It’s called Adultification, and every black girl is way too familiar with it

A study done by The Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality revealed that adults view black girls as less innocent and more mature than white girls starting at age 5 through age 14.

325 adults from various backgrounds and ethnic groups told researchers they believed adolescent black girls know more about adult topics, including sex, when compared to their white peers. American adults see black girls as less innocent and believe they do not need to be protected or nurtured.

The over-sexualization of black women is nothing new — African-American woman have been seen as sexual fetishes since they were brought unwillingly to America in the 1700s.

Remember ‘Teacher-Bae,’ the Atlanta teacher that went viral for simply wearing a tight dress?

Her curvaceous body caused an uproar on Twitter and people weighed in on whether her dress was appropriate for a school setting.

Or what about the time that a Texas police officer tackled and pinned a 14-year-old girl to the ground after a fight broke out at a birthday party?

She was only wearing a bathing suit and his actions were unnecessary. This instance related to the study, which found that black girls are seen as more combative and given harsher punishments because they are viewed as older than their actual age.

The term used for this treatment of black girls is called ‘adultification’

Black girls make up just under 16 percent of the female school population, but account for 28 percent of referrals to law enforcement, and 37 percent of arrests. Past research has shown prosecutors have dropped seven out of 10 cases against white girls and only dropped three out of ten for black girls. Black girls are also 2.7 percent more likely to be referred to the juvenile justice system than white girls.

‘We found it shocking that adultification extends to as early as 5 years of age’

Rebecca Epstein, the Executive Director of the Center on Poverty and Inequality, talked to babe about the groundbreaking results.

“Imagine seeing a Black pre-school girl and viewing her as needing less nurturing than her white female classmates. To me, these results translate into an urgency – we need to act to change adults’ perceptions of Black girls,” said Epstein.

The study, however, only highlights what black girls already know

Juvenile Defense and Policy Attorney, Erin Keith, Esq. said “This study sadly affirms what any black girl that has experienced adultification already knows. Moving forward, this data will help advocate for black girls in the justice system. The study doesn’t point to a particular person’s bias, but it does affirm that we have a problem in terms of how black girls are perceived, and we need to change that.”

As sad as this study is, maybe having scientific data prove that adultification is real could be a huge step in the right direction.