Why Taraji P. Henson's Message Hits Home for Black Women

In a recent interview with Gayle King, Golden Globe award winner Taraji P. Henson was asked if she planned to quit acting. Henson seemed to break down, stating, “I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, and getting paid a fraction of the cost. When it’s time to renegotiate, I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did... I’m just tired.”

How can someone like Taraji P. Henson—who has been featured as a leading lady in beloved films and TV shows, with several prestigious nominations and awards to show for it—still need to be asked to be paid fairly? Henson's interview sent a shockwave across social media platforms, yet her experience is unfortunately all too familiar to Black women across industries in America.

When we look at the gender pay gap, little has changed in over two decades. In 2024, when women have increased their presence in higher-paying jobs traditionally held by men, they are still earning less than their male counterparts, on average. There is also a pronounced pay disparity for women of color.

One study using data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that the gender pay gap is especially significant among Black women. Another report, by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, reported that women earn about 82 cents for every dollar a man earns—but for Black women specifically, it’s about 65 cents. Historical injustices such as systemic racism and discriminatory employment practices mean that today, Black women are overwhelmingly under-compensated, which has significant effects on their psychological and emotional well-being.

The Gender Pay Gap and Mental Health

Across-the-board low pay is likely contributing to a silent mental health crisis for Black women. The intersection of racism and patriarchy has significant consequences for Black women’s emotional and physical well-being.

Continuously being overlooked and undervalued often results in a lack of confidence and negative internalized beliefs about oneself. Additionally, repeated experiences of discrimination and microaggressions have been found to lead to chronic stress, burnout, or anxiety (Martins et al, 2020). Experts report that chronic overload at work can gradually lead to exhaustion and weakening of the immune system, which can exacerbate physical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Furthermore, research has consistently found that racial and gender disparities are linked to an increased risk of depressive and suicidal ideations (Banks, 2020; Kim et al., 2020). In one of the first studies to examine the epidemiology of suicide among Black females in the United States, the authors stressed the need to explore structural racism and racial discrimination, address power imbalances, and advocate for structural competence to reduce suicide and suicidal behaviors amongst Black women (Shim & Rodriquez, 2023).

What Therapists Can Do to Help

Taking on invisible, unpaid (or underpaid), and unacknowledged work is only hurting Black women. In my conversations with clients, fellow therapists, and educators, I've heard frequent stories of Black women’s emotional and physical exhaustion not being taken seriously; that needs to change.

In therapy, we can hold space for these obstacles to Black women’s success. Therapists can intervene in power dynamics by taking these conversations seriously when clients bring them up and create an environment that welcomes and invites this dialogue. Practicing curiosity instead of judgment fosters vulnerability and transparency of one’s experiences. Ultimately, this can breed safety, trustworthiness, and acceptance of one’s difficult experiences.

Mental health professionals can also collaborate with clients to teach emotion regulation tools and identify techniques to promote self-empowerment. Open space to empower women to say no, negotiate, and step away when they need to. Active listening, practicing empathy, and curiosity can go a long way.

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Additionally, therapists who focus on building cultural humility and making a commitment to self-evaluate, self-critique, and build self-awareness are better positioned to create a safe therapy room. Murry Bowen, a pioneer of family therapy, said that in a perfect world, he would desire that therapists take the initiative to learn about their own family of origin, work through differentiation, and ultimately create a non-anxious presence for their clients. As therapists, doing our own work will increase our capacity to shoulder the burden that our Black female clients face daily and improve mental health outcomes for Black women at large.