An Exploration of the Stereotypes at the Intersection of Motherhood Status and Race

Abstract

While scholarship has identified the bias that maternal women (Arena et al., 2023; Grandey et al., 2020) and racial minority employees (King et al., in press) endure, few have taken aim at understanding how these identity characteristics might combine to concomitantly shape work experiences. Drawing from stigma theory (Goffman, 1963), the primary purpose of our chapter is to examine how the stereotypes of maternity might interact with race-based stereotypes to shape the experiences of working women. In doing so, we will be able to identify which stereotypes of maternity (i.e., incompetence or disloyalty; Grandey et al., 2020) might be exacerbated or weakened when varying race-based stereotypes are considered. After reviewing the potential for intersecting stereotypes, we then argue that mothers might experience different work and health outcomes – both pre- and postpartum – based on their race. We close by providing insight for future scholars and identify additional identity characteristics that may shape mothers' workplace experiences.

Citation

Guerrero, P., Arena, D.F. and Jones, K.P. (2024), "An Exploration of the Stereotypes at the Intersection of Motherhood Status and Race", Wasieleski, D. and Weber, J. (Ed.) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Management (Business and Society 360, Vol. 6), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2514-175920240000006002