From margin to center: A thematic analysis exploring the lived experiences of Black women who stutter

Dimensions of identity such as race and gender critically influence how people who stutter navigate their lives; however, there is a dearth of research concerning the lived experiences of people with marginalized racial and gender identities who stutter. The present study was designed to explore the lived experiences of Black women who stutter to elucidate the interconnectedness of race and gender within the stuttering experience.

Two 90-minute semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 10 Black women who stutter ranging in age from 26 to 51 years. Interview transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis grounded in an intersectional theoretical framework.

Three superordinate themes were constructed: (1) Navigating systems of oppression; (2) self-care as an act of resistance, and (3) healing through community. Each superordinate theme included one to three subthemes. The experiences reported across themes reflected the intricacies of participants' navigation of their racialized, gendered, and (dis)ability identities.

The present study highlights the individual and collective impact of the intersection of race and gender on the lived experiences of persons who stutter. Although additional research is needed to promote responsive practices, preliminary findings underscore the importance of self-care and community in facilitating resilience and psychosocial well-being for Black women who stutter.