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Explanation:
My subject is regarding how individuals have perceived and treated Black women's sexuality throughout history. I am drawn to this because, as a Black woman who expresses masculine characteristics, I can empathize with being criticized or misconceived. Researching this subject assists me in gaining a greater understanding of how Black women reclaim their own bodies and sexuality, embracing who they are with pride. It's also powerful and empowering for me to see the strength, joy, and power in how Black women carry themselves outside of stereotype and expectation from society.

Databases Used:
I used JSTOR, ProQuest, and Project MUSE. I found my sources by typing in “genealogy of Black women’s sexuality.”

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Poster from the 1990 Malibongwe Conference (JSTOR)

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Black Women. 6 Jan. 1990. Digital Innovation South Africa, JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/al.sff.document.pos19900106.043.053.2054. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Black Women. 6 Jan. 1990. Digital Innovation South Africa, JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/al.sff.document.pos19900106.043.053.2054. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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This shows a group of women smiling and holding hands, and it looks like they’re celebrating something important together. The quote on the poster says Black women shouldn’t be part of any movement unless it also gives them freedom and respect. This connects to the topic because it shows how Black women want to be seen and treated equally. I found this poster on JSTOR by searching “Black women.”

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The Color of Discipline: Civil Rights and Black Sexuality (Project Muse)

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Russell, Thaddeus. "The Color of Discipline: Civil Rights and Black Sexuality." American Quarterly, vol. 60 no. 1, 2008, p. 101-128. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/aq.2008.0000.

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Russell, Thaddeus. "The Color of Discipline: Civil Rights and Black Sexuality." American Quarterly, vol. 60 no. 1, 2008, p. 101-128. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/aq.2008.0000.

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This talks about how, in the civil rights movement, Black leaders thought that one had to be more "proper" in order to be accepted. They thought that if they showed too much personality, were too different, or were too sexual, that then everybody would judge them. So, they told people to be more serious and not discuss love or gender. This is relatable to the subject because it indicates how Black women needed to conceal a portion of themselves to gain respect. I searched "Black women Sexuality" on Project MUSE and found this article.

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“Entering Through the Body’s Frame” by Kimberly Juanita Brown (ProQuest)

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Black Female Sexualities, edited by Trimiko Melancon, and Joanne M. Braxton, Rutgers University Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://www.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/1987041?accountid=14399.

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Black Female Sexualities, edited by Trimiko Melancon, and Joanne M. Braxton, Rutgers University Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://www.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/1987041?accountid=14399.

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This talks about the movie Precious and how the poster can make the main character's body look broken and cracked. According to the author, Black women are sometimes only noticed if they are suffering. This is relevant to the topic because it shows how Black women are only seen based on their suffering, not as a person. I found this on ProQuest by searching "Black women sexuality."

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“Sultry Divas of Pop and Soul: Janet, Beyoncé, and Jill” by Shayne Lee (ProQuest)

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Lee, Shayne. Erotic Revolutionaries : Black Women, Sexuality, and Popular Culture, Hamilton Books, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://www.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/616285?accountid=14399.

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Lee, Shayne. Erotic Revolutionaries : Black Women, Sexuality, and Popular Culture, Hamilton Books, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://www.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/616285?accountid=14399.

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This talks about how singers like Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, and Jill Scott use music to show that Black women can be powerful, sexy, and in control of their bodies. Some people think showing off your body is bad, but these artists show it can be part of being confident and strong. This relates to the topic because it shows how Black women use music to express themselves and feel free in their own skin. I found this chapter on ProQuest by searching “Black women sexuality.”

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The Mammification of Black Women” (ProQuest)

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Nanda, Shaweta. "Re-Framing Hottentot: Liberating Black Female Sexuality from the Mammy/Hottentot Bind." Humanities 8.4 (2019): 161. ProQuest. Web. 15 Apr. 2025.

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Nanda, Shaweta. "Re-Framing Hottentot: Liberating Black Female Sexuality from the Mammy/Hottentot Bind." Humanities 8.4 (2019): 161. ProQuest. Web. 15 Apr. 2025.

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This discusses how people created an illusion of Black women as "mammies"—large, smiling, motherly women who only take care of other people's children. These women were shown to have no lives or feelings, only doing labor in kitchens or daycare centers. This pertains to the topic at hand because it displays how the bodies of Black women were considered asexual, and so could be gazed at as caregivers, but not necessarily as real people with their own lives and requirements. I found this on ProQuest when I did a search for "Black women sexuality."

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HIV Awareness Poster – “Do the Right Thing – Use a Condom” (JSTOR)

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Black HIV/AIDS Network. Two Black Women Hold a Washing Line to Which Condoms Are Pegged; Advertising Safe Sex and AIDS Prevention. Lithograph. lithograph ;, [between 1900 and 1999]. Wellcome Collection, JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.24759068. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Black HIV/AIDS Network. Two Black Women Hold a Washing Line to Which Condoms Are Pegged; Advertising Safe Sex and AIDS Prevention. Lithograph. lithograph ;, [between 1900 and 1999]. Wellcome Collection, JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.24759068. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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This shows two happy women standing behind a line of condoms to promote safe sex and protection from HIV. They are standing up for sexual health, which is really important because in the past, Black women were often looked down on for talking about these topics. This connects to the topic because it shows how Black women are now proudly leading and supporting conversations about staying safe and healthy. I found this image on JSTOR by searching “Black women sexuality.”

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“Queering Sugar” by Amber Jamilla Musser (JSTOR)

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Musser, Amber Jamilla. “Queering Sugar: Kara Walker’s Sugar Sphinx and the Intractability of Black Female Sexuality.” Signs, vol. 42, no. 1, 2016, pp. 153–74. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26552887. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Musser, Amber Jamilla. “Queering Sugar: Kara Walker’s Sugar Sphinx and the Intractability of Black Female Sexuality.” Signs, vol. 42, no. 1, 2016, pp. 153–74. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26552887. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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This discusses a large sugar sculpture of a Black woman created by artist Kara Walker. Some saw it as powerful and proud, but others saw it as a reminder of the ways Black women's bodies have been mistreated historically. The statue made people take photos and disrespect it, which annoyed others who wanted to have respect for its meaning. This relates to the topic because it shows how Black women's sexuality is misconceived, judged, or disrespected even when portrayed by art. I searched "Black women sexuality" to find this article on JSTOR.

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“Intersectionality and the Study of Black, Sexual Minority Women” by Mignon R. Moore (JSTOR)

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MOORE, MIGNON R. “Intersectionality and the Study of Black, Sexual Minority Women.” Gender and Society, vol. 26, no. 1, 2012, pp. 33–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23212237. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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MOORE, MIGNON R. “Intersectionality and the Study of Black, Sexual Minority Women.” Gender and Society, vol. 26, no. 1, 2012, pp. 33–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23212237. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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This talks about how being Black, a woman, and gay all affect someone’s life in different ways and how they can’t be separated. The author tells stories about real Black lesbian women who explain how hard it is to feel accepted, even in their own communities. This connects to the topic because it shows how sexuality isn’t just about love or attraction, it’s also about how people are treated and how they see themselves when dealing with racism, sexism, and homophobia all at once. I found this article on JSTOR by searching “Black women sexuality.”

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“Against the Grain: Black Women and Sexuality” by Desiree Lewis (JSTOR)

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Lewis, Desiree. “Against the Grain: Black Women and Sexuality.” Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, no. 63, 2005, pp. 11–24. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4066624. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Lewis, Desiree. “Against the Grain: Black Women and Sexuality.” Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, no. 63, 2005, pp. 11–24. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4066624. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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This talks about how Black women have been shown in really unfair ways throughout history, either as caretakers with no feelings or as overly sexualized people. Two photographers, Zanele Muholi and Ingrid Masondo, use their art to fight back against those old ideas. They show Black women as strong, private, and in control of their bodies. This connects to the topic because it shows how art can help Black women tell their own stories about who they are and what sexuality means to them. I found this article on JSTOR by searching “Black women sexuality.”