Opinion | Why Protecting Black Girls on Social Media Should Be a Public Health Priority

Opara is an associate professor of public health at Yale University. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, recently discussed the dangers of social media in a thought-provoking New York Times op-ed, and called for warning labels on social media platforms. His concerns about social media fostering anxiety, depression, and social isolation among adolescents resonated deeply with me. Going a step further, I find it crucial to extend this dialogue to include the unique experiences of Black teen girls, who face compounded challenges due to the intersection of racism and sexism — a dynamic often overlooked in broader discussions. The Unique Challenges of Gendered Racism Anthropologist Philomena Essed’s concept of “gendered racism” illustrates how racial and gender oppression intertwine, creating a distinct set of challenges for individuals at this intersection. For Black teen girls, these challenges often manifest through social media, which becomes a landscape rife with gendered-racist stereotypes. These negative portrayals can lead to the internalization of harmful views about oneself, resulting in lower self-esteem and increased symptoms of depression. In a project I collaborated on with other Yale researchers, I helped a team develop a virtual game tailored to Black girls that enabled us to gain firsthand insight into...