Adultification Bias

The Center’s Initiative on Adultification Bias

We first brought the nation’s attention to adultification bias in 2017, when we released Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood. Our findings documented what Black women and girls already knew well from their life experiences: adults perceive Black girls as less innocent and more adult-like than their white peers, from ages as young as 5-9 years old.

In our follow-up qualitative research, conducted with focus groups across the country, Black women and girls confirmed that the experience of adultification bias is common. In the words of one of our focus group participants, “Black girls’ tears are valued less than white girls’ tears.”

Solutions for Your Community

Community’s Efforts

Share your community’s efforts to overcome adultification bias–browse resources to combat adultification bias and other tools of empowerment.

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Trainings

Our trainings can help raise public awareness about adultification bias and provide solutions to public systems.

See How

Logan Green's Award Winning Story

Our Youth Storyteller, Logan Green, shares her life experience in this spoken-word piece that won her a championship at the National Speech and Debate Tournament Association in 2021.

Watch Video Spoken-Word Lyrics

Storytelling Gallery

Click on the silhouettes to read stories about adultification bias that were submitted to this website.

Your Story

Share your personal experiences with adultification bias or inspiring practices you’ve seen in communities that are combating this issue.

Share it here