Fall 2021
W27
Issue 01
Do Women Code? By Jaya Lockhart (Fashion Business Management ‘25)
D
o women actively choose to lessen themselves — become less bold, free, wild and courageous? The answer to this question is way too easy of a yes, that we beautiful, magical and unique female creatures have at first reluctantly replied with our actions and over time have become programmed to just self consciously respond in the way of being “less vibrant”, “less sensitive”, “less powerful” in order to be more digestible. I too, not just as a woman, but a Black woman, have experienced this one time too many.
“research suggests that code-switching often occurs in spaces where negative stereotypes of Black people run counter to what are considered “appropriate” behaviors and norms for a specific environment.” Many examples of this could be expressed in conversations in the workplace vs. conversations at family functions. For instance, the terminology used can frequently be shown as a huge difference in culture and cultural interactions with one another vs. those of opposite. At a Black family function, women may greet one another like “HEYYY GIRLLLL...OKAY I SEE YOU MISS MAMAS..GO AWFF SIS, YOU I’ve experienced many moments where I have changed who I was. LOOK GOODTTTT!” While at or around white culture the greeting of My physical: I tried to “reshape” my figure, literally, by working a Black woman to a white woman may sound similar to “Hey!! Wow, out — trying to make myself look a certain way that was appealing you look really nice! Keep showing out!” I’m sure while reading that to the world, societies standards. your mental voice read those two scenarios in two completely different My mental: by consistently “self-checking” my opinions and feelings tones, didn’t it? That is indeed a natural reaction. Just the way you read those scenarios in two different for the sake of not causing “chaos” tones, read it again but this time and or discomfort for everyone else “Code-switching is the imagine actively living in that but myself. involvement of adjusting one’s scenario and I’m sure you will My emotional: by frequently notice the actual difference in body believing the false thinking that style of speech, appearance, language as well. For the scenario what I was asking for and feeling with a Black woman to another behavior, and expressions in was wrong. Black woman, you can picture and ways that will optimize the feel the vibrant, magical and highly I would try to shrink myself to fit into this imaginary box that others believed I was comfort of others in exchange for infectious energy that is shared one sister to another. For the supposed to be in to align with them rather fair treatment, quality service from scenario with a Black woman and a than me, myself and my purpose. I would and employment opportunities.” white woman, you can also feel from mute myself slowly but surely dim my light the Black women’s perspective, the lower and lower because of fear of being too vibrant, as a Black woman, fear of being “too much”, “too loud.” reservation and more “constricted” body language. It can be argued Although, with age, comes sweet wisdom, growth. Like many other that the change in body language is just based on comfortability, but magnetic and exceptional women, everyday I step out more and more as a Black woman, I can say first hand it has more to do with the level of the shell labeled “Her Box” and step into a space labeled, defined of freedom a Black woman has to be authentically her with those and decorated by me; dancing to the beat of my own song remixed and who are just like her vs. those who come from a completely different cultural background. Black women code-switch to feel welcomed in remastered by me, as much as I like. unwelcomed, “dominant” spaces. It’s intriguing how I’m not the only young woman who has experienced this. Many age groups have experienced times where they have shrunk Code-switching doesn’t stop at how we greet each other, but in work/ and muted themselves. Many generations have taught us just how much the quality of our work, education, politics, etc. The Harvard Business society has played a role in shielding women from being women. No Review points out: “1. For Black people and other racial minorities, downplaying one other than a woman has experienced what it’s like to shed their colors based on the visual capabilities, personal perspectives, of those membership in a stigmatized racial group helps increase perceptions of around her. There has been so much free active muting of our voices professionalism and the likelihood of being hired. that it makes me wonder, do we now subconsciously choose to mute & 2. Avoiding negative stereotypes associated with Black racial identity (i.e. laziness, incompetence) helps Black employees be seen as leaders.” un-mute to fit the scenery we are in? While code-switching may be viewed as a way to be more “suitable” for others, it has its negative effects on the giving end. The result of downplaying one’s belonging to a racial group can generate hostility from “in-group” members, increasing the stereotype of being accused of “acting and or sounding white”.
As properly defined, code-switching is the involvement of adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior and expressions in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service and employment opportunities. In Black terms, codeswitching is used to describe how some Black women communicate with their sistas, performing pliable vernacular, depending on the environment they are in. The art of code-switching is empowered by the ability to read the room. As stated in Harvard Business Review,
Code-switching is not a skill all Black women have like some universal Black power type of quality. As stated in this beautifully informative 9
