Black Women's aging on social media is portrayed differently
One of the starkest differences in how the U.S. media portrays women's bodies are found in representations of aging bodies. Interestingly, BLack women's aging is framed very differently, and often more positively than other groups. Specifically, "Black Don't Crack" is a widely known colloquialism celebrating the fact that Black appear to age much more slowly due to melanin and bone structural differences . This is particularly evident in the various viral memes and video clips highlighting this reality across social media platforms.
This episode features Dr. Geniece Crawford Mondé's study examining the kind of content that exists on Black women and aging on social media, and what that content reveals about the potential for managing impressions online. Dr. Mondé is the Herman N. Hipp Associate professor of sociology at Furman University. Her research and writing centers the lived experiences of women who have been marginalized by social institutions. With a focus on Black women, Dr. Mondés research engages with Black feminist theories to examine how Black women resist social exclusion.
To learn more about Dr. Mondé, click here.
Works by Dr. Mondé:
Season 1, Episode 13
Running Time: 20 minutes
