Sis, we need to talk.
That daily routine of changing your voice, tweaking your hair, or debating whether that outfit or designer bag are “too much” for the office? It’s not just exhausting—it’s hazardous to your health. The energy it takes to constantly alter yourself to fit in isn’t just mentally draining, it’s physically aging us at a rate we can no longer ignore.
Research published in the American Journal of Public Health lays bare the harsh reality: navigating racial discrimination accelerates biological aging in Black women. The study found that Black women who reported higher levels of racial discrimination had telomeres—protective caps on our DNA that indicate cellular aging—equivalent to someone 7.5 years older. Think about that. Facing discrimination doesn’t just leave us drained at the end of the day—it’s literally shaving years off our lives.
This isn’t just about stress in the abstract. It’s about what chronic stress does to the body when we engage in behaviors like code-switching to navigate predominantly white workplaces. The effort to make ourselves palatable in these spaces is more than a social burden. It activates the body’s stress response over and over, a process that takes a daily toll on our health. This repeated activation of the fight-or-flight response leads to chronic inflammation, increased blood pressure, and a compromised immune system. It’s no wonder studies have shown elevated cortisol levels, disrupted sleep patterns, and higher rates of anxiety and depression among Black women.
The numbers don’t lie. According to a report by Catalyst, 67 percent of Black women feel they have to repeatedly prove their competence at work, compared to just 10 percent of white women. This relentless need to validate one’s abilities isn’t just mentally exhausting — it has serious physical repercussions. The pressure to excel while navigating biases places an extraordinary amount of stress on Black women, leading to emotional exhaustion and burnout. Over time, the chronic stress tied to this workplace dynamic has been linked to severe health outcomes, including hypertension—a condition that already disproportionately affects Black women. This cycle of proving, enduring, and surviving isn’t just unsustainable—it’s deadly.
The truth is, Black women shouldn’t have to trade their authenticity for their health—or their livelihood. We shouldn’t have to strategize how to navigate white-dominated spaces without losing ourselves in the process.
Yet, for so many of us, this is the reality of corporate life.
I’ll never forget the weight of being the only Black person on my team at a company that shall remain nameless (though, if you look me up on LinkedIn, you should be able to guess). The memory of constantly questioning if I was being “too much” or not enough is something I’ll never forget and hope to never again experience. From over-preparing for every meeting to policing the tone of my emails, I lived in a constant state of hyper-awareness, especially as those who were my subordinates (who had also applied for my role, and didn’t get it I might add) constantly questioned my work and would go above me at each and every turn.
It was exhausting, and yet it felt necessary to prove I belonged in that space. Thankfully, those experiences have been few and far between in my career, and I now find myself blessed to work in environments that don’t just tolerate but celebrate the beauty and diversity of “us.” Here at ESSENCE, being unapologetically Black isn’t just accepted—it’s the standard. But for so many Black women, navigating spaces where authenticity is a liability, not an asset, remains a daily struggle.
There are steps we can take to protect ourselves in the short term. Prioritizing therapy that focuses on workplace trauma, practicing stress management techniques, and setting boundaries around how we engage in workplace communication can help. Seeking community with other Black women who understand these experiences can also be a lifeline. However, self-care alone won’t fix what’s broken.
The real solution lies in addressing the systemic issues that force us into survival mode in the first place. Workplaces need to stop asking Black women to carry the burden of “fitting in” and instead foster environments where we can thrive as our full selves. Research from McKinsey and LeanIn.org shows that companies with genuine diversity and inclusion efforts see significant benefits, including higher productivity, lower turnover rates, and better employee health outcomes. These numbers aren’t just corporate jargon—they’re proof that when workplaces are inclusive, everyone wins.
This isn’t just about surviving corporate America; it’s about reclaiming our time and our health. Code-switching is a survival mechanism, yes, but it shouldn’t be a requirement for our success—or our safety. As we demand change from the systems around us, we also need to prioritize protecting ourselves. Because the truth is, our authenticity isn’t just a right—it’s a necessity.
The next time you feel the pressure to tone down who you are for the sake of fitting in, ask yourself: is it worth the cost?
