The author James Baldwin states that “an identity is questioned only when it is menaced, as when the mighty begin to fall, or when the wretched begin to rise, or when the stranger enters the gates, never, after that, to be a stranger: the stranger’s presence making you the stranger, less to the stranger than to yourself” (Baldwin, 1976 p.537). The quote by Baldwin emphasizes the importance for people to be cognizant and confident of their distinctiveness and the multiplicity of identities that make up the spaces we occupy. When these variables are attacked or weakened by “strangers,” it is due to the lack of perceived control and self-determination.

Identity-based trauma is when individuals are aware that they belong to an identity group where their susceptibility to potential harm increases their chances of traumatic outcomes impacting their mental and physical health (Allwood et al., 2022). Individuals who are familiar with this type of trauma may feel like they have to hide their identity, defend themselves or their entire represented group, or pretend that they are someone they are not. Smith et al. (2007) suggest through a theoretical framework that Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) is a psychological stress response associated with being a person of color within dominant demographic arenas. RBF results from an innate identity-related stress reaction to distressing mental and emotional conditions (e.g., frustration, anger, fatigue, physical avoidance, mental or emotional withdrawal, escapism, acceptance of racist attributions, resistance, coping strategies, verbal, nonverbal, or physical retaliation). Individuals who share their stories of traumatic events help foster an understanding of trauma identity, which is necessary to begin the healing process.

It is essential to note that traumatic events do not have a specific timeline for when they occur, but for many individuals, these actions begin at a young age. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood for persons under the age of 18, such as experiencing abuse, violence, neglect, witnessing violence, and having a family member die or attempt suicide (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards, Koss, & Marks, 1998). Traumatic events in childhood can be emotionally painful or troubling and can have effects that continue for years. Factors such as the frequency and seriousness of the traumatic event can shape a child’s response to trauma (What is child trauma? National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2019). To understand identity, one must center oneself and question how an individual fits within the various components of life and the factors that influence a person’s health and well-being.

Authors: Brione Lockett, PhD., MPH (he, him, his); Leilah Siegel, PhD (she, her)

References

Baldwin, J. (1976). The Devil Finds Work. In Collected Essays (p. 537). Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc.

Allwood, M., Ghafoori, B., Salgado, C., Slobodin, O., Kreither, J., Waelde, L. C., ... & Ramos, N. (2022). Identity‐based hate and violence as trauma: Current research, clinical implications, and advocacy in a globally connected world. Journal of traumatic stress, 35(2), 349-361.

Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many leading causes of adult death: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 245–258.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2019). What is child trauma? https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-...a/about-child-trauma

Smith, W. A., Allen, W. R., & Danley, L. L. (2007). “Assume the position ... You fit the description”: Psychosocial experiences and racial battle fatigue among African American male college students. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(4), 551–578.