The (Black) Struggle That Must Be: Black Masculinity, Black College Athletes, and Black Mental Health Through a Looking Glass

Abstract

In this article, the author describes their mental health struggles tied to Black Masculinity as a (former) Black athlete. In particular, the author focuses on the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community and the ways in which Blackness, Black masculinity, and mental health battles emulate the (Black) struggle that must be. The author attempts to highlight the complicated nature of mental health struggles, specifically the ways in which suicide is handled in the world of sport and the ways in which the narrative can have juxtaposed racial frameworks. The author moves into and through their own personal experiences with mental health as a Black man, both in present tense and including personal journal entries, to make sense of “the (Black) struggle that must not be ignored.”

Unicorns, rainbows, and unicorn magic: Storying new knowledge of black masculinities within the WWE

“…That anger has to be dealt with. First step, taking accountability, letting the pain in, and learning to love ourselves (hooks, 2004b;Williams, 2023). The need for change hits an emotional crescendo on the April 9 th , 2015, edition of Smackdown.…”

The construction of racial stereotypes and how they serve as racial propaganda

“…Black boys and men are surrounded by messages that they should be unemotional and hypermasculine (Brown, 1999; Harris et al., 2011), and Black women often feel pressure to uphold the “Strong Black woman” (SBW) schema, portraying them as emotionally resilient and self‐reliant (Abrams et al., 2014; Beauboeuf‐Lafontant, 2003; Kerrigan et al., 2007; Mullings, 2005; Staples & Johnson, 1993; Thomas et al., 2022; Wallace, 2007). When these stereotypes are internalized by Black Americans, they can have consequential behavioral and psychological ramifications, including emotional suppression and reduced health advocacy (Abrams et al., 2019; Nelson et al., 2020; Sheffield‐Abdullah & Woods‐Giscombe, 2021; Watson & Hunter, 2016; Williams, 2023). For instance, among Black women, endorsement of the SBW schema is associated with poorer sleep quality, increased depression and anxiety, lowered self‐esteem, and underuse of mental health services (Black & Peacock, 2011; Donovan & West, 2015; Jones et al., 2021; Mclaurin‐Jones et al., 2021; Nelson et al., 2020; Stanton et al., 2017; Thomas et al., 2004; Watson & Hunter, 2015; Woods‐Giscombé, 2010; Woods‐Giscombé et al., 2019).…”