Qualitative research reveals emerging insights about the gap between dominant narratives and the stories Black women want and need to see
NATIONWIDE — Today, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda released new qualitative research introducing Narrative Demand™, an emerging concept from its Narrative Power for Justice Initiative (NPJI), to better understand Black women’s perspectives on cultural and media representation. Conducted in partnership with public opinion research firm PerryUndem, the research explored the gap between dominant cultural narratives about Black women and the stories Black women say are missing, distorted, or urgently needed. The study included five days of in-depth interviews with 36 diverse Black women and girls across the country and generated more than 2,300 responses over a two-week period.
The research, Exploring Narrative Demand in Black Women’s Cultural and Media Representation, revealed a recurring theme across all interviews: Black women are not simply rejecting harmful portrayals. They are naming a deeper gap between dominant narratives and the stories they want and need to see reflected in culture. Participants described a strong demand for stories rooted in care, emotional safety, dignity, joy, support, healing, stability, and full humanity. Many also expressed a desire for portrayals that reflect healthy relationships, rest, softness, sisterhood, and everyday life beyond struggle. The research also explored what positive representation in media should look like, with respondents noting a desire for authentic, multi-dimensional, and vulnerable characters that lead to positive storylines and portrayals of Black women and girls.
“This research helped us understand something larger than representation alone,” said Dr. Regina Davis Moss, President and CEO of In Our Own Voice. “Black women are identifying a gap between the stories that dominate culture and the stories they actually need to see in order for their realities, dignity, and experiences to be fully understood. Narrative Demand helps us name what feels absent and why that absence matters. Stories shape not only perception, but also what people believe should exist, what receives support, and whose humanity is recognized.”
Key findings from the research include:
- Participants described strong demand for stories rooted in care, dignity, emotional safety, joy, and full humanity.
- According to respondents, true representation would include portrayals of Black women as “soft, loving and protected,” where Black women are “seen and understood,” including characters who are vulnerable, joyful, complex, ambitious, and at peace.
- Many respondents called for more depictions of healthy relationships, loving families, sisterhood, rest, healing and Black women simply “thriving” rather than constantly surviving trauma.
- Many participants expressed a desire for stories showing Black women receiving support, equitable care, and opportunities to thrive.
- Participants described social media as a powerful tool for more authentic storytelling because it allows Black women to speak in their own voices and show more nuanced, everyday realities.
- Respondents overwhelmingly shared they are more likely to watch content with positive portrayals and diverse casts, such as Abbott Elementary, Forever, Insecure and Sistas.
- Participants said they want to see Black women portrayed as leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, scholars, scientists and professionals, roles they feel remain underrepresented in mainstream culture and media.
- Respondents also emphasized the importance of Reproductive Justice storytelling that reflects Black women’s experiences with healthcare inequities, maternal health disparities, bodily autonomy, and the need for culturally competent care.
- While participants identified ongoing harms in dominant portrayals, they consistently expressed desire for narratives that reflect possibility, recognition, and support.
This new research will help inform In Our Own Voice’s Narrative Power for Justice Initiative, a multi-year effort focused on building narrative infrastructure that shapes how Reproductive Justice and Black women’s experiences are understood and advanced across culture, media, and policy. NPJI integrates research, creator partnerships, and movement strategy to strengthen long-term narrative power. In conjunction with the research, In Our Own Voice also recently released Telling Better Stories: A Creator’s Guide for Reproductive Justice Storytelling, a practical resource for creators, writers, strategists, and cultural leaders seeking tools for more complete storytelling.
Methodology: Phase 1 included robust qualitative research among 36 diverse Black women and girls from across the country. The research included five days of in-depth interviews over the period of two weeks. PerryUndem used QualBoard which is a platform for asynchronous online interviews. Each research day, participants would log on at their own convenience and answer a series of open-ended questions. PerryUndem posed more than 60 questions and received 2,333 responses across the five days of research.
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In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. Our seven strategic partners are Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove, Inc., SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW and Women With A Vision.
The post In Our Own Voice Releases Narrative Demand™, New Research Exploring What Stories Black Women Say are Missing from Media and Culture first appeared on In Our Own Voice.
