Amid the (re)surgence of far-right ideologies in the United States of America, we introduce the concept of far-right misogynoir as a lens for understanding Black women's experiences of white and male supremacist influences and actions. Using a qualitative case study, we examined individual interview data with 17 Black women college students (18–24 years) from a selective, predominantly white, liberal arts college in the Northeast. Using Black feminist qualitative methods and critical thematic analysis, we highlight Black women's experiences of far-right misogynoir, as well as their social and psychological meaning-making of such experiences. The women discussed various manifestations of far-right misogynoir, including: (a) symbolic representations on campus, (b) interpersonal violence and intimidation, (c) Trumpism on social media, and (d) intellectual disrespect in classrooms. Regarding their social and psychological meaning-making of far-right misogynoir, the women described: (e) safety concerns, (f) social exclusion, and (g) harm to emotional well-being. Our findings reveal the unique adverse influences of far-right misogynoir on Black college women's psychological health. We discuss implications for scholarly discourse, for addressing far-right misogynoir, and for policy and practice to support Black women college students’ well-being.
Many Black women consider learning and educational access an essential part of their personal growth, professional aspirations, and in some cases, their freedom. Examining freedom by centering on Black college women's perspectives may encourage scholars to reimagine what is possible, useful, and necessary in how we approach the purpose and desired outcomes for students in higher education. In the present study, we used Black feminism in qualitative inquiry (Evans-Winters, 2019) and analyzed semistructured interview data from 26 Black women (18-22 years) enrolled at predominantly White institutions in the United States. We identified two broad themes during the coding process: (a) fostering freedom in community with others and (b) finding freedom within themselves. Our findings highlight how Black college women prioritize freeing self-definitions amidst identity-based expectations and pressures at their institution and in broader society. The authors discuss how institutions of higher education can support Black women's freedom, as well as the implications of the women's narratives for frameworks of identity development.
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