My Black Genitals Are Not Public Enemy #1

March 7th, 2011 by Andrea

With all the stereotyping and fact interventions, there’s still an state of being being argued.  It’s about what Black women and our bodies are or aren’t, in these cases that Black women being or not being veneral-disease vessels and vectors, wombs without rings, perpetuators of in-utero race-killing.  This dovetails into one of the biggest self-myths that has strengthened since HIV/AIDS and identity politics came into popular consciousness:  identity as prophylactic. In other words, “I’m not a(n) _____________ (fill in the statistically affected group member and/or their “characteristics” here), I don’t have to worry about _______________ (fill in sexually related issue, act, or condition here).” Its insidious corollary is, “If I don’t date/fuck ________________ (fill in statistic-stereotyped group here), then I won’t get/have to deal with (fill in sexually related issue, act, or condition here).”  And, with this, some people continue to have unprotected sex.  And some other people want to make it damn near impossible to receive any care when that happens, whether the unprotected sex results in a pregnancy, an STI, or both.

So, nope, my Black lady parts are not The Enemy…but what people want to do to them is.

Image credits:  Andrea (AJ) Plaid

Page 3 of 3 | Previous page

Posted in african-american, black, sex, sexual stereotypes, sexuality, stereotypes, trans issues, women | 1 comment

Previous post:
Next post:

  • Anonymous

    Thank you! Yes, these stats should really only be used for in-community efforts to inform and educate people about sexual health. Not to create yet another stereotype damning black people.

    Also, I do agree that it causes people to only suspect a certain group of being carriers of something, or capable of some act. It encourages racial profiling, much like in the case of homeland security encouraging fear and suspicion of Muslims or people who “look” Muslim.

    There are still many people who don’t use any protection when having sex. I can remember as a younger woman hearing men talking about “evacuating” their penises before they came. Many people still carry these myths and then they may later have to pay the price for misinformation. I wonder what must be going through some people’s minds when they end up contracting an STD. “Hhmm, did I sleep with a black person recently?”

    But protection can’t protect us from everything, at least in the case of HPV. Men are carriers, and sometimes women can get cervical cancer from the virus over time, among other things. There is the guardasil vaccine, but that only targets two particularly strong virus strains, I think type 15 and 16. So you still have to be careful even when using protection and/or other forms of birth control. Definitely get checked out regularly if you’re sexually active, especially when encountering a new sex partner.

    I’ve really hated these movements. Especially in the case of No Wedding No Womb. It’s like they try to dress up their movements are all-empowering, but they always place responsibility squarely on the shoulders of black women. And only targeting black cisgender women. What kind of bullshit is this?!

    I like being educated rather than having my choices and options restricted. I like knowing that there are people actually looking out for me rather than calling me an idiot, a whore, a disease-ridden monster and every other pejorative slur you can think of.

    I feel like some people are least likely to seek help and information b/c they are continually feeling the wait of shame and worrying that people will look down on them. If there was a more accepting, encouraging and productive environment they would feel more free to get what they need. And some do not have access to certain resources which organizations like Planned Parenthood make a mission of providing.