Forgotten, but not gone: how the ‘Big, Black and Dangerous’ stereotype still shapes psychiatry

This article challenges the assumption that the longstanding ‘Big, Black and Dangerous’ stereotype is irrelevant to current racial disparities in psychiatry. Despite its absence from mainstream discussions of inequality, I argue that this stereotype continues to shape inequalities in access, diagnosis and treatment across mental health services. The belief that this stereotype no longer matters is itself part of the problem. Drawing on historical and contemporary evidence, this article argues that meaningful reform requires confronting psychiatry’s racist legacy, and advocates for the inclusion of the history of racism in psychiatry within training curricula, alongside compulsory anti-bias education for psychiatrists.