or act like men. Women’s appearance is, therefore, judged and their demeanor in society is used to evaluate their femininity. From a physiological perspective, an ideal woman in U.S. society possesses attributes such as breasts, round buttocks, hips, curves, is slim, and is devoid of facial hair and bulky muscles, which would make her resemble a man (Chavetz, 1978). Historically, the prototype of feminine beauty in the U.S. has been a young woman with milky White skin, slim and curvy figure, as well as long blond hair. This image of femininity automatically discounts Black women as beautiful and feminine (Gurin & Gaylord, 1976). Not only are Black women unable to meet the skin color ideal of femininity, their natural hair texture also works against their achievement of feminine ideals. A “good hair” versus “bad hair” debate greatly influences racial politics in describing Black Womanhood, in the sense that long, straight hair (“good hair”) is deemed more desirable than short, kinky hair (“bad hair”). Bearing in mind those ideals, most Black women have difficulties being considered beautiful in our society owing to different hair texture, body types, and facial features. Most importantly, Black women’s skin color automatically places them in an inferior position in the U.S.’ patriarchal 3society compared to White women as they can never be White, therefore failing to achieve one of the main requirements of hegemonic femininity, beauty, and thus desirability (Collins, 2005). Although problematic, the patriarchal societal structure in place in the U.S. remains the established norm, a norm within which Black women are automatically excluded (Rousseau, 2013). In addition to physical attributes, Collins (2005) argues that women have to maintain an appropriate feminine demeanor in order to differentiate themselves from men. Women are to avoid male characteristics such as assertiveness strength, and leadership. Instead, women are to present as docile and agreeable, deferring to their male counterparts. Female submissiveness is a key characteristic of hegemonic femininity. Women who demonstrate appropriate feminine demeanor through submissiveness are more positively perceived and treated as more valuable in society compared to women who behave in clear contradiction of this ideal by acting masculine. In terms of feminine demeanor, Black women contend with negative images of Black femininity, depicting them as unattractive, emasculating, and far from being submissive (Collins, 2005). These racialized and gendered images of Black womanhood provide a social rhetoric through which Black Womanhood is demonized (Rousseau, 2013). Heterosexuality and heteronormativity constitute other important tenets of hegemonic femininity. According to hegemonic femininity, women should be married to heterosexual men who would then have access to their bodies for sexual pleasure. This narrow view of sexuality presents heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation, thus understanding women’s sexuality through a heteronormative lens. A woman’s sexuality is seen as secondary and as belonging to her male partner, feeding

A Qualitative Exploration

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