Qualitative Psychology, Vol 9(3), Oct 2022, 232-250; doi:10.1037/qup0000221
Discourse on the experiences of Black adolescents in Ontario schools is largely centered on achievement statistics and disciplinary experiences. Much attention has been given to the negative experiences of Black boys, particularly their increased likelihood of being pushed out of school, and as being outperformed by their female counterparts and students of other racial backgrounds. However, failing to engage the perspectives of Black-Canadian female students results in an incomplete understanding of Black students’ experiences, and the actions that are needed to support their social and academic well-being. This article presents an analysis of the narratives of three Black-Canadian girls from an ethnographic study in a Toronto high school focused on Black identities and inclusive education. Feminist poststructuralism and Black feminist theoretical frameworks were used to explore the discursive field that shaped these young women’s narratives, specifically in relation to incidents of gender-based violence. Findings demonstrate that their understandings of these incidents were constructed through traditionally sexist and racist discourses. These students also employed various discursive strategies to avoid being positioned as victims, while also invoking “rape myths” and postfeminist discourse, in assessing their own, and other young women’s experiences. The research emphasizes the need for educators and policy makers to address harmful school cultures, and the intersecting ways in which race and gender leave Black girls vulnerable in North American schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)