Curtis Michael G, Karlsen Annika S, Anderson Leslie A
Department of Human Development and Family Science, 1355University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
Department of Marriage and Family Therapy, 7441Converse College, Spartanburg, SC, USA.
Violence Against Women. 2023 Feb;29(2):321-346. doi: 10.1177/10778012221083334. Epub 2022 Apr 19.
The present study explored the adultification of young Black girls, specifically through the mythos of the fast-tailed girl, by examining the commentary on Twitter associated with the #SurvivingRKelly hashtag. Applying critical discourse analysis, three discursive themes emerged: (1) calling out the culture of accepting, (2) resistance through provocation and inquiry, and (3) challenging transgenerational dating. This study's results indicate the need for further research on the social construction of Black girlhood and how societal and cultural beliefs may serve as discursive mechanisms by which the adultification of young Black girls is perpetuated.
