The Impact of The Black Superwoman Syndrome on Black Women in Business and Professional Spaces
Being described as strong isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you consider what is required to survive in the world that we live in. Strength and resilience are powerful traits when harnessed at the right times. But something that has come up frequently in my life and the lives of the Black women that I work and engage with is that very often we are expected to be strong all the time, in the face of continued adversity it is our responsibility to maintain our strength; we become in essence “superwomen”. Society relies on the “strong Black woman” trope to continually attempt to weaken and undermine us whilst expecting us to be dutiful and resolute. I wanted to take the time to reflect on this and found some important work by Dr Cheryl Woods Giscombe author of “The Black Woman’s Guide to coping with stress” and a Distinguished Term Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Dr Giscombe coined the term “Black Superwoman Syndrome” and looked at the impact that this has on Black women’s health. Her research highlighted that the phenomenon includes five major behaviours demonstrated by Black women leaders across multiple sectors and industries: obligation to manifest strength, obligation to suppress emotions, resistance to being vulnerable or dependent, determination to succeed despite significantly limited resources, and an obligation to help others.
The Black Superwoman Syndrome (BSS), also known as the Strong Black Woman Schema (SBWS), is both a cultural expectation and to some degree a self-imposed standard that significantly affects Black women, particularly within leadership settings in business and professional spaces (although it can be found across a myriad of social spaces). The societal pressure to constantly exhibit strength and resilience without showing vulnerability or seeking support can have severe consequences on Black women - from my own experience and those around me it can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety, isolation and feelings of deep loneliness.
For Black British women the intersection of race, gender, and systemic inequalities in the UK workplace often causes us to work twice as hard for recognition, endure microaggressions in silence, and suppress their emotions to maintain an image of unwavering competence. There’s a tendency for many to focus on being independently driven and convince ourselves that we require no external help, even in challenging situations.
While these qualities stem from historical resilience and community strength, they have been distorted into unrealistic, damaging expectations. The historical roots of this schema can be traced back to slavery, colonialism, and the struggles of Black communities, where Black women were often forced to take on multiple roles: caretakers and community pillars.
So if we know that this exists what is the impact of it on Black women and how do we address it?
The constant need to prove oneself leads to exhaustion and burnout as I mentioned earlier. Studies reveal that Black women experience higher rates of stress-related illnesses, anxiety, and depression than their white counterparts, yet are less likely to seek mental health support due to stigma and cultural expectations. In the UK, Black women are more likely to be dismissed or overlooked when expressing concerns about workplace stress or mental health, making it even harder to break the cycle.
The saying “You have to work twice as hard to get half as far” is deeply ingrained in the Black British experience. Research by the Fawcett Society and Runnymede Trust confirms that Black women in the UK face some of the highest pay disparities and slowest career progressions compared to other racial and gender groups. This pressure to overperform creates chronic stress, as Black women often feel that we must be flawless to be deemed competent, while our mistakes are more harshly scrutinized. If we are vocal about our challenges we risk being labelled as “difficult” or “angry” or “aggressive”. This forces many to adopt a softer or more agreeable persona, when advocating for ourselves, leading to emotional exhaustion and frustration. This affects Black British women in leadership positions, where being authoritative is expected yet punished when displayed by a Black woman - something that I have seen and experienced in my own life.
In business, the narrative around Black women entrepreneurs often highlights resilience, but rarely addresses systemic barriers such as:
Lack of access to funding: Black women in the UK receive significantly less venture capital investment than their white male and female counterparts.
Networking challenges: Many Black women entrepreneurs struggle to break into established business networks. The good thing though is that many have been able to adapt and create their own networks.
Racial bias in business support: Resources and mentorship opportunities sometimes infantalising and undermining the abilities of Black women.
Change is essential but it’s not always forthcoming nor is it something that might happen in my lifetime but having research and terminology that gives light to what many Black women experience is crucial. Organisations of course can do more and provide mental health resources tailored to Black employees’ experiences and encourage open conversations about mental health, stress, and work-life balance without the fear of being judged. On a community level Black women should be given space to share our honest experiences and be vulnerable.
The Black Superwoman Syndrome is an unfair burden that many Black women carry in professional and business spaces. For Black British women, the compounded effects of systemic racism, workplace bias, and societal pressures create an environment where burnout is almost inevitable. Overcoming this requires a collective effort from businesses, policymakers, allies, community spaces and Black women ourselves to dismantle harmful expectations. We need more environments where success does not come at the expense of well-being, and they should not demand that Black women be Superwomen in order to survive and thrive. Instead, we should be allowed to be human; flawed, evolving, and supported, just like everyone else.
I help women reclaim their power and stop dimming their light with my personal branding coaching and programmes. Get in touch if you would like to learn more.