Swimming's New Wave: Black women's relationships water

Updated: 5 days ago

How Black women are reclaiming space in the water

For decades, Black women have faced barriers to swimming. Much of this stems from historical segregation across swimming spaces, cultural myths about bodies of water, and a lack of access to swim instruction in Black communities. For many Black women, the added challenge of hair maintenance—given chlorine damage and ill-fitting swim caps—has made the water feel even more unwelcoming. In fact, nearly 70% of Black adult women have little or no swimming ability. Tragically, this contributes to the reality that Black individuals are five times more likely to drown than their white peers.

But the tide is turning. Olympians like Simone Manuel, Lia Neal, and Natalie Hinds have shattered stereotypes, inspiring a new generation. New swimwear brands are designing caps for natural hair, colleges are expanding outreach, and Black swim coaches are rising in number, making pools feel more inclusive and empowering than ever.

To discuss the ways in which Black women are reclaiming their spaces in the water, we are in conversation with Dr. Dawn Norwood. She is an associate professor and interim department chair at Queens University of Charlotte in the Department of Health and Human Performance. Her scholarly interests include issues of race and gender in sport. Dr. Norwood's current research centers on male attitudes and perceptions of the WNBA. She completed her doctoral studies in the sociology of sport at the University of Tennessee.

To learn more about Dr. Norwood, click here.

More Works by Dr. Norwood:

Season 2 Episode 22

Running Time: 30 minutes