Steeped in Shame: An Exploration of Family Sexual Socialization Among Black College Women

Most research on Black girls’ sexuality emphasizes reducing risk behaviors, with less attention to dimensions of healthy and normative sexual development, such as body positivity. To address this gap, we sought to explore the diversity of sexual messaging young Black women received during their formative years. Using consensual qualitative research methods, we explored how 50 Black college women (ages 18–24 years) described their sexual socialization within family contexts in relation to their current sexual beliefs and behaviors. The following themes emerged from the data: messages of discretion, negative messages about physical appearance, messages of deference, messages of abstinence, absence of sexual messages, messages of body positivity, messages of egalitarianism, messages of sex positivity, and messages of sexual distrust and dismissiveness. Black families’ sexual socialization processes were also influenced by ethnicity, social class, and religious orientation. Our findings situate Black women’s family sexual socialization practices within a sociohistorical framework and highlight the need to support Black girls’ healthy sexual development by eliminating fear, shame, or taboo around sexual exploration. Education and advocacy efforts should focus on communicating openly with youth to help them make more positive decisions about sex and bodily autonomy.

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What Happens If They Come for You? An Exploration of Mothers’ Racial Socialization on Discrimination With Black College Women

Psychology of Women Quarterly ◽

10.1177/0361684320979679 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 036168432097967

Author(s):

Seanna Leath ◽

Sheretta Butler-Barnes ◽

Raven Ross ◽

Zenobia Lee-Nelson

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

College Women ◽

Racial Discrimination ◽

Racial Socialization ◽

Black Family ◽

The United States ◽

Black Girls ◽

Black College ◽

Black Mothers ◽

Self Advocacy

Few scholars have considered the racial socialization that Black mothers offer to their daughters on racial discrimination and violence or how mothers’ other social identities (social class and ethnicity) may influence their discourse on these topics. To address this gap, we used consensual qualitative research methods to explore the racial socialization that 47 Black college women recalled from their mothers on racial discrimination and violence during their formative years. The following themes emerged: (a) the nature of Black mothers’ socialization on racial discrimination (consistent messaging, messaging focused on sons, more socialization in response to police shootings, anti-Black messaging from immigrant mothers, and absence of messages) and (b) the ways that mothers socialized their daughters to respond to racial discrimination (self-advocacy, get home safe, code switching, and take the high road). Participants described how their mothers’ socialization messages reflected their personal race-related beliefs and experiences including perceptions of the United States racial climate. Our findings highlight the need for socialization in Black family contexts that addresses the unique and intersectional experiences of Black girls. In particular, scholars and practitioners must draw attention to how racism and sexism contribute to the state-sanctioned violence that Black women and girls experience.

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Black Girls Rock: The Impact of Integration and Involvement on the Success of Black College Women

NASPA Journal About Women In Higher Education ◽

10.1080/19407882.2017.1325379 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 156-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Edna Jones Miller

Keyword(s):

College Women ◽

Black Girls ◽

Black College ◽

The Impact

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Authentically Me: Examining Expectations That Are Placed Upon Black Women in College

American Educational Research Journal ◽

10.3102/0002831218798326 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 407-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rachelle Winkle-Wagner ◽

Bridget Turner Kelly ◽

Courtney L. Luedke ◽

Tangela Blakely Reavis

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Predominantly White ◽

College Women ◽

Life Stories ◽

Predominantly White Institutions ◽

Black College ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Support Structures ◽

White Institutions ◽

Faculty And Staff

Through analyzing critical life stories with Black alumnae from predominantly White institutions, this article offers a narrative, in-depth approach to explore the ways in which alumnae managed and resisted expectations and stereotypes that were placed upon them by peers, faculty, and staff during college. Findings suggested that participants grappled with assumptions of who they should be as Black college women. As they resisted stereotypes and expectations, they crafted unique pathways toward asserting their authentic selves. The findings emphasize heterogeneity among Black women and the need for varied support structures in educational institutions.

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HerStory: Narrative Journeys of Young Black Women with Eating Disorders

10.31124/advance.13296569.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

stephanie hawthorne

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Eating Disorder ◽

Black Women ◽

Social Criticism ◽

Mental States ◽

Black Girls ◽

Self Concept ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Black Females ◽

Young Black Women

Little is known of eating disorder (ED) pathology in Black females. It has long been perceived that Black females do not struggle with EDs; yet growing research suggests the opposite in this sub-population. This study explored ED development in three young Black women and uncovered adolescent experiential factors that were significant in their ED journeys. In the form of narrative inquiry, triangulation of interviews, observations, and abstracts were used to restory their ED accounts and glean a deeper understanding of their personal journeys. Findings revealed that preadolescence was a pivotal period when body image became a prominent focus rooted in social criticism that grew more powerful than their self-images could bear, adversely affecting their self-concept as Black girls. Trauma, sociocultural and sociopolitical variables, and comorbid psychological illnesses were instrumental in their ED developments and placed unhealthy emphasis on their bodies and mental states. Conclusions include 1) childhood experiences presented salient triggers for the development of EDs; 2) cultural distinctions influenced ED practices; 3) EDs were systems of control; and 4) salient factors prevented early intervention of EDs. Black women are coming forward to share experiences of conflict and hope to help further understand ED pathology in the Black community.

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Exploring Black Girls’ Subversive Literacies as Acts of Freedom

Journal of Literacy Research ◽

10.1177/1086296x20966367 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 (4) ◽

pp. 456-481

Author(s):

Lauren Leigh Kelly

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Literacy Practices ◽

The United States ◽

Black Girls ◽

Racial Equity ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Consciousness Development ◽

History Of ◽

And Gender ◽

Young Black Women

Research on Black girls’ and women’s literacies reveals how they utilize literacy practices to resist oppression and define their identities. Yet, these practices are frequently absent from or marginalized in formalized schooling spaces. In addition, Black girlhood is rarely placed at the center of equity interventions in schools. As the history of activism in the United States is tied to Black women’s struggles for freedom, research and practice involving racial equity must be attentive to the literacies and activism of Black girls. Grounded in Black feminist theory, this article describes a longitudinal study of the critical consciousness development of two young Black women as they engaged in distinct literacy practices to navigate and resist racial oppression in high school. The author analyzes interviews as well as literacy artifacts to explore how these girls enacted critical, digital, and subversive literacies to challenge intersecting oppressions of race and gender in a predominantly White, suburban school.

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A Qualitative Exploration of Jezebel Stereotype Endorsement and Sexual Behaviors Among Black College Women

Journal of Black Psychology ◽

10.1177/0095798421997215 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 009579842199721

Author(s):

Seanna Leath ◽

Morgan C. Jerald ◽

Tiani Perkins ◽

Martinque K. Jones

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Black College ◽

Consensual Qualitative Research ◽

Women's Sexuality ◽

Women’S Sexuality ◽

Sexual Beliefs ◽

Semistructured Interviews ◽

Qualitative Exploration ◽

Sexual Exploration

Researchers suggest that the Jezebel stereotype exerts a significant influence on Black women’s sexual decision making. The current qualitative study drew upon narrative data from individual, semistructured interviews with 50 Black women (ages 18-24 years) to explore how the Jezebel stereotype influenced their sexual beliefs and behaviors. Using consensual qualitative research methods, the following four themes emerged from the data: (a) how the Jezebel plays a role in their sexual exploration, (b) how the Jezebel contributes to sexual violence against Black women, (c) how the Jezebel is a hypersexual media representation of Black women’s sexuality, and (d) how the Jezebel is a negative sexual stereotype within family contexts. Our findings contextualize the enduring role of the Jezebel stereotype as a sexual script for Black women, as we found that many participants chose to adapt their clothing choices or sexual behaviors in light of their awareness and endorsement of the stereotype. The authors discuss the implications of study findings for Black women and girls’ sexual socialization and deconstructing deficit-based ideologies of Black women’s sexuality.

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PrEPed or Failed? The Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Consciousness of Black College Women and the Perceived Hesitancy of Public Health institutions to Curtail HIV in Black Women

10.21203/rs.2.19226/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Rasheeta Chandler ◽

Natalie Hernandez ◽

Sudeshna Paul ◽

Henry Ross ◽

Shawnika Hull ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

College Women ◽

Learning Style ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Black College ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

Biomedical Intervention ◽

Viable Population ◽

Hiv Acquisition ◽

Exposure Prophylaxis

Abstract Background Consistent use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a biomedical intervention for HIV seronegative persons, has been shown to significantly decrease HIV acquisition. Black women are a viable population segment to consider for PrEP use as their HIV incidence is overwhelmingly higher than all other women groups.Methods We developed and piloted a cultural- and age- appropriate PrEP education intervention to determine Black college women’s: 1) perceptions of and receptivity to PrEP use; and 2) preferences for PrEP information delivery.Results We recruited N=43 Black college women. Most of our sample were sophomore and Juniors of whom identified as heterosexual (83%) and single (67%). Over 50% of young women had never been HIV tested and only 28% had been tested in the last 6 months; however, 100% of the women believed their HIV status was negative. Prior to participating in the study, most Black college women (67%) had not heard about PrEP and were unsure or apprehensive (72%) to initiate PrEP. The Black college women indicated that our educational intervention was extremely helpful (67%) for understanding and learning about PrEP. Post participating in our PrEP education module, regardless of delivery modality, participants reported being likely (62.55-70%) to initiate PrEP in the future.Conclusions Results indicate that Black college women would strongly consider PrEP when provided with basic knowledge, regardless of delivery modality. Participants also showed greater appreciation for in-person delivery and found it to be significantly more helpful and of greater quality for learning about PrEP; comprehension or perceived usefulness of PrEP-related content was relatively the same between groups. PrEP content delivery -- via in-person or online methods – is contingent on learning style and presentation.

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Black girls navigate the physical and emotional landscape of the neighbourhood: Normalized violence and strategic agency

Qualitative Social Work ◽

10.1177/1473325020920341 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 147332502092034

Author(s):

Claudia Bernard ◽

Anna Carlile

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Black Girls ◽

Public And Private ◽

Friendship Groups ◽

Physical Environments ◽

Young Black Women ◽

Everyday Realities ◽

Emotional Landscape

This article considers how young Black women living in gang-affected neighbourhoods in an urban area in England, UK navigate their safety in public and private spaces, and how these spaces overlap and intersect. Drawing on a project with 18 participants aged 14–19, the research seeks to understand how the participants inhabit, navigate and strategize for their safety through their narratives of life and survival in an unsafe neighbourhood. Findings indicate that they experience sexual harassment in public spaces and gang-associated sexual and physical violence as common, accepted aspects of their everyday realities, from as young as 12. The narratives suggest that participants navigate complex friendship groups to protect each other and their families through tight codes of trust, secrecy, privacy and conflict-management strategies. This article seeks to bring attention to how young women utilize their agency to illuminate the coping strategies they draw on to navigate their physical environments. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for interventions.

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