Breaking the Stigma: An Exploration of the ‘Too Much’ Perception for Women of Color

In today’s society, women of color often encounter the stereotype that they are “doing too much”. This stereotype trivializes their achievements and struggles, reinforcing the notion that they are constantly expected to go above and beyond, with little room for error or vulnerability. This narrative not only limits their ability to express themselves, but also creates an unfair standard to which women of color are held.  

The narrative that women of color “do too much” can be traced back to historical roots, where societal expectations and norms have placed additional burdens on women of color, often requiring them to surpass expectations to be seen as equal.  

From a very young age, women of color often face extra pressure to excel in school, succeed in their careers, or even maintain specific beauty standards. 

Women of color have historically been undervalued and sidelined in many aspects of society. As a response, they have frequently had to aim higher and go beyond expectations to succeed. This phenomenon can be traced back to societal prejudices and biases, as well as systemic barriers that have long held back individuals based on their race and gender. 

The article “Black Women: A History of Creating Our Own Spaces” from the Black Women’s Journal Project highlights how black women have historically been marginalized in many spaces, leading them to create their own organizations to advocate for their rights and build community.  

During the civil rights movement, black women were often in leadership roles and founded organizations such as the National Council of Negro Women and the Women’s Political Council. 

The article also notes that black women have a long history of facing racism and sexism both inside and outside the movement. Despite this, they have remained resilient and committed to creating spaces where they can be themselves and work towards social change. 

The history of black women’s activism and history is directly relevant to the topic of women of color being deemed as “doing too much” in today’s society. The need to create black female only spaces and institutions is rooted in the systemic oppression and marginalization black women have faced throughout history. As a result, black women who advocate and try to create change are often labeled as “doing too much” to trivialize their achievements and silence their voices. 

The article “Visible, invisible: Black Women in Higher Education” from PMC discusses how black women often face unique challenges in higher education due to systemic and societal barriers. Despite these obstacles, black women have consistently aimed high in their educational pursuits, outperforming other groups in graduation rates and academic achievements. 

The article cites research suggesting that black women are more likely to enroll in college and obtain degrees, with a high level of resilience and persistence in face of obstacles.  

It also mentions the efforts of black female educators and academic institutions to create spaces for black women in higher education and provide support for their success, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 

The tendency for black women to aim high in education and succeed despite systemic barriers relates to the “too much” label they often face in other aspects of life.  

When black women excel in education, society often stereotypes them as “doing too much” and facing backlash for defying expectations, rather than acknowledging their success as the result of their hard work and dedication. 

This demonstrates that the “too much” label is often used to trivialize black women’s achievements and dismiss their successes, rather than acknowledge the systemic oppression and barriers they have had to overcome in order to succeed. This perpetuates a unfair double standard and creates additional burdens and expectations for black women. 

The article from the ISR Review “Black Feminism and Intersectionality” discusses the history and foundational principles of black feminism, as well as the concept of intersectionality.  

It mentions key figures in the movement such as Sojourner Truth and Audre Lorde, and highlights the importance of recognizing the intersection of race, gender, and other aspects of identity when fighting for social justice. 

The article discusses the concept of intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, and how it refers to the intersecting identities and systems of oppression experienced by individuals who belong to multiple marginalized groups, such as black women.  

These intersectional experiences require a nuanced approach to addressing systemic issues and highlight the need for inclusive and intersectional feminist movements. 

The article also discusses the critique of earlier feminist movements for being too narrowly focused on the experiences of middle-class white women, and the importance of centering the voices and experiences of women of color and other marginalized groups in the feminist movement. 

The historical context and the concept of intersectionality in feminism related to the “too much” label that woman of color face.  

The article “Black Feminism and Intersectionality” highlights the way in which earlier feminist movements were too focused on middle-class white women and often ignored or marginalized the experiences of women of color. This has led to women of color being labeled as “doing too much” when they advocate for their rights and seek to challenge systemic oppression and stereotypes. 

The tendency for earlier feminist movements to prioritize the voices and experiences of middle-class white women has created a double standard for women of color, where their advocacy and successes are often seen as “too much”, rather than being recognized as the result of their resilience and hard work in the face of systemic barriers and oppression. 

The intersectional approach to feminism, as discussed in the article, recognizes and centers the diverse experiences and perspectives of women of color, rather than painting them with a “too much” label. 

Despite progress made in recent years, women of color today continue to face the “too much” label and struggle to be acknowledged for their successes and contributions. This stereotype has real impacts on their careers, relationships and overall well-being. 

Women of color who are successful in their careers are often labeled as “trying too hard” or as “over achieving” and may face backlash for their success. They are often held to higher standards and face more criticism and scrutiny than their white counterparts. 

The article “The Concrete Ceiling” from SSIR discusses the invisible barriers that women of color face in the workplace, including the “doing too much” phenomenon.  

Women of color often experience a “Catch-22” situation where they must work harder and perform better than their peers to be noticed and acknowledged in their careers, but then face backlash for being “too much” when they are successful. 

The article highlights that the “doing too much” stereotype is related to the way in which women of color often must work twice as hard as white men to be taken seriously and recognized for their contributions in the workplace. This “Catch-22” of needing to “be exceptional” and then being labeled as “too much” perpetuates systemic barriers and perpetuates a gendered and racialized double standard. 

The phenomenon of women of color being labeled as ” too much” in their careers relates to the double standard they face in the workplace, which requires them to work harder and outperform to be acknowledged yet when they succeed, are faced with the backlash of being seen as “too much”.  

This double standard perpetuates systemic barriers for women of color and highlights the challenges they face in their careers. 

The article “Visible, Invisible: Black Women in Higher Education” from PMC discusses how black women are often the “silent majority” in higher education, despite their impressive representation in education.  

They discuss the ways in which the “doing too much” stereotype is relevant to this situation. Black women often have higher than average graduation rates, and yet face systemic barriers and stereotypes that paint them as being “too much”, such as the “angry black woman” trope. 

This can manifest in them feeling pressure to be exceptional in all aspects of their education and facing additional scrutiny and expectations from instructors and peers.  

The idea of black women having to constantly exceed expectations and face the “doing too much” label in education ties in with the double standard they face.  

Being seen as “doing too much” by achieving success in their education can create additional pressures on black women, who already experience systemic barriers and expectations for academic excellence. 

The prevalence of the “doing too much” stereotype highlights the misogynistic and systematic nature of the discrimination faced by women of color in society.  

This stereotype, which labels them as too ambitious or overreaching, perpetuates the idea that women of color should remain in their place and not aspire to greatness. 

The article “Why Are You So Triggered by a Proud Black Woman?” from Nappy Head Club discusses the societal response to successful black women. The author highlights that societal trigger of successful black women stems from discomfort with power and the “doing too much” stereotype. 

The author argues that when black women embrace their identity and success, it disrupts the status quo and challenges the societal expectations, causing some people to feel threatened and lash out with criticism and negative comments. 

This highlights the misogynistic nature of society that expects women to remain in their perceived place, and the reactionary responses to successful black women who challenge those expectations, as they confront the double standards, racial prejudices and patriarchal structures that still permeate society. 

The article “Burnout and Black Women: Hustling Through The Mental Health Struggle” from Flow Space discusses the burnout epidemic many black women face, because of the “hustle culture” that is the expectation to succeed in their careers while also dealing with systemic barriers and stereotypes. 

The article notes that black women often feel the need to grind and prove themselves, in order to succeed in a society that often has biases against them. This constant striving to succeed and meet societal expectations can result in burnout and emotional exhaustion, especially when the “do too much” stereotype is applied to successful black women. 

This highlights the pressure on black women to be overachievers and the way in which the stigma of being “too much” adds an additional burden to their struggles and experiences of burnout, as they face systemic barriers and societal expectations that require them to prove themselves beyond measure. 

The article “Stop Trying to Humble Black Women” from Lincoln-Hill highlights the issue of black women being constantly put down and faced with skepticism in their achievements, implying that they are “doing too much” if they succeed. 

The article discusses how black women face pressure to stay humble and “know their place” in society, and when they achieve success, their achievements are often trivialized or minimized, often labeled as “trying too hard”. 

This highlights the way in which the “too much” stereotype is rooted in misogyny and racism, as black women are often expected to be invisible and undervalued, even when they succeed.  

The “doing too much” stereotype and label can have numerous negative impacts on women of color, as it perpetuates the notion that they are overly ambitious or overzealous in their aspirations and successes.  

This has led to the creation of an oppressive double standard for women of color, where they are constantly expected to prove themselves and be exceptional, yet face criticism and backlash when their success is acknowledged, or they do not adhere to expectations of modesty and humility. 

The article “From Critical Race Theory to the Critical Study of Race: The Struggle to Redefine Racial Justice Research” from the ERIC database discusses the roots of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its relevance to the study and understanding of race and racism in America.  

CRT is an academic and legal approach that seeks to examine and critique the role of race in the legal system and societal structures. 

CRT’s examination of societal structures and legal systems is relevant to the “doing too much” stereotype experienced by women of color.  

CRT highlights the systemic barriers and biases that women of color face, such as racism and sexism, which contribute to the creation of the stereotype and double standard they experience when they succeed. 

CRT challenges the notion that success of women of color is solely due to individual efforts, acknowledging the ways in which societal structures and systemic oppression limit opportunities for marginalized groups and create the need for them to “do too much”. 

The article “Women of Color In the Workplace Aren’t Entitled, They Are Determined & Deserving” discusses the way in which black women frequently face mislabeling and misinterpretation of their work ethic and ambition in the workplace, including the “doing too much” stereotype. 

The mislabeling and misinterpretation discussed in the article relate to the “doing too much” stereotype often faced by black women in the workplace, as their ambition and work ethic are often dismissed as “pushy” or “too much” rather than acknowledging them as a necessary result of the systemic barriers they face. 

The article “The Erasure of Black Women’s Contributions from the Past to the Present” from Forbes highlights the way in which black women’s historical contributions have often been marginalized and ignored, leading to a long history of erasure and trivialization. 

The article discusses the societal tendency to overlook and discount the accomplishments and contributions of black women, leading to their work being often seen as “too much” or “overbearing” when compared to their male or white counterparts. 

The issue of black women’s historical contributions being overlooked and erased relates to the “doing too much” stereotype they currently experience, as the historical pattern of marginalization and dismissal of their successes and contributions contributes to the modern tendency to label their ambition and achievements as “too much” or “overbearing”. 

This contributes to the double standard black women face, where their successful efforts are often met with criticism and skepticism rather than recognition, perpetuating the “too much” stereotype and eroding their efforts. 

The article “Strong Black Women: Linking Stereotypes, Stress, and Overeating Among a Sample of Black Female College Students” discusses how the “strong black woman” stereotype can have negative impacts.  

This stereotype, which expects black women to be strong and self-sufficient, can lead to negative well-being outcomes such as higher stress levels and increased risk of eating disorders. 

The article highlights how black women are expected to be strong and resilient in the face of obstacles and hardship, and the pressure to conform to this stereotype can lead to stress and other health issues. 

The “strong black woman” stereotype can also lead to the “doing too much” stereotype, as black women are expected to consistently go above and beyond to prove their strength, facing pressures to excel in all aspects of life. 

The issue of the “doing too much” stereotype and the pressure faced by women of color requires collective action and awareness.  

Changing societal expectations, promoting inclusivity, and addressing systemic barriers are key steps towards shifting negative stereotypes and empowering women of color to be recognized for their successes and contributions, rather than being labeled as “doing too much”. 

This includes challenging biases and prejudices, creating supportive and inclusive environments, and creating opportunities for women of color to have a voice and be heard, rather than being dismissed as “too much” when they advocate for their rights and achievements. 

The goal is to create a society where the successes and contributions of women of color are recognized and celebrated, rather than being seen as burdensome or “doing too much” because they are exceeding expectations they encounter from society. 

Creating a supportive and inclusive environment that acknowledges and values the achievements of women of color is crucial for reducing systemic barriers and empowering individuals of color to challenge expectations and advocate for themselves.