Dr. LaDonna Butler, a survivor of domestic and sexual violence as a teen, knows the challenge of enduring trauma, compounded by facing stereotypes and other systemic barriers. Butler has since become a licensed mental health counselor and founder of The Well for Life in the Deuces neighborhood of St. Petersburg.
One challenge to recovery from trauma is the strong Black woman stereotype, which “goes back to this feeling [that] Black women have high pain tolerance,” which is rooted in racism but could also be internalized by “Black folks who believe the same lie,” she explained.
Butler explained that often when society says, “You are strong,” or “How quickly you got over that,” they are essentially ignoring your pain or they expect you to move on as if nothing happened.
The angry Black woman stereotype could be another recovery challenge.
“The feeling of being tired or fatigued, or hesitation, those aren’t seen as trauma experienced, but as an angry Black woman,” Butler noted. “Others are given the benefit of grace and compassion. For some Black women, they aren’t given the same compassion and empathy, and there is an expectation of strength of grace, even in the midst of absolute disruption.”
The jezebel stereotype, which overly sexualizes Black women, could also “diminish the impact” of a sexually traumatic event, “as if she asked for it,” Butler said.
Tanya Valentine Allen, with a Master’s of Social Work degree, is a case manager at Largo Medical. She said the strong Black women and angry Black women stereotypes, in particular, were like “a double-edged sword” because what’s seen as strength in standing up for yourself could also be seen as “you’re that angry woman.”
Furthermore, Allen said some might feel “asking for help is a sign of weakness, and I’m not weak,” which prevents them from seeking help for mental health problems.
“I think another thing that interferes is our ability to access mental health services with people who are like us, where they’re not judgmental,” Allen added. “We’re misunderstood often, and I think that interferes with us seeking help that’s very much needed.”
Read more at WUSFNews.edu.
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