Navigating Intersectionality & The Double Bind of Race & Gender: An Exploration of Black Women Higher Education Senior Leaders

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership (EdD)

Committee Chair

Alyncia Bowen

Committee Member

Evan Chaloupka

Committee Member

Bora Pajo

Abstract

Black women’s multiple minoritized identities and the double bind of sexism and racism complicate their lives and leadership. This study examined the intersectional leadership experiences of 10 Black women correlated to race, gender, racism, and sexism in the context of higher education senior leadership. It also sought to investigate the ways Black women are often regarded and treated at multiple intersections of identity as leaders. Mental health impacts and trauma at the intersection of Black women’s race, gender, and leadership were also explored. A qualitative methodology and thematic analysis were employed to yield the study’s findings. Intersectionality, Black feminist theory, critical race theory, and trauma theory, were applied to illumine Black women’s intersectional leadership experiences and challenges. The findings of this study revealed that multiple interlocking oppressions like gendered racism, bias, and microaggressions adversely impede and impact the leadership of Black women senior leaders in institutions of higher learning (Collins, 1989). In addition, the findings demonstrated that Black women are highly conscious of their intersectionality as they navigate the convolutions of systemic discrimination and ‘everyday racism’ (Bell, 1991) in higher education leadership spaces. Themes of exhaustion and burnout emphasized the extent to which racialized gendered challenges often hinder and inhibit Black women’s leadership. Additionally, these findings indicate the need for improved workplace cultures and climates as well as increased institutional responsibility for making these improvements. Implications reveal the need for better ways to make Black women leaders in higher education feel well-received and safe to lead in spaces free of oppression. Recommendations suggest the need for clearly defined institutional leadership pathways free from oppression and discrimination that recognize the value of Black women’s intersectional experiences for developing inclusive leadership spaces in higher education.

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