Abstract

ARAUJO, Luana Mendez  and  CERQUEIRA, Gustavo Luís Caribé. Perceptions of Black women as Saleswomen in Luxury Stores. Psicol. cienc. prof. [online]. 2025, vol.45, e273074.  Epub Mar 17, 2025. ISSN 1414-9893.  https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-3703003273074.

This qualitative research sought to characterize the instances of racism experienced by black women while working as saleswomen in luxury stores in the women’s fashion sector in Salvador. We interviewed five self-declared black women whose activities account for at least one month of experience. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed based on Bardin’s Content Analysis, following the stages of coding, categorization, inference and computer processing. The categories identified and discussed in the results were: (a) Repercussions of structural racism on insertion in the labor market; (b) Racial microagressions in customer-seller relations; (c) Repercussions of fashion beauty standards on self-esteem; and (d) Strategies for fighting racism. Results indicate that the saleswomen’s experiences were permeated by situations of racial discrimination, since their insertion in the luxury sector, which resulted in feelings of inferiority, failure and non-belonging, affecting their self-esteem. The reports pointed to white clients, the most frequent consumers of this market, as main aggressors. Finally, we identified coping mechanisms used by participants to face the experiences of racism in their work environment.

Keywords : Racism; Self-Esteem; Intersectionality; Mental Health.

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