“Power to the people—all the people”: Sociocultural constructions of black queer identity

Few empirical studies have examined ways in which anti-Black and heteronormative scripts are reproduced within Black queer communities or how Black queer group members explicitly perceive their own levels of privilege relative to other Black queer group members marginalized on different axes (e.g., cisgender group members compared to Transgender group members). This critical qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore how 9 Black queer adults (20–29) thought about their intersectional identities within the context of power and privilege. Analyses revealed four main themes including navigating stigma conspicuity, benevolent and hostile heterosexism, intersectional representation as generative, and communal accountability. Authors provide theoretical insights and considerations for social psychological scholarship as well as community activism and organizing around Black queer liberation.