Young, Black, and female: the challenge of weaving an identity

This is an exploratory qualitative study of the experience of identity in late adolescent African-American women. Using a semi-structured interview, 17 18- to 22-year-old community college students were interviewed about how they see their identity and about the personal salience of various identity domains-race, gender, sexual orientation, relationships, career, religious beliefs, and political beliefs. It was found that these seven ego identity domains varied in importance, with racial identity as the most salient, while the domains of gender, relationships, and career were also important sources of identity. A sense of "strength" also emerged as an important element of self-definition. Particular attention is paid to the intersection of racial and gender identity for these African-American women who must evolve a sense of self within the context of a society that devalues Blacks and women.