Racial Gaslighting in a Politically Progressive City

Abstract

Drawing from in-depth interviews with an ethnically diverse sample of Black, Indigenous, and people of color living in Portland, Oregon, this article draws upon the concept of racial gaslighting, which Davis and Ernst (Politics, Groups, and Identities, 2019, 7, 761) describe as the political, social, economic, and cultural process that pathologizes those who resist or question the racial status quo. Racial gaslighting may create cycles of self-blame among racialized people who question their own perceptions of reality, even in purportedly progressive contexts. While the term gaslighting has historically been used to describe abusive interpersonal relationship dynamics, racial gaslighting is applicable to the emotional and mental health impacts of structural racism on racialized people. This research addresses how the historical, political, and demographic landscape of places may contribute to racial gaslighting. In particular, this study demonstrates how seemingly progressive contexts fuel the conditions for racial gaslighting.