Lingchi: Living and Learning While Black

Authors

  • Whitney L. Sober University of Arkansas

Keywords:

white fragility, white supremacy, intersectionality, social work

Abstract

The physical, mental, and emotional burden of societal pressures and expectations placed on me as a young Black child are unacceptable. It can be a struggle to develop a positive self-image without considering the extra strength it requires to overcome additional adversity such as racial oppression. The stereotypes I was exposed to as a young Black child made it difficult to imagine a world in which I could be myself. The stereotypes that reinforced the idea that Black children must conduct themselves as mature adults at a very young age to be respected are particularly harmful as they perpetuate White supremacy and elitism. The demands made by mainstream White society for Black children to comprehend and defend their personhood at such a young age is an unwarranted psychological burden that contributes to childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder that will impact adult life.

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Published

2022-09-27

How to Cite

Sober, W. L. (2022). Lingchi: Living and Learning While Black. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 28(2), 11–17. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/1909

Issue

Section

Black Racial Injustice: Personal Reflections to Change Strategies