Takeaways

Poster Text Research Questions ● How do Black women using #ProtectBlackWomen on Instagram navigate the intersectionality of their gender and racial identities while discussing domestic and sexual violence occurring within Black communities? ● Are Black women challenging the culture of dissemblance within #ProtectBlackWomen discourse on Instagram? If so, how do we see dissemblance challenged and/or addressed in their posts? Abstract This study explores Black women’s online discussions of intraracial, gender–based violence through a study of the hashtag #ProtectBlackWomen on Instagram. Using the theoretical framework of historian Darlene Clark Hine’s culture of dissemblance, I aimed to understand how Black women online navigate conversations about victimhood while facing intra–community needs for protection from white supremacy. The culture of dissemblance describes how Black women maintain silence around their experiences of sexual and domestic violence, sexuality, sexual desire, and their inner lives as a form of self protection. Methodology ● Semi–structured, in depth interviews with 5 Black women and femmes familiar with #ProtectBlackWomen ● Critical discourse analysis of 44 Instagram posts relevant to #ProtectBlackWomen from 2020-2021 Thematic findings: Instagram 1. Demanding accountability from Black men/Black communities 2. Drawing parallels between state and interpersonal violence 3. Empowerment and mutual support among Black women Thematic findings: Interviews 1. #ProtectBlackWomen as a call to everyone 2. Centering Black women’s voices through the hashtag 3. Empowerment and mutual support among Black women Conclusion Through #ProtectBlackWomen, Black women have sought to break the patterns of silence that limited their ability to discuss intracommunity violence to broad audiences. Instead of allowing secrecy to define Black women’s experiences of gender-based violence as a form of self–protection, #ProtectBlackWomen posts use disclosure and education to resist harmful images and demand change.

Protect Black Women

research

Protect Black Women

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Margot Susca on Newspaper Ownership, the Private Investment Era and the Future of Local Journalism

From Criminal to Saint

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From Criminal to Saint

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Goodbye, TikTok (?): Data Nihilism and Takeover Conspiracies

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Art in the Margins: Navigating Precarity, Risk and Resistance in Philadelphia’s Art Scene

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Art in the Margins: Navigating Precarity, Risk and Resistance in Philadelphia’s Art Scene

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Transnational Feminists Model Media Resistance

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Moya Bailey on Kamala Harris, Misogynoir and the Future of the Left

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Moya Bailey on Kamala Harris, Misogynoir and the Future of the Left

The image shows a signpost with three green directional arrows pointing to the right. The arrows are labeled "RURAL," "JOURNALISM," and "AT RISK." The background features a cloudy sky and tall grass at the bottom. In the top right corner, there is a red box with white text that reads "CENTER FOR MEDIA @ RISK."

Rural Journalism at Risk

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Rural Journalism at Risk

This is a promotional poster for an annual symposium titled "When Media Put Social Justice at Risk," scheduled for November 30 to December 1, 2023. The poster features a scale of justice made up of numerous small human figures, symbolizing the theme of social justice. The event is organized by the Annenberg Center for Collaborative Communication and the Center for Media at Risk.

When Media Put Social Justice at Risk

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When Media Put Social Justice at Risk