17 Conclusion

(This picture was taken during the protests of the summer of 2020 and the assassination of Breonna Taylor.)

In this paper I explored how colorism, code switching, and the overall treatment of Black women affects their identities. In addition, I explained the importance of Black Feminism and how it can help combat identity loss. Society not only plays a role in the lives of black women, but also attacks their individual identities. What does this say about society? Nothing, society is a construct of the majority and their ideas, concepts and thoughts. When the majority does not include everyone, such as marginalized groups, then anything society puts out there is an attack to the groups of people that are not considered within the majority. At this point, it is the responsibility of the individual to separate society from influencing individual identities and using concepts such as Black feminism to understand and solidify their identity.

For black women, who you are and what you identify as is so important in today’s world, that for their own sanity and identity, they can only pick and choose how society influences their identity and life. Identity is “lived experiences” and society can influence how our lives will play out but these “lived experiences” are our own, it is what shapes our identities. The relationship between society and Black women is difficult and absurd but it can be better when the world starts to acknowledge the lives of women. Black women need to be seen, heard and appreciated because their life matters!