Worse than Objects: The Depiction of Black Women and Men and Their Sexual Relationship in Pornography

• In Event: Media and Race

Abstract

Previous content analysis has suggested that black women may be more often the target of aggression but that this relationship is dependent on the race of her male partner; white partners being more aggressive than black male partners. This analysis retests that finding with a sample of 1,742 total videos from two online pornography sites. Findings suggest that black women still receive more physical aggression than white women. Other elements of objectification such as stripping and cumshots are not significantly different between white and black women. Looking at the racial makeup of depicted couples, black women actually are depicted as receiving most aggression from black men (54% of scenes); while white women are depicted as receiving the least amount of aggression from white men (35% of scenes). Black men in general are depicted as being aggressive and not intimate with their partners, kissing their partners less than white men. Overall this study suggests there are still persistent and harmful racist stereotypes of the aggressive black man and the “worse than an object” black woman in Mainstream pornography.

Authors

• Niki Fritz, Indiana U Bloomington

• Vincent Malic, Indiana U Bloomington

• Bryant M. Paul, Indiana U

• Yanyan Zhou, Indiana U- Bloomington