The wear and tear of racism: Self-silencing from the perspective of young Black women

CONTEXT: Historically, Black women strategically employed silence to endure enslavement to the U.S., and other forms of racial violence. The current study aimed to understand contemporary perspectives on self-silencing. OBJECTIVE: To explore young adult Black women’s experiences of self-silencing and its potential impact on their physical and mental well-being. METHODS: Data are from 16 semi-structured interviews with Black women ages 18 to 39 in southwest Pennsylvania conducted between October 2021 - May 2022. We analyzed the interviews using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: We identified four themes: “Self-silencing is Inherited,” “Silencing Here and Now,” “Wear and Tear,” and “The Flip Side.” The first theme represents the overwhelming consensus that limiting self-expression has a generational component rooted in racism. Most participants identified self-silencing in school and employment settings. Participants described the wear and tear of self-silencing as negatively impacting health behaviors (e.g., diet) and mental health both when deciding whether to self-silence and later ruminations on the decision. “The Flip Side” represents counter perspectives that not self-silencing liberates and improves health. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight that many Black women may use or resist self-silencing as a vigilance-based coping strategy to preserve their mental and physical well-being. We present measurement considerations for research on health impacts of racism and other forms of oppression.