Confronting Hyper Sexuality In The Black Community

Sorted under beauty, body image, race and racism, sex and sexuality on February 5, 2009

As the mother of a young child who is approaching his tween years, thoughtful consideration of our social dialogue as it relates to sex and sexuality has been of great personal concern. Along with assuring that my child receives accurate information to make the correct decisions for him, ensuring that he understands that even the options that are available to him are strictly a result of his race and gender are an essential part of an evolving conversation on sex and sexuality.

When educating black children about sex, it is not enough to speak about the mechanics of the act. Though it is an absolute necessity to stress safe sex in a time where AIDS has reached a truly epidemic stature within our communities, the why we choose to engage in sex can and should be an equally important conversation.

Children come to an understanding of our world by interacting and confronting the agents of socialization. They will receive clear and direct instructions on performing gender, race and sexuality. These intersections are internalized and accepted as normative, despite the fact that they are often damaging on multiple levels.

Black children in particular must deal with the social idea that their bodies are hyper sexual. This can be seen in the overtly sexualized images of black women in rap videos, or the black male as rapist construction. In both of the aforementioned examples, sexuality is perverted in that it is presented as overly aggressive, and existing outside of normalized engagement.

The virgin/whore dichotomy is continually reified through the lens of race wherein white women exist with the construction of purity and the black female is reduced to the ever wanton Jezebel. This construction has its foundation in slavery. It was meant to justify the repeated rape of black women by their white male slave owners.

Though we have long since moved beyond slavery as a condition of living in the broader culture, its shadow continues to interject itself into our discourse about sex and sexuality. Young black girls quickly internalize the idea that their bodies exist for consumption based in the falsehood that they are continually desirous of sex. This construction removes the agency from the decision to have sex and implies that sex must occur because that is the foundation of the black female identity. It further reifies a hierarchy of beings wherein the black female is routinely located at the bottom. Bell Hooks theorizes that the black woman has no institutional other, and when we examine the discourse of sex and gender what immediately becomes clear is that the politics of colonization and oppression continually manifest in ways in which foster a negative sexual identity in black females.

Reducing black women to simply sexual beings without agency or autonomy over their physical beings translates into high rates of teen pregnancy and a low cultural self esteem. If your identity is based on sexual performance rather than achievement in education, it perpetuates the idea that success can only be achieved by conforming to the role of eternal Jezebel. This creates an unhealthy sexuality in that sex is no longer something one engages in to share pleasure or manifest a loving relationship, but to assert a form of self worth.

While a healthy sexuality is important to achieve a well rounded sense of self, the overvaluation of it is detrimental. Reducing women to what they do with their vaginas rather than with their brains serves patriarchal interests. For black women who have a history of slavery the perpetuation of the Jezebel complex amounts to the continued colonization of black female bodies.

This form of sexuality is also heterosexist nature in that it constructs women as existing solely for the purposes of male sexual pleasure, while ignoring the existence of same sex loving women. Lesbian love is delegitimized because it does not actively serve patriarchy; and therefore its erasure is not only a slight on black women, but on all women that identify as lesbian. Queer culture is very much a part of the black community, but when sexuality is controlled by outside forces instead of individually, certain identities become invisible if it is deemed that their existence does not help to maintain the race/class/gender hierarchy.

The model held for the black male is quite similar to the black female. It once again finds it origins in slavery; wherein the black male was constructed as the sexually aggressive savage to promote distrust between black men and white women. In this way white men are assured their place at the top of the race and gender hierarchy, while constructing themselves as the saviour of white women and the socially evolved masters of black men.

The hyper masculine sexuality that is presented as a model to black men can be seen in rap videos, and throughout mainstream media. The black male sexuality that is offered is one that is desirous of continues conquest; wherein the pleasure of the act itself is over looked. Black men are perceived not to engage in sex because it is an act of intimacy between two beings; rather it is construed as an act that reifies their masculinity. In a world where in the black male is continually reduced to an exotic “other” combating such images can be difficult. If masculinity is derived through sexual conquest, then this reinforces a problematized identity.

Just as same sex loving is detached from black female sexuality, a queer identity is similarly not associated with black male sexuality. Black masculinity is forever measuring itself against that of the white male. Due to the historic imbalance caused by racism any form of sexuality that is deemed “socially deviant” is actively denied. This has given rise to living a life on the “down low”. Though black males are certainly not the only ones to lead closeted lives, the tendency to deny sexual orientation is higher because of the association of black masculinity and sexual conquest. This is not healthy and is ultimately damaging to the individual on many levels.

We have a tendency to speak about sex as though it is divorced from other social elements, yet it is one of the most complex forms of human interactions. When we ignore the complexities of race, class and gender in our discussions it has a tendency to minimize the ways in which different groups of people not only understand but experience sexuality. What must be paramount when we seek to educate our youth is that they be made to recognize that though they are the products of social construction, as individuals they exist with ability to transcend norms and create a sexuality that is not only more positive, but a reflection of their right to possess a sexuality in which the onus is on individual agency.

When we begin to discuss sexuality with black children, it is important to make connections to the ways in which racism has affected our understanding of what it is to be black, while at the same time exist as a sexual being. Reclaiming sexuality from the race infused dialog would foster a more positive understanding of what it is to be sexual thus encouraging youth to see this as a decision that is not synonymous with claiming their gender identity, but in sharing an experience of intimacy with another.



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  • Interesting post. I have made a twitter post about this. My friends will enjoy reading it also.
  • Loves hyper sexuality & someone fucked me really hard.
  • Loves to be fucked by some black hardcore dick, as i love black man.
  • Interesting post.

    While I agree that Black culture has been hyper-sexualized, I cannot put the blame on rap videos alone. As you hinted, black sexuality in America was defined by racism and the twisted thinking of those who found Blacks inferior. As much as I can freely admit that I stopped watching offensive rap videos in college, they are not to blame for your description of sexuality being "perverted in that it is presented as overly aggressive, and existing outside of normalized engagement." That perversion happened centuries ago.

    The broader culture in society (American to be specific,) is hyper-sexual as well, don't you think? I find that nowadays, sex and sexuality has gotten out of control particularly for young girls who have little clue of how to be in charge of who they are. That goes beyond race or class. However, I will admit that Black women ultimately carry the 'scarlet letter' in the media and are used as the face of such problems. But, I make this point because I do not think your post is complete without acknowledging that hyper-sexuality does not exist in the Black community alone.

    Anyway, once again, this was an interesting and thought provoking post.
  • Solomonsydelle, great point you make.....hyper sexuality is a people issue , not confined to one race as some here would like everyone to believe.
  • Alyssa in SF
    Here here.
  • Excellent Summation of the real issue Renee.

    "Reducing black women to simply sexual beings without agency or autonomy over their physical beings translates into high rates of teen pregnancy and a low cultural self esteem."

    "Please" submit this post to the 09' Black History Month Blog Carnival.
    at badgalsradio.com - click the icon above the Entrecard Please.

    Everyone Needs To See This Post, as it's essentially offering a clarification
    to an often discussed problem/social issue in the Black Community.

    Excellent Blog,
  • I submitted the post
  • i understand your worries, it´s a good thing you are pointing in this post! Moreover the internet changed things dramatically and I agree our kids might be lost concerning their sexuality since having some tends to be seen as performance. Rap did not make things easier and their influential protagonists should have a drastic change in their message.
    Very good post
  • I have to step in say that I can't agree with everything that is written here. I'm new here and certainly not trying to make waves with my new friends. Yes, I believe that there is class warfare among black people, and Yes I believe that it's horrible that it exists........but no, some of it has to do with your attitude and rising to the occasion. No, I am not a black person so I couldn't possibly understand what it's like to go through this. This seems more of by product of black on black which is very prominent in the south. The further north(specifically north east) this whole mentality seems to dissipate. So maybe it's also an issue of geography. In conclusion, I will say that young white women have it just as tough especially when they have role models such as Paris Hilton, and Brittany Spears.
  • You are not trying to be offensive but somehow you manage to be. Paris Hilton is simply one example and I notice that you neglect to mention the great degree of privilege both white and class that this woman has. The experience of WOC and white women are not the same. They never have been or ever will be as long as racism continues to be an issue in our society.
  • Nice response...Typical, but nice.
  • Look I am not going to baby you. If you step to me with idiocy you are going to be called on it. If you don't like it don't comment on my posts. I have neither the time, nor the inclination to encourage you in your ignorance or privilege. The whole white women have it just as tough meme is not only nonsense, it is racist. White women may not exist with as much privilege as their while male counterparts however, that does not erase the fact that they still exist with an extreme amount of privilege, especially in comparison to WOC. Feel free to sell that monolithic woman, sisterhood crap elsewhere, perhaps you can still hire yourself a mammy that is willing to indulge you. Final thought, if this comment got under your skin that would be your whiteness showing.
  • I'm angry, but not as angry as you.
    Since you brought up my mammy (which is ignorant because I never went there with you)
    She has a saying.."When you laugh, everyone laughs with you...when you cry, you cry alone."
    There are no free lunches in life. It's just hard period.
    But I'm sure all you will do is insult my "mammy".
  • How fucking original, you get told by a black woman and come back with the you're so angry rhetoric? Do you find your whiteness blinding in the moonlight? Seriously how many times can any one person put their racist foot in their mouth in a couple of posts?. I do believe you belong staunchly in the STFU & L category as so far you have not managed to post without making racist commentary.
  • And your just a foul mouthed young girl with a ton of growing up to do.
  • Okay so I am angry and a girl. Can you come up with an insult that does not have a racist connotation...take a moment and breathe I know that privilege kills brain cells. At the rate your going, you are going to end up with athletes foot in in your ignorant little mouth. Oh and since I enjoy swearing, fuck you, and fuck off.
  • Alyssa in SF
    My goodness. How you conduct yourself is pretty shocking. I'm not sure where in "foul mouthed young girl" there is a racist slur, but I'm going to have to agree 100% with organic70 on her statement. You'll be a woman when you can control your tongue and communicate in a respectful manner, even if you don't agree with what someone is saying. In the meantime, your angry racist comments only further the rift between each other as women. You should really be ashamed of your behavior.
  • And you should really shut the fuck up. First off, your commentary is agest, but you're only interested in being oppressive. How I choose to express myself is my business. Respect is earned not given and Organic did not approach respectfully therefore she got what she was looking for.
    Since racism is something that is determined by how it effects the listener as a WOC it was my call to make, but then you would know that if you had clue one about anti racism. So unless you have something useful to add, how about you join the shut the fuck up and listen crowd because your ignorance is glaring.
  • That is one serious potty mouth!
    You are one angry woman. Will the "Real Renee" please stand up. I think it's great that you keep a thesaurus next to you (to find big words of course), and the quotes from Gone With The Wind are certainly nice, but yelling obscenity's in a public forum like this really shows everyone who you are. By the way, the only one here playing the race card is you. Maybe I should move to an Island along with the "Gays and Lesbians", that's right I read some of the work on your blog as well, and apparently we are all more privileged than you. Or at least that's the picture you are trying to paint. But here's the thing Renee, in five years after everyone has moved on with there life and forgotten all about this post, and they forgotten all about you. Renee will still be Renee, and for that I feel sorry for you. ....I'm done, feel free to bully someone else and yell obscenities at.
  • Here we go again with the angry trip..You start shit and then get pissed when you get called on it...to fucking bad. OOOOh potty mouth...oooooh. Seriously get over yourself. No one is forcing you to read...Holly and I share this space and therefore I shall express myself as I see fit.
    As for thread derailing gays and lesbian commentary clearly you missed the boat again because white privilege is your BFF. I support gay marriage, support EDNA and have spoken out against gay bashing...That said, you do not have the right to take my struggle and appropriate it for your own means. I didn't see any fucking rainbow flags flying in protest of Sean Bell...oh no if its not explicitly gay your community cannot be bothered (read white gays and lesbians) but you want our support. Guess the fuck what, it goes both ways. You want an ally behave like one. Gay is not the new black and it never will be...The more you speak the more you show your privielge. Try taking some anti racism 101 before you open your fucking troll mouth one more time.
  • no bias
    You also should consider your racism. You continual denigrate another commenter for being "white". Cuts both ways.
  • I take it that you another person that need to be told to kiss my ass.
  • I honestly thought that it was just me. After she cursed me out I decided to take a look at some of her other posts on her blog, and I was actually blown away with the amount of hatred poring out of her. Her writing is absolutely amazing though, I've got to admit.
    I do know a few things about people, and this much I can tell......someone that feels this strongly and carries this much pent up anger, is someone that is not happy with their own skin.
  • How rude. Not very polite.
  • I was not trying to be polite
  • Thanks for posting on this, Renee. I found it very interesting.

    It reads very much like something I read by Siwal and another source by Goff. Did any of your sources mention the sedimentation of gender and sexual identity in reiteration through cultural "norming" practices (Butler)?
  • While I respect Butler I find her classist approach to sharing information to be troubling. bell hooks is a deconstructionist in much the same way but her work is accessible to the masses. Following in that tradition I try to reference work from scholars who are not necessarily dependent upon using language to create an a barrier to knowledge. I can do the post structuralist "speech" with the best of them, however it really adds nothing to knowledge if the common person is barred from information. I will state that you are quite correct when you noticed elements of her work in this piece.
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