Does My Story Belong? An Intersectional Critical Race Feminist Analysis of Student Silence in a Diverse Classroom

Abstract

This article offers an intersectional critical race feminist analysis of student silence in a diverse university classroom. Findings from a case study with six Women of Color and four White women revealed students remained silent because they felt their complicated intersectional realities did not fit with the acceptable classroom counter-narrative. Because students perceived the course to focus on essentialist narratives of working class Women of Color who experienced overt racism and sexism, White women and Women of Color worried their stories did not belong. Student silence was not completely explained by prior literature describing it as disempowerment, internalized oppression, limited development, a coping mechanism, intense intellectual engagement, or resistance to White privilege. Suggestions for higher education professionals working with students inside and outside the classroom are provided.