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WOMANISM
Why Black Women With Multiple Degrees Are Seen as The Bad Guy
We deserve flowers instead of public ridicule and scorn
When a Black woman proudly announced that she received her 4th degree and became the “first woman or person of color to graduate from” her program” and has a “job offer from the state of Indiana waiting” on social media, she was expressing her joy, at breaking a glass ceiling. Her post responded to someone who asked folks to brag about something they accomplished this year. In the photo, you can see her holding all four degrees, wearing her cap and gown, and a warm smile. Sadly, some of the responses were anything but congratulatory. And as a Black woman with three degrees in Psychology, pursuing her fourth, a Ph.D., I felt it was appropriate, if not necessary, to raise my voice and ask a question on behalf of the black scholarly community — since when are academic accomplishments a bad thing?
If you’re a Black woman with a degree, you’ve likely heard many people condemn you for your academic rigor. For instance, when dating someone years ago and answering a question about my experience in college, I was told firmly, “College is not for everybody.” On the surface level, this is a normal, benign statement. After all, there are many trades that people can acquire. One of my grandfathers…
