Reading Guide for
Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America

The following questions can help to guide your personal reflections and learning as well as to shape a group discussion:

1. Which women's stories in the book most vividly captured your attention? What is it about these women that was intriguing, distressing, or inspiring? What would you like to say to them? Are there any similarities between you and them?

2. What stereotypes about Black women are you aware of? What impact do stereotypes of Black women have on you? On how you feel about yourself? On your relationships with other Black women? With Black men? With non-Black people?

3. Do you think Black women lead "double lives"? In what ways?

4. What does "shifting" mean to you? Do you shift? In what ways and in what situations? At work? At school? At home?

5. How do you feel about your own shifting? Are you ashamed of it? Proud of it?

6. How do you feel about your skin color? Your hair? Your body shape and weight? To what extent do you think that negative images of Black beauty affect how you see yourself?

7. Do you think that gender bias is a problem within the Black community? Where do you see instances of it? How has this affected you?

8. Do you think that the Black community engages in "gender silence"? Do you find it difficult to talk about or acknowledge gender bias within the Black community? Is it difficult to challenge Black men when they are sexist?

9. Do you ever shift in relationships with Black men? In what ways?

10. Have you experienced racial or gender bias at church or in a religious community? In what ways? Is sexism more acceptable to you in church than in other settings?

11. How can we raise Black girls and boys to withstand the negative images and messages about being Black? What can we do as parents? As teachers? As church and community leaders? Should we teach Black children to shift?

12. How healthy is shifting? What are the consequences of shifting for you? How does it affect you emotionally? When does it work for you? When is it damaging?

13. How can we keep racial and gender bias from affecting how we feel about ourselves?

14. How might you be contributing to racial or gender bias, even unintentionally? In your personal relationships? As a parent? At work? At church?

15. How can you challenge racial and gender bias? In your family? At work or school? In your community? How can we work together to create a more just world?