Perceptions of Black Female Sexuality Among Street-Identified Black Men and Women: A Mixed Methods Comparative Analysis

• In Event: Race, Gender, and Class Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 6) Gender, Sexuality, and Masculinities

Abstract

This secondary analysis examines how street-identified Black men and women perceive the sexual behavior and reproductive health of low-income Black women and girls. Data was drawn from 800 community-based surveys and a subset (20) of in-depth interviews from Black men and women ages 16 to 54 from two high-crime neighborhoods in Wilmington, Delaware. Study participants comprise a distinctive, hard-to-reach subset of the broader low-income Black population that is often in closer proximity to criminal justice contact, violence, and other forms of what the government deems to be illicit activities . The original data was collected from Street PAR also known as participatory action research. The survey questions focused on attitudes toward abortion, contraception and racialized perceptions of sexuality, especially as these themes related to Black women and girls. In this paper, I compare the data across gender to understand the gender differences in their perceptions among Black men and women. The importance of the study is to understand how the perceptions of sexuality among street-identified Black men and women might influence Black women’s behaviors and why opinions relating to reproductive health might explain how society at large interacts and treats Black women. The results showed a statistical correlation between how Black men and women responded to survey questions and thematic themes that explain how Black women are perceived to engage with sexuality and their motivations, often influenced by the street-identified variable. Findings identified that the gender differences in perceptions existed due to : existing negative stereotypes/controlling images, experiences within different relationship dynamics and socialization under the patriarchy. The goal of this research is to further build a heightened awareness of perceptions of Black women's sexuality for increased understanding and improvement of this perception to heal black communities and women from the adverse effects of this structural problem.

Author

• Leandra Williams, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign