ABC’s Scandal and Black Women’s Fandom

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen J. Warner
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Black Female ◽  
Prime Time ◽  
Culturally Specific ◽  
Fan Communities ◽  
Early Twenty

This chapter analyzes the ways Black women fans have reacted to not being visible in the dominant spaces of fandom. It offers the fandom of ABC's Scandal—a program with Black women in central positions both behind and in front of the camera—as a primary example of the ways Black women fan communities work toward reinscription. Premiering on ABC in April 2012, the prime-time dramatic series produced by Grey's Anatomy showrunner Shonda Rhimes and starring African American actress Kerry Washington became a literal embodiment of the type of labor Black women practice in fan spaces. In this case, Black female fans have transformed the central Black lead, canonically drawn as normative and racially neutral, into a culturally specific Black character. This is commonplace labor for non-White fans—particularly in the early-twenty-first-century's so-called postrace moment.

“All That You Can’t Leave Behind”

Meridians ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. 255-278
Author(s):  
Daphne A. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Popular Music ◽  
Hurricane Katrina ◽  
New Orleans ◽  
Black Female ◽  
First Century ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Original Title ◽  
Early Twenty

Abstract As numerous scholars have shown, Hurricane Katrina exacerbated the already-ongoing precarity of African American communities in New Orleans. The crisis demanded a reckoning with the afterlives of slavery at the national and global level. This article focuses on the work of Black women popular music artists whose early twenty-first century recordings and stirring performances addressed the traumas, the challenges, and the spectacular subjugation of Black women who fell victim to brutal disenfranchisement in the midst of the disaster. Beyonce’s B-Day album and Mary J. Blige’s history-making Katrina telethon performance are central to this discussion. The original title of this article was “‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’: Black Female Soul Singing and the Politics of Surrogation in the Age of Catastrophe.”

Conclusion

2019 ◽  
pp. 198-202
Author(s):  
Hannah Durkin
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
Women Artists ◽  
Film History ◽  
Black Atlantic ◽  
Black Female ◽  
American Film ◽  
Black Arts

The conclusion summarizes the book’s key arguments. It reflects on the significance of Baker and Dunham’s memoirs and films in revealing the limitations of their roles as midcentury Black women artists and also their authorship despite such restrictions and their important contributions to literature and cinema. Baker and Dunham’s memoirs show how they each used dance to engage self-reflexively with pseudo-ethnographic tropes and to contest dehumanizing attitudes to Black Atlantic cultures and identities. Such texts reveal the origins of their antiracist philosophies and call attention to their international contributions to the civil rights and Black Arts movements. Equally, their screen careers expand our understanding of African American film history by revealing key moments of early Black female stardom and authorship beyond the realm of Hollywood.

scholarly journals POS0173 METABOLOMIC PROFILING AND SYMPTOM BURDEN IN BLACK WOMEN WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 299-300
Author(s):  
L. P. Kimble ◽  
A. Khosroshahi ◽  
R. C. Eldridge ◽  
G. S. Brewster ◽  
N. S. Carlson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Black Female ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Metabolomics Data ◽  
Metabolomics Analysis

Background:Black individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who are predominantly women, have disproportionately poorer health outcomes across the trajectory of their disease including increased mortality, higher symptom burden, and poor quality of life than non-Hispanic Whites. The heterogeneity of immunopathology and biochemical complexity of SLE create major knowledge gaps around the mechanisms of disease and differences in SLE symptom expression. Metabolomics may reveal biochemical dysregulation that underlies SLE symptoms and provide novel metabolic targets for precision symptom interventions.Objectives:We conducted untargeted metabolomic plasma profiling of Black females with SLE and Black female non-SLE controls to gain insight into metabolic disturbances associated with SLE.Methods:We analyzed blood specimens collected from 23 Black female patients with diagnosis of SLE during a routine outpatient rheumatology visit and from 21 Black female non-SLE controls whose data were collected as part of another study of obese caregivers. Data collection for both cases and controls was completed with harmonized protocols. Clinical data for cases were obtained via chart review and both cases and controls completed identical, reliable and valid measures of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. A commercial metabolomics analysis company within the US conducted untargeted metabolomics on the 44 plasma samples using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry along with metabolite identification and quantification to examine differences between SLE/non-SLE groups.Results:All SLE subjects met 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria (Aringer et al., 2019). SLE subjects were significantly (p < .05) younger (42.5 ± 12.2 vs. 63.2 ± 6.4), had a lower BMI (30.3 ± 9.4 vs. 34.9 ± 4.1), and greater co-morbidities (2.3 ± 1.3 vs. 1.1 ± 1.3) than non-SLE controls. SLE subjects reported higher symptoms than controls across all measures, but differences were not statistically significant. Metabolomics analysis revealed 290 biochemicals that were statistically significant (p ≤ .05) between SLE and non-SLE groups. Random Forest analysis had a predictive accuracy of 91% in differing between the two groups using out-of-bag sampling. Significant metabolic differences between groups were noted in biochemicals associated with glycolysis, the TCA cycle (see Table 1), fatty acid metabolism, branched chain amino acids, sterol levels, heme catabolism, and potential markers of renal impairment. Overall, the differences would suggest reduced energy production among SLE patients compared to controls.Conclusion:Black women with SLE had biochemical profiles consistent with reduced energy production which has implications for the high burden of fatigue and other symptoms in this population. Future work with larger sample sizes should involve integrating symptom and metabolomics data to identify potential biomarkers of symptom burden.References:Aringer, M., Costenbader, K., Daikh, D. et al. (2019). 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis, 78,1151-1159.Acknowledgements:This work was supported by a research re-entry supplement to L. Kimble under the parent award 1P30NR018090-02S1 Center for the Study of Symptom Science, Metabolomics, and Multiple Chronic Conditions (Song, PI) funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, USA.Disclosure of Interests:Laura P. Kimble: None declared, Arezou Khosroshahi Consultant of: Have received honorarium for advisory board but has no relationship with this work., Grant/research support from: Have received a research grant from Pfizer; but has no relationship with this work., Ronald C. Eldridge: None declared, Glenna S. Brewster: None declared, Nicole S. Carlson: None declared, Elizabeth J. Corwin: None declared

scholarly journals Intimate Partner Violence and the Role of Child Maltreatment and Neighborhood Violence: A Retrospective Study of African American and US Caribbean Black Women

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2245
Author(s):  
Krim K. Lacey ◽  
Hira R. Shahid ◽  
Rohan D. Jeremiah
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Violence Exposure ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Moderating Effects

Background: Research suggests that intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with childhood maltreatment and violence exposure within the neighborhood context. This study examined the role of child maltreatment and violence exposure on intimate partner violence, with the moderating effects of mental disorders (IPV) among US Black women. Methods: Data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), the largest and most complete sample on the mental health of US Blacks, and the first representative sample of Caribbean Blacks residing in the United States was used to address the study objectives. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test of independence, t-test, and logistic regression procedures were used to analyze the data. Results: Bivariate results indicate an association between child abuse and intimate partner victimization among US Black women. Witnessing violence as a child as well as neighborhood violence exposure was also related to IPV but shown to differ between African American and Caribbean Black women. Multivariate findings confirmed the influence of mental disorders and social conditions on US Black women’s risk for IPV. Moderating effects of child maltreatment and mental disorders in association with adult IPV were not found. Conclusions: The study addressed the short and long-term impact of child maltreatment and the contribution to the cycle of intimate violence among US Black women including African American and Caribbean Blacks. The study suggests the need for prevention and intervention efforts to improve structural conditions for at-risk populations and communities predisposed to violence and other negative outcomes. Possibilities for future research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Feasibility of a Digital Intervention to Promote Healthy Weight Management among Postpartum African American/Black Women

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2178
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Napolitano ◽  
Cherise B. Harrington ◽  
Loral Patchen ◽  
Lindsey P. Ellis ◽  
Tony Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Weight Outcomes ◽  
Postpartum Weight ◽  
American Black

The study aim was to implement and evaluate the feasibility of a culturally informed (“BeFAB”) app for African American/Black women to address postpartum weight. Women (n = 136; mean age = 27.8 ± 5.4; mean BMI = 32.5 ± 4.3) were recruited from postpartum units, and randomly assigned to receive BeFAB (n = 65) or usual care (n = 71) for 12 weeks. App content included didactic lessons delivered via a virtual coach, app-based messages, goal setting and tracking, and edutainment videos. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention and engagement, and self-reported acceptability. Behavioral (i.e., diet, physical activity), psychosocial (i.e., stress, coping, support, self-efficacy) and weight outcomes were also examined. Recruitment goals were met, but attrition was high, with 56% retention at 12 weeks. Approximately half of participants accessed the app and set a goal ≥one time, but <10% reported achieving a nutrition or activity goal. Among study completers, ≥60% found the app content at least somewhat helpful. Within-group changes for BeFAB among completers were found for increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and decreased fruit/vegetable intake and weight. Findings indicate initial feasibility of recruiting postpartum women to participate in a digital healthy body weight program but limited use, reflecting low acceptability and challenges in engagement and retention. Future research is needed on strategies to engage and retain participants in postpartum interventions.

scholarly journals Sassy Sasha?: The intersectionality of (im)politeness and sociolinguistics

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Troutman
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Speech Community ◽  
Social Construct ◽  
Women's Voices ◽  
Black Females ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
General Linguistic

Abstract This article focuses on intersections of race, gender, class, and (im)politeness within the African American speech community (AASC). Although general linguistic theorizing aims at universalizing (im)politeness, ultimately identifying common components within human (im)politeness systems worldwide, African American perspectives have not been interjected within that broader theorizing. Thus, I examine (im)politeness from the perspective of African Americans with a focus on females’ linguistic and nonlinguistic behaviors. A plethora of work examines, challenges, and refutes stereotypical gender. I explore facets of the stereotypical, particularly as applied to Black females with the aim of broadening understandings of (im)politeness based on cultural variation. Specifically, I examine sassy as a social construct when applied to Black women in U.S. contexts, especially two Black women’s online assessments of sassy performativity by Sasha Obama, as a vehicle for allowing Black women’s voices and experiences to enter into theory-making. The analysis is interpretative and idiographic. The two African American women bloggers’ words and meanings suggest that (im)politeness within the AASC resides in sociolinguistics, not pragmatics. As a result of the analysis, I suggest that (im)politeness theorizing could pay attention to the social embodiedness of human polite and impolite behaviors. This, in part, constitutes the sociolinguistics of (im)politeness.

Counterlanguage powermoves in African American women’s language practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcyliena H. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Speech Community ◽  
Language Practice ◽  
The Status ◽  
Linguistic Power ◽  
The Many

This essay considers some of the insight we have gathered about language, feminism, racism and power. In many respects, it celebrates the linguistic power of the many theories about how Black women navigate intersectionality where racism and sexism intermingle, suggesting that our analyses should always recognise that a lethal combination of factors are in play. Black women, in particular, actively insist on forms of language and discourse that both represent and create their world through words, expressions and verbal routines that are created within and outside of the African American speech community to confront injustice. One example involves the verb ‘play,’ which I argue often functions as a power statement or ‘powermove’ that demands respect while presenting a threat to the status quo. This use of ‘play’ is the opposite of inconsequential games of play or joking.

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