LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN: THE (RE) NEGOTIATION OF BLACK WOMEN’S 
SEXUALITY IN LITERATURE 

By 

Marlisha Marcellin 

A DISSERTATION 

Submitted to 
Michigan State University 
in partial fulfillment of the requirements   
for the degree of 

English – Doctor of Philosophy 

2024 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ABSTRACT 

This dissertation argues that the Black church deters Black women’s identity and their 

ability to understand and seek what sexuality means to them. Specifically, through a book club 

conducted with a group of Black women who grapples with exploring their sexuality because of 

their upbringing in the church, I investigate how the experiences in the church affect how these 

women viewed sex through a shameful and sinful lens. I engage with scholars such as Brittney 

Cooper, Candice Benbow, and Patricia Hill Collins to investigate the history of sexual neglect of 

Black women and find ways for them to (re)negotiate what sexuality means to them. I introduce 

testimonial storytelling as a means of instruction for Black women on navigating the world in 

three distinct ways—through the act of vocally sharing one’s story, through the process of self-

writing of one’s experiences, and through the presentation of Black women’s stories in literature. 

I contend that this practice contributes to the promotion of sexual justice, which seeks to redefine 

and elevate the understanding of what it means to live in a Black female body. This research is 

significant as scholarship that recognizes the theorizing of pleasure through Black feminist 

theology, and the need to find the themes of this framework in Black women’s literature.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright by  
MARLISHA MARCELLIN 
2024 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This dissertation is dedicated to Black women including cisgender, transgender, and non-binary 
individuals who identify as a Black woman, who grew up affected by the Black church. May you 
know your feelings matter, your body matters, and that you always have a sacred space in my 
heart and in the following pages. May the words written serve as a reminder to continue to resist 
and renegotiate what it means to live in the world that sees you for the multitudes of who you 
are.  

iv 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  

This was a labor of love full of tears of joy, sadness, confusion, and all the in between. 

BUT I could not have done it without the village of wonderful people that God placed in my life. 

First and foremost, thank you to my committee members Drs. Brooks, Johnson, Baker-Bell and 

Lomax, for believing that I was capable even when the many drafts made you skeptical. Thank 

you for being an inspiration to the work I want to do, the people I look up to, and for the 

scholarship that makes Black people feel seen. HUGE shout out to the participants of my 

research for trusting me with your inner thoughts and most vulnerable memories. This would not 

have been possible without each of you.  

Sarah and Dupe! Y’all been through it alllllll with me. You support me even when you 

don’t understand what I’m doing. You listen through the tears and always find ways to help 

bring joy back into my life. Y’all are the true testament of finding your person in your friends. 

My sister scholar! Kaelyn! We been riding them dissertation trenches together from our 

very first visit to Michigan. You don’t know how much I valued walking down Wells Halls for 

three years and you picking my brain and trying to put into words what I can’t. You became my 

home away from home. You created a space for me to live in the entirety of what makes me, me. 

And you always stood up for me even in the spaces I wasn’t there to stand up for myself. Thank 

you for your tenacity, bravery, loyalty, and your everlasting friendship. Till the wheels fall off 

friend! 

To my siblings, thank you for paving the way, for being the difference! I looked up to 

every single one of you and loved how you open doors that’s never been opened. Y’all took me 

under your wing and sacrificed your wings so that I could always fly. I love you! Special shout 

v 

  
out to Tialy for calling me and praying for me on the random. You always knew what I needed 

even when I was too stubborn to ask.  

To my parents, thank you for being my rock! This work that I breath is because you never 

silenced my voice. You may not have understood my viewpoints and the work that I’ve taken up, 

but you stood ten toes deep as I did them. I am where I am because you always made sure I did 

not lack and that I always knew the sky was the limit. 

To my love, Roodson, thank you for your patience and your love. You carried me 

through the darkest seasons and the highest moments of my life, and I always knew I could count 

on you. I am so grateful that I get to share this moment of completion with you! You listened to 

my talks through every defense and rooted for me in the sidelines, the front, and the back. I 

prayed to God for peace, and He sent you. I could not have asked for a better partner to grow 

with.  

Last but not least, thank you to all the women who studied, wrote, and read with me. Sen, 

Vanessa, Soo, Constance, and Doreen, y’all held a brick off my shoulder when the burden of 

dissertation became too much. Thank you for always being a listening ear and an extra pair of 

eyes. Thank you to the English (and WRAC) department for molding such amazing women and 

for providing endless amount of resources for our continued success.  

To God Be the Glory!

vi 

 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 25 

CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 44 

CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 61 

CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 78 

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 112 

CHAPTER SIX ........................................................................................................................... 125 

BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................... 132 

APPENDIX A: SURVEY ........................................................................................................... 140 

APPENDIX B: CONSENT FORM ............................................................................................ 141 

vii 

 
INTRODUCTION 

Bondye fide’l!” (“God is good!”) the pastor shouted into the microphone as he 

approached the front of the platform. And with an expectation of their heartfelt response, his 

voice resonated through the Haitian church, his gaze locked onto the congregation. In unison, the 

congregation bellowed, “Pou tout tan!” (“All the time!”)  

This rhetorical style exemplifies the call and response oral tradition, a practice rooted 

within diverse African American and Caribbean cultures. This tradition describes the exchange 

between a speaker and their audience, wherein the audience responds to cues from the speaker, 

to display their active participation in the exchange (Baker-Bell, 2020). In this discussion, I will 

specifically focus on two languages in which this tradition is prominent: Haitian Creole and 

Black Language. Haitian Creole is the primary language spoken in Haiti, while Black language 

has its roots in West Africa during which the enslaved developed ways to communicate with one 

another that were unrecognizable to the slaveholders (Baker-Bell, 2020). As such, both 

languages have their distinct semantical, grammatical, and rhetorical patterns (Baker-Bell, 2020; 

DeGraff, 2007). Although the context of call and response may vary based on the linguistic 

features of each language, the call and response style is evident in various aspects, including 

music, dance, and religious practices. This historical background is noteworthy to underscore 

that despite shared cultural expressions among Black communities, Blackness is not monolithic 

(“New Ethnicities” 2006). Rather, it embodies a diverse array of cultures, identities, and 

experiences. This diversity finds expression in the call and response tradition observed in the 

Haitian church. 

1 

 
 
 
The 10 AM service of the Haitian church started as a typical Sunday morning. I sat a few 

rows back from the front podium, staring blankly at the people in a frenzy and shouting1 as they 

waited for the pastor to touch their forehead in prayer. I turned my head to my right, and I saw a 

woman with her eyes closed and tears streaming down her face. She approached my row, and I 

began to pray in my head that she was not coming for me. But of course, she was! With her eyes 

still closed, she took my hand to lead me toward the front of the podium. In the Black church, 

this is considered being led by the spirit.2 At the front, the pastor, my father, motioned with his 

finger for me to approach him as he whispered in my ear: 

“Tout bagay pasè pou yon rezon. Fo’w mande pep Bondye a padon pou sa’w te fe” 

(“Everything happens for a reason. You have to ask God’s people for forgiveness”). 

He was talking about me getting my belly button pierced. It was meant for me to understand that 

when I ask for forgiveness, only then would I be forgiven. I was not sorry for what I had done, 

but I apologized anyway because that’s what a “good girl” would do.  

On many occasions, I heard the sermons the pastor preached about our body being God’s 

temple, and we should treat it as such.3  That being the case, I was taught that bodily piercings 

were considered disrespectful to God. At seventeen years old, I understood that I did not need to 

get it pierced, but I wanted to. It was the first time that I made a choice about my body that was 

not dictated by the church’s rules and morality. Despite my best efforts to show indifference to 

the church, I was embarrassed that my father, the pastor, decided that my shame should be put on 

1 Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois references the frenzy and shouting associated in the Black church; frenzy 
is the call and response of the Black service and shouting is the low murmur or scream from somewhere in the pews, 
entailing clapping or stomping. This animation stemmed from slavery and served as an expression of engagement 
with the religious experience in the service (p. 127-9). 
2 Growing up in the church, the pastor preached that being led by the spirit meant that God is leading you. 
3 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: biblical verse often used in the church I attended as a young girl to clarify the body being a 
temple of God. 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
the platter for the entire congregation as a learning example for the other youths. I was being 

used as a lesson to “stay in line.” Cultural theorist Tamura Lomax describes “staying in line” in 

the article, “Theorizing the Distance Between Erotophobia” as the means to present oneself in a 

proper Black female body to maintain heteronormative issues within the church such as social 

order and respectability politics (265). This definition brings attention to the intricate interplay 

between race, gender, sexuality, and religion, unveiling how these intersecting factors influence 

the formation of expectations and behaviors within religious communities. The importance of the 

term “respectability politics,” coined by Evelyn Higginbotham in 1993, lies in its focus on the 

challenges faced by Black girls and women. They navigate societal and religious expectations, to 

defy negative stereotypes and find avenues to be seen. This underscores the idea that societal 

norms and religious frameworks can shape and constrain the experiences of Black girls and 

women, often requiring them to conform to a narrow set of ideals to be deemed acceptable. By 

examining these intersections, the definition invites a critical exploration of the power dynamics, 

social pressures, and identity negotiations that occur within religious settings. As such, this 

memory contributed to my understanding of how Black girls within the church face scrutiny 

solely based on their humanity and gender. It illustrates how even a seemingly harmless act like 

getting my belly button pierced was perceived as too grown and sexual. I longed for a sacred 

space in which I did not feel the need to sacrifice my spiritual and sexual needs as a young, 

Black girl to meet the demands of the church. 

In this context, I acknowledge three key aspects that this dissertation aims to explore, 

which are the cultivation of Black women’s sexual identity, the significance of their stories of 

sexual repression, and the creation of a sacred space for women. Consequently, I facilitated a 

book club using a dialogical approach emphasizing themes of  restoration, communal 

3 

 
 
engagement, and an epistemological framework. The study involved five Black women 

participants with varied experiences in the church, all of whom experienced inner conflict 

regarding their spiritual and sexual lives. This research sought to address three questions: 1) How 

do Black women’s experiences within the Black church contribute to how they see themselves as 

sexual beings? 2) How does literature help Black women heal from the spiritual violence 

associated with the Black church? 3) What practices and strategies can Black women engage in 

to develop and strengthen their sexual politics? 

Purpose of the Research 

The purpose of this research is to explore the topic of sexual politics and the feelings of 

shame experienced among Black women within the Black church. It is important to note that 

while the Black church encompasses various denominations, this research specifically focuses on 

Black evangelicalism. Black evangelical churches prioritize preaching centered around the 

gospel of Jesus and the act of repentance and turning away from sin (Gilbreath, 2008). By 

employing Todne Thomas’s observations in Kincraft (2021), which examines the interpretation 

of Black evangelicals based on her study of an Afro-Caribbean and African-American 

evangelical church in Atlanta, as well as drawing from my personal experiences with Black 

evangelicals in the Haitian church during my upbringing, a shared spiritual kinship emerges. 

This kinship is characterized by the formation of a collective identity based on shared 

spirituality, mentoring relationships, and communal practices (83). To simplify the terminology 

for the diverse Black evangelical practices, the term Black church will be utilized throughout the 

remainder of this dissertation.  

Additionally, it is necessary to emphasize that although women within the evangelical 

church encounter similar instances of shame, the unique experience of Black women stems from 

4 

 
 
 
factors such as racism, classism, and the stereotypes associated with their identity. I argue that 

certain teachings within the Black church foster detrimental attitudes toward Black women’s 

sexuality, resulting in feelings of shame and sin among them. To address this issue, I propose 

storytelling as a potential avenue for healing among Black women. As a Black woman myself, it 

is imperative for me to resist negative stereotypes and to seek alternative meanings of sexuality 

that are not rooted in oppression but in agency. Thus, the examination of Black female sexuality 

is critical to this research as I delve into the history of how Black women approached gaining 

autonomy over their bodies, spanning from the times of enslavement to the present day. In this 

exploration, I draw upon the insights of scholars like Patricia Hill Collins, Evelyn Higginbotham, 

bell hooks, and many others toward a cultural understanding of the female body. My approach 

stems from the perspective of a literature scholar immersed in theological discourses. 

Considering this background, I transition to the context regarding Black female sexuality and its 

influence on specific church doctrines that affect the sexuality of Black women.  

Historical Background  

During the era of enslavement, Black women frequently became victims of rape by white 

men, who viewed them as property for economic gain. This was exacerbated by the 1662 

doctrine of “partus sequitur ventrem,” which declared that a child born to an enslaved mother 

would also be born a slave (Byrd & Thorps 2002). This legal status contributed to Black women 

reproducing the slave labor force, rendering them vulnerable as both sexual objects and 

profitable slave breeders. Consequently, they found themselves detached from their own 

identities as sexual beings. In response to these challenges, Black women employed three 

methods that displayed their efforts to assert agency over their bodies: sexual abstinence, 

abortion, and infanticide (Hine, 1997). By abstaining from sexual engagements with their white 

5 

 
 
“master” and, despite the psychological challenges of both abortion and infanticide, these 

methods served to prevent the reproduction of more children into the slave labor force. Together, 

these actions constituted a form of resistance and agency over Black women’s bodies, reflecting 

their approach to sexual autonomy. Despite these harsh circumstances, white individuals sought 

to justify these sexual assaults by falsely claiming that Black women willingly initiated such 

interactions, thereby emerging stereotypes of their alleged sexual deviance and impurity (hooks, 

1981; Hine, 1997). It is important to acknowledge that these constant assaults resulted in the 

devaluation of Black womanhood, influencing societal perceptions, and shaping the social status 

of Black women even after the abolition of slavery. Wallace-Sanders expressed this impact 

effectively in Skin Deep, Spirit Strong (2002) with the following statement, “the black woman’s 

allegedly innate racial traits (promiscuity, filthiness, vulgarity, lewdness, indecency, ugliness) 

tended to cancel out those uniquely feminine traits that white women were assumed to possess 

(modesty, purity, chastity, beauty)” (24). These alleged racial traits underscore how Black and 

white women experienced their gender differently.  

Barbara Welter outlined the fundamental principles of 19th-century true womanhood, 

which encompassed virtues such as “piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity” (“The Cult 

of True Womanhood” 152). The characteristics associated with true womanhood are determined 

by a woman’s self-assessment and the judgment she encounters from her husband, neighbors, 

and society (Welter, 1966). This concept sheds light on the societal norms and expectations 

imposed upon women that enforce specific roles and behaviors that women are expected to 

adhere to. However, the concept of true womanhood posed a complex challenge for Black 

women. They faced a dual tension, as they were expected to conform to the rules of true 

womanhood, which were designed to exclude and oppress them. This concept functioned as a 

6 

 
 
rationale for white individuals to justify slavery. As a result, true womanhood did not extend to 

Black women due to the constraints of slavery. These restrictions hindered them from developing 

qualities akin to those expected of white women and from dedicating their lives to the traditional 

roles of wifehood and motherhood (Wallace-Sanders, 2002). This tension constitutes the 

manifold aspect of the historical conversation surrounding the formation of Black women’s 

identity, particularly concerning their sexuality.  

Spirit Murdering  

I conclude that the tension faced by Black women can be seen as a form of spirit 

murdering. Education theorist Bettina Love defines spirit murdering as a process in which 

“school practices and officials are slowly killing Black children by murdering their spirits 

through intentional actions, physical assaults, and verbal stabbings” (“Anti-Black State Violence, 

Classroom Edition” 2). While this definition primarily pertains to educational environments, I 

contend that it is also applicable to the phenomenon of spirit murdering within the Black church. 

Specifically, the purity ideology of true womanhood can be seen as a force that kills the spirit of 

Black women. The expectation imposed by this ideology can restrict the individuality and 

autonomy of Black women, who often shape their faith and spirituality according to the doctrines 

of the church. Consequently, it is unsurprising that Black women experience a deep sense of 

shame when they fall short of this moral obligation. Their faith is often framed as separate from 

their bodily desires, leading to internalized shame and suppression of their true selves. An 

illustrative example of this can be found in the personal account of Black feminist Brittney 

Cooper, who reflects on spirituality and shame. She states, “I was trapped in a raging battle 

between my spirit and my flesh. The evangelical teachings of the Baptist churches in which I 

grew up insisted that our flesh—our bodies and their longings and impulses—were sinful, 

7 

 
 
dangerous, and unhealthy. We were admonished each week to bring our unruly flesh in 

submission to our “spirit man” (Eloquent Rage 127). Cooper’s account invites reflection on the 

impact of the purity culture on individuals’ relationship with their bodies and their ability to 

embrace their natural desires and impulses. It also raises questions about the potential 

consequences of framing the body as something to be subdued and controlled in that it impinges 

on Black women’s agency and overall well-being.  

The separation of the spirit and flesh is validated by the teachings of the Apostle Paul in 

the New Testament of the bible. Specifically in Corinthians, Paul denounced sex outside the 

confines of marriage as an immoral act and sin against the body. In her book, What’s Faith Got 

to Do with It,” Kelly Brown Douglas articulates Paul’s perspective as he admonishes faithful 

Christians to “flee from sexual immorality” while cautioning that “he who sins sexually sins 

against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18)” (location 712-725). In the Black church, this verse 

emphasizes the significance of sexual purity and the avoidance of sexual sins. It suggests that 

engaging in sexual immorality is not just a transgression against others but also a sin against 

one’s own body. It raises the need for discussions around the need for biblical hermeneutics that 

explore the complexity of sexuality and morality within the Black church. In Sexuality and the 

Black Church (1999), Brown Douglas affirms this by stating, “bible study must be approached in 

such a way that a creative engagement in sexual discourse can occur. This means that Bible 

study should provide an opportunity for personal inspiration and serious reflection on complex 

issues, such as sexuality” (136). Douglas highlights the need for biblical interpretation that is 

attentive to the complex realities and diverse experiences of individuals. By encouraging a 

reflective approach to sexual discourse, allows for a more holistic understanding of the bible’s 

8 

 
 
teachings and the sexual lived experiences of Black women. It also encourages a definition of sin 

that does not condemn the body but empowers it.  

Furthermore, within the book Sexuality and the Black Church, Brown Douglas delves 

into the connection between sexuality and the institution of slavery. As mentioned, the period of 

enslavement was marked by numerous dehumanizing conditions, resulting in the emergence of 

harmful stereotypes and stigmatization. In response to these damaging narratives, Douglas 

Brown introduced the concept of a “sexual discourse of resistance,” aimed at challenging the 

racist and sexist ideologies that underpinned them. She argues that the intersectionality of 

racism, sexism, and sexuality within a culture dominated by white influence sought to devalue 

the humanity of Black individuals. The paramount importance of this resistance lies in its 

capacity to subvert and redefine the prevailing white perspectives that have been accepted as the 

norm.  

#BlackSkinWhiteSin 

The #BlackSkinWhiteSin forum in The Feminist Wire serves as a platform for 

challenging and reimagining the prevalent stereotypes surrounding the bodies of Black women 

and girls within the context of the Black church. One specific aspect that it addresses is the 

response to Pastor Juanita Bynum’s Facebook video titled “No More Sheets Part 2.” In this 

video, Bynum discusses her concerns regarding women’s aesthetic expression in the church, 

such as wearing skirts that are deemed too tight or short, which she proclaims is an attempt to 

seduce men within the church. She goes on to compare women who dress in such a manner to 

prostitutes and implies that men of God would not desire a woman who presents herself in that 

way. Bynum’s message reflects violence towards Black women’s self-expression and their 

commitment to their faith, rooted in patriarchal, heterosexist, and respectability norms. A 

9 

 
 
noteworthy example from the forum that acknowledges the sacred and virtuous nature of Black 

women’s bodies is titled “#BlackSkinWhiteSin: Received” by Neichelle Guidry: 

if my body is good for discernment, why can’t my body also be good for desire? Bodies 

talk, and mine is insistent and quite clear about what she needs to wholly flourish and to 

lead me into joy unspeakable...The sad fact of the matter is that such preachers are simply 

not equipped with their own self-love (or theological education) to teach Black women 

how to trust in our own bodies as sites of beautiful, sacred, holy mediation. Bynum’s 

ideas, and the proliferation of misogynist and white supremacist theologies in blackface, 

have pushed Black women into valleys, surrounded by dead and dry bones: dead desires, 

dead relationships, dead impulses, dead hearts. In receiving such teachings, we have 

received death; figurative enough for us to still be walking, but real enough for many of 

us to be zombies masquerading as good church girls. 

This statement highlights Guidry’s frustration with preachers like Bynum, who fail to 

acknowledge the importance of self-love and theological education in teaching Black women to 

trust their bodies. This criticism extends to the perpetuation of ideologies that prioritize the 

dominance of white individuals over others, as suggested by the metaphorical use of “blackface.” 

The symbolic representation of a “valley of dry bones” serves to illustrate a state of spiritual 

desolation and hopelessness, leading to a sense of despair. The metaphorical demise caused by 

these teachings has resulted in an existence that is empty and devoid of genuine life and joy. 

Consequently, I recognize the necessity for new constructions of scripture that provide 

alternative and imaginative ways of Black women being holy.  

Another example provided by Melva Sampson within the forum is titled 

“#BlackSkinWhiteSin: No Redemptive Quality,” which further illustrates the detrimental impact 

10 

 
 
of oppressive doctrines within the Black church. Sampson reveals the internal conflict and shame 

instigated by doctrines that label premarital sex as a sin. Despite being in love with and sexually 

in sync with a man, after their intimate moments, Sampson sometimes began praying and asking 

God for forgiveness. During Juanita Bynum’s visit to a Washington, DC church, Sampson went 

to the alter to have Bynum lay hands on her to free her sexual urges. This intervention exposes 

the failure of attempts to align personal desires with church doctrine. In response to this 

encounter, Sampson reveals how her shame compelled her to take part in the alter call. She asked 

herself “how much was my shame worth,” as she offered the tennis bracelet her lover gifted her 

to atone for the engagement in premarital sex. Her experience highlights how her shame made 

her feel like she had to deny parts of herself to receive grace. Her story further reveals censorship 

of her body and truth, leading to years of internalized thoughts that have disdained all aspects 

that make her feel complete. As she concludes the forum, she emphasizes the importance of 

preaching church doctrine that privileges Black women’s agency over their bodies. Both these 

narratives contribute to the critical examination of how certain church doctrines contribute to 

feelings of shame and guilt for Black women regarding their bodies. This further emphasizes the 

imperativeness of interpretations of scripture that affirm and empower Black women’s 

wholeness.  

Both Guidry and Sampson’s narrative highlights the violence done to the minds and 

bodies concerning Black girls and women sexual politics in the church. I present these narratives 

to contest the damaging societal and church doctrines that characterize the bodily desires of 

Black women as sinful, perilous, and evil, thereby restricting their sexual agency. It advances the 

notion of reimaging the significance of sexuality for Black women, empowering them to define 

their bodies on their own terms, separate from the standards imposed by church doctrine while 

11 

 
 
 
recognizing their inherent sanctity. As I examine this body of work from an academic 

perspective, it is important to note that this discourse is also being disseminated among Black 

women through various social media platforms. On the Instagram page of Grown Magazine 

(@grownmag), an online platform founded by Kaya Nova to amplify the well-being and 

empowerment of Black women, focusing on self-care, the celebration of Black culture, love, and 

personal growth, a quote from Shonette Reed’s article titled “As a Church Girl” was shared on 

May 19, 2023. Reed expressed,  

like many Black millennial women who grew up in the church, I often heard the message  

of how sex should be saved for marriage. The message urged girls and young women, to  

hold onto their purity until they said “I do.” As life went on, and I met people outside of  

my Christian bubble, I learned that sex meant different things for different people. For  

some, it can be a more serious step in their committed relationship, or it can be taking  

agency over their own body by not ignoring their desires. While I learned these things, I  

often wondered what it looked like for those Black Christian girls, who became Black  

Christian women, living in a world where our body is our own.  

The statement demonstrates how Reed internalized the message of saving sex for marriage. Yet, 

as she engaged with people outside the Christian community, she encountered diverse 

viewpoints regarding the meaning and importance of sex. Furthermore, the presence of this 

message on social media platforms is found to encourage the exploration of alternative 

viewpoints, facilitating connections among individuals who share similar experiences and 

challenges. Reed’s narrative is one among many included in this dissertation to aid in 

comprehending its purpose and impact. Through analyzing this statement, three essential factors 

for empowering and liberating Black women from emotional and spiritual bondage resulting 

12 

 
 
from the suppression of their sexuality have been identified: (1) fostering a sense of cultivation 

of Black women’s sexual identity (2) acknowledging the significance of their stories of sexual 

repression as a catalyst for transformation and community building, and (3) providing a sacred 

space where Black women can thrive in their intersecting experiences of being Black, female, 

spiritual, and sexual.  

 Based on Reed’s statement, it is evident that sexuality can vary greatly for individuals, 

with some Black women feeling safe in engaging in sexual experiences outside the confines of 

marriage, while others may not desire sex at all, thereby imbuing their sexuality with non-

physical dimensions. It is therefore imperative to afford Black women the space and affirmation 

to identify and embrace their own unique interpretations of sexuality. Additionally, the power of 

storytelling becomes apparent as it allows Black women to recognize the diversity of their 

narratives and find empowerment through communal connections. Furthermore, the notion of a 

sacred space transcends physical boundaries, emphasizing the significance of emotional 

expression in the presence of individuals who can empathize with their lived experiences. The 

contention put forth is that when these three factors operate in harmony, they engender 

transformative change by fostering a sense of belonging and understanding toward personal 

growth and self-acceptance.  

Literary Empowerment 

Storytelling is and has been a form of language and literacy tool and practice for the 

Black community for many generations. In telling their stories, enslaved people were able to 

memorize language, sights, smells, and sounds from the homes that they were taken from. Also, 

it enabled them to keep in touch with family and friends, forge new ties, exchange information 

across plantations, and for perfecting language skills (Banks-Wallace, 2002). This dissertation 

13 

 
 
 
 
focuses on the presentation of stories in literature, encompassing various written forms such as 

novels and plays. Authors employ language and narrative techniques within these literary works 

to express their creativity, share ideas, and capture the essence of the human experience, 

transcending time and cultures. Notably, literature possesses the ability to ignite the imagination 

and inspire readers to envision the characters and situations depicted in the text (Morrison,1984). 

Trevor Cairney (2011) further affirms this notion in his essay “The Power of Story,” 

emphasizing that literature has the capacity to educate, enrich, and transform individuals. Its 

enduring form signifies its long-lasting significance, relevance, and cultural landscape for future 

readers.  

In my journey as a Black woman and scholar, I turned to Black women’s literature to 

gain clarity about the experiences of Black women in their sexuality. During my teenage years, I 

was introduced to the authors such as Zane, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison. In Zane’s novel, 

The Sisters of APF (2003), the story revolves around a group of Black women who were 

members of the sorority Alpha Phi Fuckem (APF). The book contained explicit depictions of 

sexual encounters, including scenes of self-pleasure, as a means of exploring and empowering 

their sexuality. Similarly, Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple (2003), depicted Celie’s 

struggles in discovering her own sexuality, while Shugg embraced the fluidity of her sexuality by 

engaging with both men and women. These literary examples challenged the assumption that 

heterosexuality is the only valid expression of one’s identity. Additionally, in Toni Morrison’s 

Sula (1998), the unapologetic character of Sula defied societal judgments as a Black woman 

exploring her femininity and engaging with multiple partners, introducing me to the concept of 

polyamory and the exploration of multiple relationships. These novels played a pivotal role in 

my personal development, providing healing for my younger self and contributing to the 

14 

 
 
formation of my Black female identity. They imparted valuable lessons on approaching sexuality 

from various perspectives, recognizing its manifold interpretations, and emphasizing the 

significance of individual self-definition, free from societal expectations. This realization led me 

to reject any sense of shame or inhibition regarding the Black church’s teachings of purity and 

piety that suppressed the sexuality of Black girls and women.  

Consequently, my definition of sexuality transcended mere physical intercourse to 

encompass a journey of self-exploration, and liberation for the mind, body, and soul. This aligns 

with my understanding of Audre Lorde’s concept, where she discusses accessing our erotic 

being—a sense of internal self and contentment (“Uses of the Erotic”). Lorde emphasizes the 

importance of striving for authenticity and fostering our personal growth, even when it might 

challenge societal norms or our own comfort. This perspective underscores the idea that 

embracing our own desires and emotions imbues us with strength and agency (7).  

This understanding paves the way for my argument that literature serves as a mechanism 

for disrupting the recurring patterns experienced by Black women within the Black church. It 

possesses the capacity to broaden our4 perspectives and transport us to realms beyond our 

physical reach. Drawing from my personal encounter, literature has the ability to provide Black 

women with written representations of their lived realities, humanizing their existence. 

Numerous works of fiction authored by Black women writers are dedicated to the imaginative 

creation of pathways for healing. Novels such as Mama Day (1989), The Salt Eaters (1980), 

Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), and numerous others explore the theme of healing, 

delving into various aspects such as the influence of elders, self-actualization, and communal 

4 When using the word ‘our’ and ‘us,’ I am inserting myself to represent a shared common experience among Black 
women. 

15 

 
 
 
 
support. The experience of bell hooks as a professor serves as an illustration of the manifestation 

of healing. In Sister of the Yam (2014), hooks recount the time she had her women writer’s class 

read Toni Bambara’s novel The Salt Eaters (1992). After reading, a few students approached her 

to talk through their connection to the character Velma, a Black woman who tries to take her 

own life. As a result of hearing these students express their feelings of alienation and solitude, 

hooks recognized that a support group was needed and took the initiative to facilitate one (5).  

This example underscores the power of literature to evoke personal identification and establish 

emotional connections among readers. Particularly within hooks’ classroom, Bambara’s novel 

catalyzed the students’ introspection, prompting them to engage in discussions about their 

individual hardships and experiences of isolation. hooks’ dedication to fostering a safe and 

supportive environment to reflect upon and share their personal narrative is noteworthy. Within 

her classroom, a sense of security prevailed, while her guidance demonstrated a collective 

understanding. Through their exposure to Velma’s literary experiences, the students gained an 

opportunity to confront deeply ingrained thoughts, ultimately unearthing wounds that could pave 

the way for healing.  

In the 1984 article “Rootedness: The Ancestor as Foundation,” Toni Morrison further 

expands that literature should contain elements that enlighten readers toward a path forward. She 

argues that it should allude to conflicts and problems without necessarily resolving them (341). 

Drawing on Morrison’s interpretation, I assert that the healing effect of literature comes from 

Black women working with the author on the construction of the book. Their roles involve 

interpreting the deeper meaning of the text through the context that the author provides, and the 

parts of the text that are not explained. The healing aspect comes from them being able to 

interpret parts of the text that relate to them and even the parts they feel are missing in their lives. 

16 

 
 
This places them in direct authority over their feelings, and perceptions, enabling their own 

knowledge production of the text. Consequently, Black women will receive the representation 

they deserve without being silenced or pushed to the margins.  

In an interview with Claudia Tate, the former editor of Black Women Writers at Work 

(2023), writer Alexis De Veaux emphasizes that literature should not just feature Black women, 

but also showcase them in a way that empowers them. She contends that the examination of 

Black women as fictional characters involves considering them as role models in places where 

they would not normally be. This approach aims to analyze the challenges and circumstances 

these characters encounter and observe how they navigate through conflicts. This implies that 

portraying Black women in diverse roles and settings can inspire and challenge preconceived 

notions. Additionally, De Veaux underscores the significance of understanding how Black 

women interpret, manifest, and construct love for both their partner and society (76). By 

mentioning the notions of interpreting, manifesting, and constructing love, De Veaux engages in 

a profound exploration of Black women’s emotional lives and relationships, shedding light on 

their experiences and struggles. In essence, her writing becomes a vehicle of representation, 

interpretation, and discovery to navigate the pressures of what it means to be a Black woman. De 

Veaux unveils the need to read Black women’s lived experiences through a critical lens, 

particularly by considering the intersecting dimensions of their oppressions.  

Black Feminism 

This aligns with the revolutionary approach embraced by the Combahee River Collective, 

a Black feminist organization, as articulated in their 1977 seminal work, “The Combahee River 

Collective Statement.” This statement stands as one of the early contributions that helped shape 

and define perspectives on embracing a Black feminist identity and approach to life. Notably, 

17 

 
 
they sought to recognize the personal as political (235). By emphasizing this idea, the Combahee 

River Collective aimed to validate and center Black women’s experiences and emphasize their 

collective resistance. Within the statement, the group articulates its mission and goals as being 

dedicated to actively confronting “racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression [with their 

specific objective being] the development of integrated analysis and practice based upon the fact 

that...major systems of oppression are interlocking” (232). It underscores the importance of 

recognizing the interlocking oppressions that Black women endure and encourages a shift in 

perspective, where white individuals held racial privilege and power dynamics, and gender roles 

were shaped by heterosexuality and patriarchal norms. As a result, it prompts reflection on how 

our sexualities and colonial pasts contribute to molding our lived realities (Combahee River 

Collective, 1977; Collins, 2002). Furthermore, it can be inferred that this mission recognizes that 

dismantling systems of oppression requires the knowledge of those most directly impacted by 

them. This is precisely why Black feminist scholars spanning from diverse fields reject the 

concept of objectivity in research (Taylor, 2018; Steele, 2021). Therefore, by adopting a Black 

feminist perspective, we prioritize Black women’s bodies, knowledge, and lived experiences 

toward liberation, and encourage transformative social change.  

Henceforth, this dissertation employs Black feminist frameworks to empower Black 

women to fully embrace their subjective knowledge base. Moreover, it endeavors to redefine 

their consciousness of the multiple dimensions of intersectional oppression, with specific regard 

to their sexuality5. It creates opportunities for Black women to explore the relationship they have 

with their bodies, society, and the prevailing cultural norms, and pushes their stories at the 

forefront to deconstruct narratives positioning them as inferior. Ultimately, as Black women 

5 Refer to page 128 of Patricia Hill Collins Black Feminist Thought for additional insights into the empowering 
impact of Black women’s sexuality when they have the agency to self-define.   

18 

 
 
 
actively engage with literature that reflects their lived experiences, this process facilitates the 

cultivation of Black feminist frameworks. Consequently, this cultivation nurtures their diverse 

comprehension of the essence of being a Black sexual woman, while also nurturing their spiritual 

beliefs. 

Defining Terms 

These are some of the terms that are foundational to my work. I employ these terms in  

distinct ways to shape the trajectory of my analysis and discourse.  

The sexuality of Black women during enslavement played a major role in how their 

sexuality was controlled within the Black church. Black women encountered sexual exploitation 

and abuse by their white enslavers, who exerted power and control over their bodies. These 

experiences had lasting effects on societal perceptions of Black women, leading to 

dehumanization and viewing them as objects of desire and property. While the Black church 

served as a space of refuge and spiritual liberation for Black women, it also perpetuated 

entrenched societal views of their sexuality. The Black church enforced sexual purity and piety 

as a way to portray Black women as being virtuous and morally upstanding. However, this 

enforcement became a means of controlling their bodies, regulating their behaviors, and 

upholding patriarchal power structures. This dissertation urges for new constructions of sexuality 

that affirm and empower Black women as sexual beings. It asserts that sexuality encompasses 

more than just the physical act of sex, but the ability to exercise agency over their bodies to heal 

the mind, body, and soul from misconceptions about their bodies. Drawing on Audre Lorde’s 

work in Sister Outsider (1984), it encourages the embracement of diverse sexual identities and 

experiences of Black women’s sexuality to challenge societal norms and reclaim agency. This 

aligns with the idea of a sexual discourse of resistance discussed by Brown Douglas in Sexuality 

19 

 
 
 
 
and the Black Church, which promotes an enriching view of Black female sexuality free from 

the influence of white, hetero-patriarchal culture.  

Black women receive many social messages about their bodies and the sin that comes 

from not adhering to these expectations. Drawing from Brittney Cooper’s insight in Eloquent 

Rage, she remarks, “telling grown-ass women that all sex outside of marriage is an affront to 

God is ludicrous.” She further emphasizes that “healthy consensual touch is nothing short of 

holy. But the indoctrination is real, especially if you are invested in being a “good girl,” 

especially if your goal in life is to not “repeat the cycle,” to not “become a statistic.” Black 

women find themselves navigating the pressures to conform to notions of marital sex and 

sustaining the suppression of their diverse identities, thus dissociating themselves from the 

perceived sexual immorality that supposedly stains them. This is a representation of the concept 

of the politics of respectability, through which Black women are reclaiming space for 

themselves by promoting the idea of holiness, purity, and conservatism to challenge negative 

stereotypes and humanize them (Higginbotham, 1993). While respectability politics initially had 

an important purpose upon its emergence in the 1900s, it has been utilized as a means of control. 

Therefore, it is essential to critique and rethink how we use this idea.  

Consequently, I resist these damaging messages as sinful acts that compromise the self-

worth, articulation, sexual autonomy, and sense of community of Black women. Any actions or 

discourses that undermine their self-esteem are considered a sin. The historical intention behind 

the devaluation of Black women was to diminish their self-worth and instill feelings of 

inferiority. This dissertation seeks to empower Black women and propose alternative ways of 

embodiment. In this regard, it aligns with the views of womanist scholar Delores Williams in her 

1993 work “A Womanist Perspective on Sin”, where she argues that devaluing Black 

20 

 
 
womanhood and sexuality, including Black lesbian women, constitutes sin. Accordingly, within 

a Black feminist dynamic, I am delineating the concept of sin as actions or systemic structures 

rooted in social power dynamics that devalue and dehumanize Black women, perpetuating their 

marginalization and suffering. Stated differently, sin obstructs Black women from understanding, 

identifying, and exploring their sexual agency.  

The experience of shame, stemming from societal expectations and moral standards, 

poses an obstacle to the personal growth and well-being of Black women. Particularly within the 

Black church, shame arises when Black women deviate from prescribed moral and value systems 

for women, engaging in perceived misbehavior or poor choices. This feeling of shame emerges 

when individuals believe they are falling short and face criticism as a consequence. In her 

chapter in You Are Your Best Thing (2021), Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts exemplifies this 

occurrence by recounting how elder women in her Black church would drape scarves over the 

legs of women and girls wearing skirts considered too short, gossip about the apparent lack of 

self-control exhibited by a single mother raising four children on her own, or criticize young girls 

for being outspoken and “too smart for her own good” (55). These examples underscore the 

expectation for women to dress modestly, be silent in their speech, and conform to traditional 

gender roles to secure a “good” husband. Failing to meet these expectations evokes a sense of 

shame and marginalizes these women through covert disapproval. 

Growing up in the church, Black women are surrounded by female role models, including 

mothers, grandmothers, and “sisters,” who shape their perception of womanhood based on their 

service to the church. Lewis-Giggets highlights an important perspective on shame, explaining 

how it can be intertwined with love. She suggests that the shame experienced by church mothers 

acts as protection that may stem from a desire to shield them from potential hardships based on 

21 

 
 
their own experiences and knowledge (57). This concept is rooted in the belief that controlling 

the bodies and behavior of Black women can lead to increased respectability and protection 

within the community. In doing so, church mothers shield themselves from the need to confront 

any conflicts within their belief systems. However, within this protection, a judgmental 

atmosphere prevails, dictating that Black women navigate and negotiate their identities and 

beliefs, limiting their agency and self-expression. This situation exemplifies the politics of 

respectability, serving as a tool to fight against the dehumanization of Black women. 

I argue that Black women can overcome their feelings of shame through exposure to 

literature that portrays their lived experiences. In Black Feminist Thought (2002), Collins 

defines this process as Black women gaining wisdom and understanding about their intersecting 

challenges of race, gender, and class toward survival. In essence, the cultural experiences that 

Black women face as an individual and collective, embody their Black womanhood. As a result, 

engaging with literature written by and about Black women allows them to establish a 

connection with the characters, dispelling the notion of isolation in their own experiences.  

To facilitate this, the intervention I propose entails organizing a research study in the 

form of a book club. This book club was advertised on social media to bring together a collective 

of Black women who will engage in reading and discussing a specific book that resonates with 

their lived experiences. This intervention, which will be further discussed in chapter three, builds 

on the Black feminist-womanist storytelling (Baker-Bell, 2017) practice of exchanging personal 

stories as an integral part of cultural and literary engagement. By providing a platform for Black 

women to express their multifaceted identities and communicate with one another, it aims to 

contribute to the renegotiating of their Black sexual politics. Notably, this practice embraces and 

22 

 
 
promotes Black feminist research methodologies by recognizing the lived experiences and 

collective wisdom of Black women as valuable sources of truth and knowledge (Collins 256).  

Through active participation in the book club, Black women are engaging in what I refer 

to as sexual justice. This concept entails the redefinition of living as a sexual Black woman. It 

signifies their faith in God as a personal journey they define, free from societal standards and 

expectations. This manifestation of sexual justice is a reinforcement of the values proposed in 

Black feminist theology. This theological perspective emphasizes the importance of Black 

women embracing and engaging with all aspects of themselves, effectively bridging the gap 

between their sexuality and spirituality. Lomax (2018) contends that this theology engrosses the 

“messy, inconclusive, and vulgar” aspects, alongside liberative understandings of God. 

According to Lomax, this theology moves away from a rigid understanding of theology in order 

to acknowledge its limitations in adequately addressing the experiences and concerns of Black 

women. It also challenges conventional ideas of respectability and purity, embracing an openness 

that fosters a more nuanced comprehension of spirituality and sexuality.  

Chapter Discussions 

There will be a total of six chapters in this dissertation. In Chapter 1, I examine the 

demonization of Black women’s sexuality as it has been reflected by Black women thinkers and 

writers. I argue that Black women writers talk about Black women’s experiences of sexual 

subjectivity in order to produce alternative understandings of what it means to inhabit a Black 

female body. In doing so, they help me reimagine a new social order in which their sexual 

agency is affirmed and elevated. 

Chapter 2 describes the theory and methodology that guided this research, employing 

Black feminist theoretical perspectives and introducing testimonial storytelling based on these 

23 

 
 
frameworks. Chapter 3 highlights the design of the book club research study from the selection 

process to where we met, and how often we met. As the book club participants met, I analyzed 

how my participants reacted to the main character’s quest towards sexual liberation and entreated 

them to reflect on how church doctrine has influenced their sexual experiences. I listen intently 

to the specific language that my participants use to describe their experiences to understand how 

language choices impact how Black women negotiate their sexual identities.  

Chapter 4 presents the findings from the book club research study gathered through a 

dialogical approach as a beauty salon engagement. It highlights the responses of the participants 

to the discussion questions raised. In chapter 5, an analysis of the themes that surface during the 

book club is presented, addressing the study’s research questions. I conclude the dissertation 

with a discussion of the major implications of the study. I also point out the venue for future 

research in the field as it relates to biblical women and Black women preachers.  

Conclusion  

To conclude, my commitment to supporting Black women arises from my own journey of 

overcoming obstacles as a “troubled” pastor’s daughter. I engage in testimonial storytelling to 

convey my understanding of Black women and girls’ challenges within a system that seeks to 

oppress and dehumanize them. I confess that although my experiences may have originated in 

the church, I am increasingly moving away from it. However, I recognize that my spirituality 

remains a fundamental part of who I am. Hence, I aspire to cultivate a world where the values of 

my inner church align with principles of justice, particularly sexual justice. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHAPTER ONE 

In this chapter, I delve deeper into the historical context of how Black women’s 

experiences under white supremacy have impacted their sexuality. The discussion encompasses 

the ongoing challenges to their sexual autonomy due to the emergence of damaging stereotypes. 

Additionally, an exploration is conducted into how Black women have adopted the principles of 

respectability politics to attain respect. The chapter further discusses the role of the Black church 

in perpetuating these stereotypes, imposing rules and regulations to uphold Black women’s 

respectability. Furthermore, I analyze Black women’s literature, testimonies, and songs to 

explore the lived experiences of Black women and to shine a light on how their bodies are used, 

misused, and maligned by society at large, as well as harmful church doctrine. Through this 

analysis, I aim to demonstrate the diverse forms of resistance that Black women have employed 

to navigate discrimination and reclaim their narratives. Moreover, the examples cited in this 

chapter underscore the necessity for frameworks that liberate Black women sexually, dismantling 

the harmful narratives and opening pathways for their sexual liberation. 

History of Black Women’s Experiences 

Historically, Black women’s bodies have been manipulated and denigrated. Notably, 

during enslavement, they endured sexual exploitation inflicted by white slaveholders. They were 

regarded as property and denied agency over their own bodies. Enslaved Black women often 

suffered from rape, coerced procreation, and painful separation from their families (Davis 1983). 

These experiences had detrimental impacts on their sexual lives. In Incidents in the Life of a 

Slave Girl, a narrative written by Harriet Jacobs, she illustrates her firsthand account as an 

enslaved woman in the 19th century. While Jacobs underwent many arduous challenges, it is her 

25 

 
 
 
struggles concerning her sexuality within the oppressive conditions of slavery that I want to 

highlight.  

Jacobs recalls the sexual harassment she endured at the hands of Dr. Flint, her married 

master. At the tender age of fifteen, Dr. Flint initiated his unwarranted sexual advances, 

employing tactics such as whispered messages and written notes, under the guise of him 

transforming Jacobs into a “virtuous” woman like his wife, provided she does as she’s “required” 

(92). Jacobs expresses her feelings of discontent as Dr. Flint evades her mind with unclean 

images, fostering feelings of entrapment due to her obligation to obey him as her “master” (33). 

She brings attention to the power dynamics inherent in the relationship between an enslaved 

individual and their master. Her portrayal of the experience illustrates Dr. Flint's dominion over 

her life and his insistence on obedience. She further mentions the significant age disparity to 

exemplify how his conduct was degrading and demoralizing (33). He treated her as mere 

property depriving her of any autonomy over her own body. Despite her inexperience, he 

exposed her to the exploitation women experienced during slavery, denying her the ability to 

envision her own desires.  

To protect herself and maintain her sense of agency, Jacobs willingly engaged in a 

consensual sexual relationship with Mr. Sands, an unmarried white man, who expressed a need 

to help her situation. This situation evoked a range of emotions within Jacobs, including the 

feeling of shame. Nonetheless, she perceived it as the only way to gain protection from the 

relentless advances of Dr. Flint. Additionally, it serves as a means for her to exert agency over 

her own body and navigate the challenging circumstances of the time. Jacobs illuminates her 

thought process, revealing an awareness of the divide between her and Mr. Sand. As an enslaved 

woman, she favored being the subject of interest for an unmarried man who was not her 

26 

 
 
 
“master.” She articulates this viewpoint by expressing, “It seems less degrading to give one’s 

self, than to submit to compulsion. There is something akin to freedom in having a lover who has 

no control over you, except that which he gains by kindness and attachment” (68). Jacob’s 

perspective delves into the psychology of an enslaved individual, who had to explore difficult 

choices and justifications for their actions within a repressive environment. Jacob rationalizes her 

decision to engage in a sexual encounter with Mr. Sands as a means to reclaim her personal 

agency, granting her a sense of validation and pride as an enslaved person. Additionally, Dr. 

Flint’s wife displayed jealous tendencies by attributing her husband’s indecent behavior to Jacob. 

As previously mentioned, this is due to Black and white women experiencing their sexuality 

differently, where Black women are prescribed to sexual deviance and impurity, white women 

are attached to traits of modesty and purity (Wallace-Sanders, 2002). Therefore, in Jacobs’s 

judgment, engaging with an unmarried man who was not her master spared her from dealing 

with a jealous wife, and fostered a relationship characterized by respect and decency rather than 

control. Jacobs’s experiences illuminate the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality within the 

institution of slavery, and the measures Black women would undertake to assert autonomy over 

their own lives.  

Jacobs’s experience is emblematic of many women during that time who faced 

simultaneous hardships of sexual and racial oppression. These women were stripped of their 

humanity based on the color of their skin and treated as chattel. Even after the abolition of 

slavery, the deeply ingrained ideologies of control and ownership over Black women’s lives 

endured. The perpetuation of degrading images persisted, further eroding Black women’s sense 

of self, and undermining their way of being.  

27 

 
 
 
 
Stereotypes of Black Women 

Black women are subjected to numerous prevailing stereotypes. In the book Black 

Feminist Thought, Patricia Hill Collins highlights the controlling images of Black women that 

pervade society and impose specific labels onto their bodies. These images include the portrayal 

of Black women as mules, mammies, or jezebels, representing oppressive stereotypes that hinder 

their ways of being. In the context of Black women as mules, it displays how Black women are 

objectified and not seen as human. Collins states, “as dehumanized objects, mules are living 

machines and can be treated as part of the scenery” (46). This was an attempt to undermine and 

disempower enslaved individuals through negative perception as a deliberate strategy to 

immobilize their minds and perpetuate a sense of inferiority. Sojourner Truth, a prominent 

advocate for the rights of Black women, is known for her outspoken activism. Born into slavery 

in 1773 with the name Isabella, she experienced being sold away from her parents at age nine. 

Her former “master” was Dutch, resulting in her not learning English. Her inability to speak 

English proved to be disadvantageous and led to constant misunderstandings and punishments 

(Wallace-Sanders, 2002). It is important to acknowledge that despite Truth being unable to read 

or write, delivered the legendary speech “Ain’t I a Woman” at the Women’s Rights Convention 

in 1851. Interestingly, this speech was recounted in 1863 by Frances Gage, a white woman and 

abolitionist who was the president of the Convention. Reports have indicated clear errors in the 

recounting of Truth’s lived experiences possibly due to Gage’s southern dialect and language 

choices. This is significant because it accentuates the notion that a white woman may not be able 

to convey Black women’s experiences, even when engaged in a common cause (Painter, 1996). 

Despite Truth being known for her fluency in multiple languages, a white woman characterized 

her in a manner that was not fitting to her history and way of life, distorting her true experiences. 

28 

 
 
 
Nonetheless, the essential theme of challenging the dehumanizing images of women prevailed in 

various accounts of this speech. Through the repetitive questioning in the speech, particularly the 

phrase “ain’t I a woman,” Truth asserts her own humanity and refutes the objectifying image 

imposed upon her. She draws attention to the disparity between societal expectations and her 

own experiences by mentioning her experiences as a laborer, mother, and woman to assert her 

individuality and reinforce her humanity (Truth, 1851). This aligns with the experiences depicted 

in Jacobs’s autobiography, where enslaved women faced the agonizing reality of having their 

children sold into slavery without receiving any empathetic response. Despite their grief, they 

were still expected to exert themselves for their masters, with their fundamental humanity being 

ignored. Truth’s speech stood as a testament to the resilience and strength of Black women who 

defy stereotypes imposed on them, such as being compared to mules.   

In contrast to the objectification of Black women as mules, Collins also alludes to their 

portrayal as mammies. This image emerged during slavery and served to dispute the reality that 

slavery was “a harsh, cruel, and brutal system” (Jewell 171). The image of mammy stood in 

direct opposition to femininity and the prevailing American conception of womanhood. It 

depicted an overweight, dark-skinned Black woman, with unappealing attire, and her hair 

typically covered with a scarf. As Carolyn West suggests in the article “Mammy, Jezebel, 

Sapphire, and Their Homegirls,” the depiction of the mammy figure as both overweight and 

devoid of sexual appeal discredits rape culture and sexual abuse toward Black women (291). 

This served to dispel any curiosity from the white male gaze directed at the Black female body, 

thereby posing no threat to the idealized white woman. The Pearl Milling Company, a small mill 

company that introduced Aunt Jemima pancake mix in 1889, capitalized on these racist 

portrayals of the fictional mammy image as part of their marketing strategy (Manring 21). Both 

29 

 
 
“Aunt” and “mammy” are terms associated with Southern house slaves (Morgan 89). The act of 

purchasing a box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix evoked nostalgic reflections of slavery, through 

the representation of a “slave in a box” (Mcelya 20).  

In the early 20th century film Gone with the Wind, Mammy, portrayed by Hattie 

McDaniel, embodies the enduring depiction of the mammy figure. This role involved mothering 

the white children as if they were her own, presenting a more “acceptable” perspective on 

slavery. Situated in the late 19th century, Mammy is presented as the loyal and devoted servant to 

Scarlett O’Hara, the white female protagonist. Her portrayal emphasizes the nurturing and 

confidante aspects of her role, often providing advice akin to that of a mother advising her child. 

Despite Scarlett’s multiple marriages and the birth of her child, Mammy is never shown with a 

husband or child of her own. Central to the mammy figure displayed, is her status as a non-

sexual threat to the white wife. The complex dynamics of Mammy and Scarlett’s relationship are 

evident in scenes where Mammy assists Scarlett with her dress, ensuring it is tight and flat on her 

waist. In contrast to this, Mammy is presented in a dress that accentuates the roundness of her 

curves and body. These scenes symbolize the extent to which mammy is involved in maintaining 

the appearance and social standing of the white family she serves.  

This is elucidated by Jacobs through the narrative of her grandmother’s role as an 

enslaver. Although her grandmother was granted “freedom” upon her mistress’s death, she was 

subsequently offered for private sale by her new “master.” Jacob recounts, “[Grandma] had for a 

long time supplied many families with crackers and preserves; consequently, “Aunt Marthy,” as 

she was called, was generally known, and everybody who knew her respected her intelligence 

and good character” (11-12). Jacob’s grandmother was called “Aunt” because of her faithful 

service to the family. However, when her mistress passed away, she again became disposable to 

30 

 
 
the next master. Despite the injustice, on the day of the sale, she sprung up at first call to accept 

her predetermined fate. She serves as a representative of enslaved women who ensured the 

hardships of slavery with a smile, consistently providing their best efforts, and displaying 

dedication to their community. I present this context not to imply that nurturing, caregiving, and 

serving others are negative traits. Rather, it is to assert the reality that portraying Black women as 

undesirable and dedicated to nurturing others while neglecting their own needs, is detrimental to 

them. This contributes to the perception of asexuality associated with the mammy figure, taking 

away their pleasure and propagating damaging images that undermine their sense of self (West, 

2012).   

Furthermore, Collins discusses the jezebel stereotype as a portrayal of Black women. She 

accounts that “jezebel’s function was to relegate all Black women to the category of sexually 

aggressive women, thus providing a powerful rationale for the widespread sexual assaults by 

White men typically reported by Black enslaved women” (81). The identity of jezebel emerged 

during slavery to rationalize the sexual desire and exploitation of enslaved Black women. Often 

depicted with fair skin and a seductive figure, she was falsely portrayed as excessively sexual 

and manipulative (Bell; Collins; Jewell). Despite this negative representation, the harsh reality 

remains that many enslaved Black women experienced sexual abuse and rape, as exemplified in 

Harriet Jacobs’s lived experience during the time. As time passed, the jezebel figure became 

associated with exploiting the vulnerabilities of men, leading to her being labeled as 

hypersexualized, and held responsible for their moral faults, perpetuating this damaging 

reputation (West 462). Consequently, enslavers considering Black women as objects and 

sexually aggressive contributes to their dehumanization and lack of status in society. An example 

of this is shown through the nineteenth-century Black woman, Sarah Baartman. Baartman, a 

31 

 
 
member of the Khoisan group, was born in 1789 in the interior of the Cape Colony of South 

Africa (Sharpley-Whiting). In 1810, while in her early twenties, she entered a contractual 

agreement with Alexander Dunlop and Hendrik Cezar, who brought her to Europe with the 

purpose of exhibiting her Hottentot (Khoikhoi) body (Tillet 943-5). There, her body was 

commodified and transformed into the “Hottentot Venus,” serving as a symbol of racial and 

sexual objectification, specifically designed to entertain European (French) men. Baartman’s 

physical features, notably her large buttocks and genitalia, were considered unusual by French 

standards, rendering her body an anomaly. Sharpley-Whiting further discusses how Baartman’s 

body was scrutinized “to discern identity, difference, and progress” of the stages of human 

evolution. The sketches of Baartman’s body relegated her body as the “primitive other” in 

comparison to the European self, and therefore, reducing her to mere object of desire and 

amusement for the white audience. Sander Gilman further supports this notion by emphasizing 

the racial and sexual distinctions in the following statement, “The antithesis of European sexual 

mores and beauty is embodied in the black, and the essential black, the lowest exemplum of 

mankind on the great chain of being, is the Hottentot. It is indeed in the physical appearance of 

the Hottentot that the central icon for sexual difference between the European and the black was 

found” (83). In this context, Gilman highlights the binary opposition between European 

standards and the perceived “otherness” of Black individuals. The characterization of the 

Hottentot as the embodiment of sexual difference reinforces the idea of Black bodies as subjects 

of fascination and sexual deviance within European society. Her body came to symbolize the 

standard representation of “Africa” and Black female sexuality within the European context 

(Tillet).   

32 

 
 
Considering the negative portrayal of Baartman, it is similarly important to acknowledge 

the contrasting narrative that praises the bodies and physical attributes of Black women. This can 

be discerned in popular culture, exemplified by the song “Black Effect” by The Carters, where 

they rap about the beauty of Black women’s features, including “stunt with your curls, your lips, 

Sarah Baartman hips.” In this statement, The Carters are providing a narrative about Black 

women’s way of being such as with their natural hair, big lips, and wider thighs, as being 

unapologetically beautiful, unapologetically Black. The above positive affirmation for Black 

women makes room for their cultural experiences to be represented in multiple ways that 

position Blackness with excellence, beauty, and pride. Sarah Baartman’s hips went from a 

symbol of exploitation to a source of empowerment for Black women. The same attempt needs 

to be given when thinking and comparing Black women to jezebel.  

Through the treatment of Baartman’s body and the context of the jezebel image, it 

becomes evident that the controlling images of Black women allude to the societal expectations 

regarding proper conduct and physical appearance pertaining to female sexuality. Collins 

highlights the significance of this concept by examining how the jezebel image manifests in 

class, racial, and gender oppression (Collins 132). She underscores the intricate ways in which 

the jezebel image perpetuates systemic injustices against Black women. The image is employed 

to justify the exploitation of Black women’s bodies through prostitution and sexual assaults 

while promoting the ideal of pure white womanhood. Baartman’s treatment serves as an example 

of how Black women’s bodily difference makes them vulnerable to exploitation and sets them 

apart from the presentation of white women to society. Consequently, this validates the unequal 

treatment of Black women, as to why they are hypersexualized. This intensifies the disruption 

and distancing of Black women from the 19th-century concept of true womanhood, characterized 

33 

 
 
by piety and purity. It continues to perpetuate the construct of white women in American society 

as embodying true womanhood. As a result, Black women face ongoing suppression in exploring 

their own sexual identities in order to preserve both their self-image and the image of the Black 

community. In essence, Black women are attempting to navigate respectability politics to 

establish a positive sense of self amidst the degrading depictions of Black womanhood (Collins).  

jezebel in the Black Church 

Collins’s account of jezebel is significant in displaying how this distorted image impedes 

the sexual development of Black women. However, it is important to note that Collins does not 

encompass the biblical context of jezebel. Biblically, the story of jezebel is found in the books of 

1 and 2 Kings. jezebel, a Phoenician princess from Tyre married the King of Northern Israel, 

Ahab. She was perceived as a cunning and seductive Queen, responsible for murder, and in 

opposition to God, leading to her being branded as the “bad girl of the bible, the wickedest of 

women” (Gaines). Not only seen as a seductress by her style of hair and how she carried herself 

(2 Kings 9:30-37), but her husband, King Ahab seems to listen to her in ways that are not proper 

conduct for a man and wife (1 Kings 21). As an example, jezebel worships the deities of her 

cultural background, Baal and Asherah, urging her husband Ahab to forsake his God of Israel, 

Yahweh. She further employs her influence to execute his prophets (Lomax 40). jezebel's lack of 

loyalty to Yahweh and the apparent authority she seemed to have over the throne, embodied a 

culture of change that challenged traditional gender roles of the time6. In other words, jezebel’s 

problem arose from her exercise of power in a way typically associated with male monarchs in 

political affairs, that was unseemly for women. She was perceived as a foreign woman who 

brought danger with her (Pippin 35). Her success in political pursuits led to the demonization of 

6 See page 40 of Jezebel Unhinged to discover the conversation that Tamura Lomax and Wilda Gafney had in 
anticipation of the discussion of jezebel in Gafney’s book, Womanist Midrash. 

34 

 
 
 
women as jezebels to keep them as sexualized figures and to remove the political agency they 

acquired. Consequently, she met a gruesome death in which she was thrown out of a window, 

and only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands were recovered for her burial7. What 

intrigued me most about this story was how jezebel lived and died on her own terms. This is 

exemplified by her actions of applying makeup, wearing a wig, and dressing in nice attire as she 

awaited her death while gazing out the window. jezebel asserted control over her own body, even 

though she was perceived as the “other, a collection of things to be discard” (Lomax 43). The 

distinction between the misleading historical stereotype and the biblical representation 

underscores the consequences of such misrepresentations. According to the authors of Breaking 

the Chains, the jezebel stereotype is portrayed as one of the most prevalent and detrimental 

misconceptions about Black women. This stereotype perpetuates the false reality that Black 

women are promiscuous, seen as the community’s harlot, and sexually permissive (Brown, 

White-Johnson, and Griffin-Fernell). 

 In addition to the sexual dimension of jezebel, there is an implicit understanding of her 

being a threat to the social order in ways that mirror Black women’s status in American culture. 

An example of this is shown by Tom Buck, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Lindale, 

Texas referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as a jezebel. He stated that he has a problem 

with Harris’s “godless character” due to her support of increasing women’s access to abortion 

and protecting LGBTIQA+ people’s right to marry (Wingfield). In reaction to this, in an article 

by Jane Clayson and Samantha Raphelson titled, “Unpacking What It Means to Call Kamala 

Harris A Jezebel,” they cite the perspective of Tamura Lomax, a Black feminist religio-cultural 

theorist, who expresses comparing Harris to jezebel reinforces systemic sexism and fuels 

7 2 Kings 9: 30-37 

35 

 
 
 
attempts to weaken women who challenge traditional gender norms by undermining their 

credibility and qualifications. As a Black woman myself, having grown up in the church, the 

name-calling of Harris is not unexpected, but it poses dangerous risks when such an inscription is 

attached to one’s identity. Also, being perceived as a threat to society endangers Harris’s safety 

as a Black woman but this discussion lies beyond the purview of this chapter. Nonetheless, this 

brings into vision the notion of disentangling the jezebel figure from Black women’s interiority 

and exteriority. The essence of this idea is to recognize that the jezebel image does not reflect the 

identity of Black women but stems from discriminatory perceptions imposed on them by society. 

Acknowledging this allows for the celebration of the individuality and humanity of Black 

women while rejecting harmful stereotypes that have persisted throughout history. 

 In the book Jezebel Unhinged, Lomax strives to achieve this goal. She asserts, 

“unhinging jezebel means loosing her from black women’s and black girls' bodies and black-

and-white interpretations. It means unscrewing the symbolic bolts that clasp her together and 

letting her fall while also exploring and making sense of what keeps holding her together in the 

first place” (3). This statement indicates the necessity to extricate the jezebel image from Black 

women’s bodies, as well as the dichotomous inscriptions that come with those two entangled: 

good vs. bad, pure vs. impure, or white vs. Black. In other words, it means to make space for the 

messiness that comes with the image but to also form positive definitions of Black women’s 

bodies not associated with negative connotations and limitations. This brings me back to the 

primary purpose of this chapter, which is to discover alternative narratives for Black women’s 

sexuality that are not rooted in harmful stereotypes, particularly harmful church doctrines.  

36 

 
 
 
 
Respectability Politics and the Black Church 

Expanding on the examination of harmful stereotypes, this section of this chapter centers 

on the discourse pertaining to Black women’s sexuality in the Black church. In her work 

Righteous Discontent, Evelyn Higginbotham coined the term “politics of respectability” to 

counter negative stereotypes about the moral conduct of Black people of the time, reclaim their 

humanity, and advocate for their rights. The politics of respectability served as a set of guidelines 

delineating how Black people should act to earn respect. This idea was centered on addressing 

the sexual assault faced by Black women, particularly at the hands of white men. This issue 

stemmed from historical bias that portrayed Black women as promiscuous, hindering legal 

punishment for rape victims (Higginbotham 190). One instance in particular that reflects this is 

the rape of Recy Taylor in 1944 Alabama, made into a documentary in 2018 by Nancy Buirski. 

Taylor was a 24-year-old wife and mother who was on her way home from church with her 

friend and teenage son when she was forced into a car at gunpoint and then gang raped by six 

white men. Police were able to identify the abusers, but they refuted the accusations, claiming 

they had compensated her. Retribution was never made for their crime, despite many attempts at 

the hopes of getting the rape to trial. Recy Taylor did not receive an apology from the state of 

Alabama until 2012 (McGuire, 2010; Buirsky, 2018). This case demonstrated that raping Black 

women was legally permissible, and those responsible for the assault would not be held 

accountable.  

To address the sexual assault and dehumanizing stereotypes, Northern and Southern 

communities, alongside members of the National Baptist Convention, created organizations and 

groups that focused on Black women's issues, including those related to gender and sexuality. 

One organization was the Women’s Convention of the National Baptist Convention which 

37 

 
 
addressed the needs, concerns, and empowerment of women within the church and the 

community as a whole. Specifically, this was a space that attempted to promote racial 

advancement and gender equality. Higginbotham emphasizes that the formation of the women’s 

convention allowed “a national constituency of Black women asserted agency in the construction 

and representation of themselves as new subjectivities—as Americans as well as blacks and 

women. They contested racist discourses and rejected white America’s depiction of Black 

women as immoral, childlike, and unworthy of respect or protection” (186). The above statement 

underlies the determination of Black women to reject labels of inferiority that had been forced 

upon them to challenge and change harmful narratives that perpetuated marginalization and 

oppression. The Black church also contested these problems, but its efforts were restricting and 

proved detrimental to Black women’s sexuality. The prevailing patriarchal structure in the Black 

church has limited women’s engagement, confining them primarily to roles such as cooking, 

teaching Sunday school for the youth, and providing community support (Gilkes). Consequently, 

these roles have imposed additional restrictions on women, regulating their dress, and controlling 

when they could even speak. Illustrating this point is Bynum’s “No Sheets Video” which 

reinforces the idea that women should dress in modest apparel avoiding the appearance of 

greased-up legs. This aesthetic choice is meant to symbolize a rejection of a promiscuous 

demeanor (Bynum 21:05). This instance highlights how the effort to reshape representation and 

confront societal expectations is evident in various ways, including the modification of clothing 

choices and behaviors. In a similar vein, Hine’s work “Rape and the Inner Lives of 

Black Women” introduced the concept of the “culture of dissemblance,” wherein Black women 

restrain their sexuality due to disparaging narratives surrounding their sexuality. While these 

messages are likely received by all women, Black women are subjected to racial messages that 

38 

 
 
stem from a recognition of the prevailing stereotypes regarding their sexuality. As a result, Black 

women might be inclined to separate themselves from negative stereotypes in an effort that 

“proper” and respectable” behavior proved that Black people were worthy of civil and political 

rights (“African-American Women’s History” 271). 

By recognizing that racial discrimination was driven by perceptions of Black sexual 

deviancy, the Black church propagated the principles of respectability, especially around the 

topic of sexuality (Black Sexual Politics 106-8). Higginbotham elaborates upon this in the 

following statement: 

The church played the single most important role in influencing normative values and 

distinguishing respectable from non-respectable behavior among working-class 

Blacks...competing images of the church and the street symbolized cultural divisions 

within the mass of the Black working poor . . . [T]he street signified male turf, a public 

place of worldly dangers and forbidden pleasures. Churches and households, both 

rejecting the worldly attractions of male social space, signified fame and also sacred 

space. Women who strolled the streets or attended dance halls and cheap theaters 

promiscuously blurred the boundaries of gender (Higginbotham 204). 

This statement suggests that respectability politics not only impose accountability on Black 

people’s individual conduct but also for meeting societal expectations. The church and the 

household are portrayed as places that uphold sanctification and traditional values. In contrast, 

the street symbolizes a secular space with potential risks and forbidden pleasures. It also alludes 

to the limitations placed upon both men and women within the community. However, the focus 

on women’s activities outside the church points to the potential for challenging established 

norms and further blurring the lines between appropriate behavior for men and women. The 

39 

 
 
quote further demonstrates the social and cultural influences the Black church’s rules can have 

on one’s identity and behavior. To understand this concept is to grasp that while respectability 

politics might have held significance in the past for racial uplift, there exists intricacy in the 

regulations it maintains, shaping the manner in which Black women live and exist in the world. 

An instance of how respectability politics has been maintained within the Black church is 

exemplified by the transition toward recognizing Black women in positions of leadership. 

Wallace Best, in his work Passionately Human, No Less Divine delves into the religious 

transformation of the Great Migration to Chicago. This migration, initiated in the early 1900s, 

witnessed a large number of Black people relocating from the American South to Northern states 

in hopes of better opportunities. Best specifically highlights the emergence of a “new sacred 

order” characterized by urban religious practices and traditions within the Black churches of 

Chicago. These practices encompassed musical expressions, worship practices, and the pivotal 

role of Black women in developing acceptable boundaries for their church work. For example, 

Lucy Smith and Mary Evans, two Black women preachers, serve as exemplars of the profound 

influence of Black women as catalysts for change in religious leadership. In addition to their 

individual projects within their respective churches, Best notes that Smith and Evans were the 

first women to lead major churches in the city. Notably, they were also part of a select group of 

pastors who successfully oversaw the construction of church infrastructure from the ground up. 

Their collective effort encompassed the establishment of three sanctuaries, a community center, 

and a retirement home (149-50). However, even as Smith and Evans achieved pioneering feats, 

their leadership roles did not come without scrutiny, particularly with regard to their physical 

appearance.  

40 

 
 
Smith was characterized by a dark complexion, exceeding six feet in height, and 

weighing over three hundred pounds. In contrast, Evans was deemed short in height, lighter in 

skin complexion, with a stern facial expression (Best 151-2). Despite the disparities in their 

physical appearances, both women took steps towards diverting attention away from their bodies. 

As outlined by Best, the notion of the “masculinist conception of ministry” function to redirect 

attention from the work of  Black women preachers towards speculations about their sexuality 

and bodies. Essentially, this implied that the role of preacher was typically reserved for Black 

men, partly driven by the fact that it allowed Black men to establish their authoritative presence 

within society (154). Hence, it is unsurprising that when young Mary Evans embarked on her 

path to ministry, she was reprimanded by her parents who asserted that preaching was a “man’s 

work.” Broadly, this dynamic worked to undermine the power and religious freedom of women 

while affording men the ability to exert control over aspects of Black women’s existence.  

In light of this, Black women preachers strategically employed the “mothering” image in 

their churches. This tactic was designed to desexualize and divert attention from the body, 

achieved through the nourishment and affection in which they addressed the congregation. It is 

important to acknowledge that, although the concept of mothering upholds positive connotations, 

exemplified by the mammy caricature, it can inadvertently limit the roles and identities of Black 

women. While this addresses dynamics beyond the scope of this research, it does underscore the 

intersections between gender, power, and motherhood (Collins; Davis, hooks). This can be done 

through the diminished perception of their leadership, where they might be seen as too gentle for 

roles involving decision-making and assertive authority. The concept also has the potential to 

reinforce patriarchal standards that place women within the spheres of domesticity and 

caregiving.  

41 

 
 
Evans, in particular, was known for taking on this approach by occasionally referring to 

her congregation as “children” and even sending them birthday cards to demonstrate her 

nurturing role akin to that of a mother. As illuminated by Best, “the mothering of her 

congregation effectively desexualized her…it presented the best way for black women preachers 

to de-emphasize the body, sex, and sexuality” (158). The “ironic power” of mothering proved 

especially efficacious in complicating the gendered reading of both women’s physical 

appearances. It was a tool for navigating the complexities of Black women’s roles and identities, 

while avoiding societal norms that emphasize the physical and sexual aspects of Black women.  

Moreover, the romantic relationships of both women with their significant other were 

kept private or out of public view. Best hinted at Evans’ rumored lesbian identity but it was 

never confirmed, while Smith attempted to keep her husband away from public scrutiny. These 

efforts to safeguard their personal relationships from the public eye underscored the distinct 

separation both women upheld between their sexual engagements and their religious 

commitments; they were separate entities. The narrative of Smith and Evans exposes the 

historical tendency is to “read” Black women’s bodies as sites of cultural and sexual inscription” 

(150-1). This outcome has resulted in a climate of scrutiny and censorship within the Black 

community. Those who deviate from the established norms of “proper” and “respectable” 

behavior often face alienation or exclusion due to their perceived failure to conform to the 

standards set by respectability politics. This dilemma prevented Black women from fully 

expressing their authentic selves in a place where they sought refuge. This raises the question of 

how Black women can experience spiritual and sexual fulfillment while avoiding compromising 

their multiple ways of being. 

42 

 
 
 Respectability functions as both a tool for survival and oppression, compelling us to 

ponder its implications. This perspective enforces specific behavior for Black individuals to be 

recognized as human and gain opportunities, fostering a culture of critique within the 

community. Although respectability politics can offer a way for Black women to obtain greater 

acceptance and respect, it can also yield negative outcomes by perpetuating damaging 

stereotypes and generating a climate of social control (Collins; Cooper). This is exemplified by 

Smith and Evans’ experiences in ministry, where their sexual engagements and religious 

commitments were kept separate. Considering this complexity, this dissertation acknowledges 

the limitations of respectability politics and advocates for approaches that aim to advance social 

and sexual justice, promoting Black women’s identities and ways of being without scrutiny, 

censorship, and confinement. 

Conclusion  

Overall, Black women’s sexuality has been negatively impacted since the era of slavery. 

This fact is evident when examining the narrative of Harriet Jacobs, which illustrates how Black 

women had to resort to extreme measures to preserve or take ownership of their sexuality.  Even 

following the abolition of slavery, harmful stereotypes prevailed such as mules, mammies, and 

jezebels to perpetuate the degradation of Black women. As a result, Black women embraced 

respectability politics to humanize their experiences and earn esteem. While this approach aimed 

to promote social progression, it stifled the diverse facets of Black women’s identities, 

particularly regarding how they were perceived in the Black church. This calls for new 

frameworks that are not limiting Black women’s experiences but inviting them to be free in their 

sexuality, attain self-actualization, and feel spiritually affirmed.  

43 

 
 
 
 
 
CHAPTER TWO 

The purpose of this section is to present the theoretical and methodological foundations that 

guided this research. The outset involves an introduction to womanist theology, which shaped 

my understanding of Black women within the Black church. However, I gradually gravitated 

toward Black feminist theology because of its exploration of the multitude of Black women’s 

ways of being. This theological framework challenges the exploitative and demeaning Christian 

rhetoric surrounding Black women and girls’ bodies. Following that, I delve into Black feminist-

womanist storytelling and its role in facilitating healing for Black women. Building upon this 

concept, I offer testimonial storytelling as an extension of Black feminist-womanist storytelling 

narrative tradition.  

Accordingly, this is a research study that explores the following questions:  

1.  How do Black women’s experiences within the Black church contribute to how they  

see themselves as sexual beings?  

2.  How does storytelling help Black women heal from the spiritual violence associated  

with the Black church?  

3.  What practices and strategies can Black women engage in to develop and strengthen  

their sexual politics? 

Thus, I situate this conversation utilizing a multidisciplinary approach within the field of English 

literature, Women and Gender Studies, Religious Studies, and Language and Literacy studies. 

The Influence of Womanist Theology 

My experiences with the Black church of being told “my place,” the dismissal of my 

sexuality, and the scholarship surrounding Black women in the church led me towards the study 

of womanist theology. Womanist theology delves into Black women’s history, experiences, and 

culture, with a particular focus on their relationship with the Black Church and their expressions 

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
of faith (Grant 209). This notion emerged by applying the concept of womanism by Alice 

Walker to theological discourse. In 1983, Walker developed a four-part definition of womanist in 

her book In Search of Our Mothers’ Garden (p.8): 

1. From womanish. (Opp. of “girlish,” i.e. frivolous, irresponsible, not serious.) A black 

feminist or feminist of color. From the black folk expression of mothers to female 

children, “you acting womanish,” i.e., like a woman…Wanting to know more and in 

greater depth than is considered “good” for one. 

2. A woman who loves other women, sexually and/or non-sexually.  

Appreciates and prefers women’s culture, women’s emotional flexibility (values tears as 

natural counterbalance of laughter), and women’s strength. Sometimes loves individual 

men, sexually and/or non-sexually.  

Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female.  

Not a separatist, except periodically, for health. Traditionally universalist… 

3. Loves music. Loves dance. Loves the moon. Loves the Spirit. Loves love and food and 

roundness. Loves struggle. Loves the Folk. Loves herself. Regardless. 

4. Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender. 

Referring to the first component of the four-part definition, Walker’s concept involves acting in a 

“womanish” manner. As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, womanish is associated 

with traits typically associated with women, often meant in a reproachful way (Merriam-

Webster). In another sense, it references behaviors by women that deviate from traditional 

gender roles. In the context of the church, my decision to get my belly button pierced was 

deemed “womanish” because it defied the expected behaviors assigned to a Black girl by the 

Black church. However, in Walker’s interpretation, womanish signifies acting bold, standing 

45 

 
 
firm in my views, and being able to challenge the Black church’s norms by expressing oneself in 

ways that are not always conventionally accepted. In essence, this represented a form of 

empowerment and resistance because I was exercising my agency in making decisions about my 

own body. Building on this perspective of womanish as a form of empowerment and resistance, 

my introduction to womanist theology further deepened my understanding of what it means to be 

Black, female, and made in the image of God. However, it also led me to recognize the need for 

a broader framework that spoke to the multitudes of my identity that extended beyond my 

religious beliefs, but more on my attributes as a Black woman.  

Candice Benbow provides insightful commentary that encapsulates what I was trying to 

convey. She states, “I didn’t realize how much womanist theology could and would reorient my 

theological perspective. It gave me the language to walk toward understanding Black women and 

God more, both separately and as a collective, but it didn’t go far enough…womanist theology 

didn’t feel like it was created for women like me: sisters who didn’t tuck in their ratchetness in 

favor of righteousness to occupy certain spaces or get in certain rooms” (Red Lip Theology 

XXV). Benbow acknowledges that womanist theology provided a framework for exploring the 

relationship between Black women and God, but it did not fully encompass the experiences of 

Black women who deviate from traditional expectations of behavior and appearance. According 

to Brittney Cooper in “(Un)Clutching My Mother’s Pearls,” to be “ratchet” refers to acts that are 

intentionally outrageous and exceed the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior. I interpret 

ratchetness as a way for Black women to challenge hegemonic norms and redefine themselves in 

a holistic manner. The term “ratchetness” illustrates the intersectional nature of Benbow’s 

identity and suggests that womanist theology falls short of acknowledging the experiences of all 

Black women, particularly those who exist at the margins of society. Meg Thee Stallion is an 

46 

 
 
example of this approach, as she does not conform to stereotypes but shines despite them. Her 

song “Pimpin” includes the line, “Going to school, breaking the rules Patti LaBelle, gotta a new 

attitude,” which challenges hegemonic expectations and demonstrates the multiple ways in 

which Black women can be both ratchet and respectable. Thus, I posit that Black feminist 

theology addresses both sexual and spiritual matters for Black women, while also recognizing 

and affirming their wholeness. Despite being a relatively new theoretical framework, I assert that 

it establishes sexual justice tailored to Black women, particularly in the Black church. This 

theology exemplifies awareness, courage, and hope for a better church that Black women would 

feel comfortable attending or participating in.  

The Call to Black Feminist Theology  

Black feminist theology represents a sexually liberatory framework that seeks to create a 

harmonious relationship between Black women’s religious beliefs and their view of sexuality. 

The term was introduced by Brittney Cooper in a Facebook exchange with Tamura Lomax in 

20108. The footnote below sheds light on the dialogue between them as they engaged in the 

development of Black feminist theology employing both Black feminist and womanist tools, but 

distinctively not womanist theology. Following their reading of Monica Coleman’s 2006 

roundtable discussion “Must I be a Womanist,” Cooper and Lomax recognized their resonance 

8 “Black feminist theology, to my knowledge, first coined by black feminist Brittney Cooper in a 2010 
Facebook post where she and I exchanged ideas in response to her likening Beverly Guy-Sheftall’s Words 
of Fire: An Anthology of African-American Feminist Thought (1995) to a black feminist bible and Patricia 
Hill Collin’s Black Feminist Thought (1990) to “black feminisms’ systematic theology,” notes a 
womanist/black feminist theoretical engagement on theological phenomena, categories and interests. That 
is, in addition to a study of religio-cultural signs and meanings, it deploys womanist and black feminist 
tools to examine “the statement of the truth of the Christian message” in black women and girls’ lives. It 
does this work through critical discourses invested in accounts of God’s existence and/or activity and 
concepts such as belief, good news, and faith, with hopes of broadening, deepening and complicating black 
women and girls’ theological parameters and religious identities, interpretations and experiences.” [block 
quote was taken from Tamura Lomax’s book Jezebel Unhinged] 

47 

 
 
 
 
with Coleman’s ideas, but their critical thinking went far beyond that point.9 In the article, 

Coleman address two issues of concern. Firstly, she grapples with the distinction between 

identifying as either a womanist or Black feminist. While Coleman acknowledges the influence 

of womanist religious scholars in guiding her academic scholarship of God, she also critiques 

their limited discussions of homosexuality. Coleman perceives their silence on heterosexism and 

homophobia as forms of oppression affecting Black women, irrespective of their sexual 

orientations, as complicity in these issues (88). This speaks back to recognizing the multifaceted 

identities of Black women and promoting a discourse that encompasses the entirety of who they 

are.  

Conversely, Coleman highlights the significant role of Black lesbians in shaping the 

development of Black feminism, exemplified by the active and vocal contributions of the 

Combahee River Collective. It is worth noting that scholarship produced by womanist 

theologians, such as Pamela Lightsey’s Our Lives Matter( 2015), specifically addresses the 

theological perception of Black lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer women. This 

scholarship represents a response to the historical lack of attention to issues related to 

heterosexuality. It strives to create space for the LGBTQ community to feel affirmed in their 

9 “I should say that my tussling between womanist theology and black feminist theory began in my early 
years of seminary sometime around 2000. As well, the womanist/feminist push and pull between Cooper 
and I began long before 2010. If memory serves correctly, this wrestling began when she and I were 
classmates at Emory University sometime between 2003-2004, where she was a first year Ph.D. student 
and I a Master’s of Theology student. We took a course, The Black Female Body in American Culture, 
with Kimberly Wallace-Sanders that perhaps changed the course of both of our lives in very good ways. 
Our critical inquiries were, of course, further informed by the essential dawning in Monica Coleman’s 
“Must I be a Womanist” (2006). Yet Cooper and I, in our own ways, imagined something in conversation 
with Coleman – but also, more. Nonetheless, while our collective discourses were pivotal, they had yet to 
articulate Cooper’s framing terminology: black feminist theology. The few lines provided here hope to not 
only mark this discourse in history but further clarify aims.” [block quote was taken from Tamura Lomax’s 
book Jezebel Unhinged] 

48 

 
 
 
 
belief that they are loved by God, regardless of whom they choose to love. However, there is a 

scarcity of such scholarly work by womanist religious scholars. 

Secondly, Coleman also brings attention to the absence of religious pluralism in Black 

women’s faith affiliations. My review of existing literature reveals a predominant focus that 

leans toward the Christian faith. While this dissertation focuses on Black evangelicalism, a 

subset within Christianity, its objective is not to advocate for the adoption of this faith tradition 

by Black women. Instead, it aims to address specific challenges that Black women encounter 

within this particular religious branch. Moreover, Monica Coleman’s Bipolar Faith contributes 

to the discourse on heterosexism and religious inclusivity by sharing her personal experiences 

with women. This aspect sheds light on why Cooper and Lomax found themselves immersed in a 

more profound discussion regarding Coleman’s article. It prompted them to delve deeper into 

their understanding of Black feminism, with a focus on the theological perspective of Black 

women.   

I gather that Cooper and Lomax’s discussion led to the concept of Black feminist 

theology to attend to the issues mentioned by Coleman. Both Cooper and Lomax identify as 

Black feminists, albeit they approached this concept from different angles—Cooper as an 

American studies scholar and Lomax as a scholar of religion. This illuminates the need for a 

theology that examines the way the Christian messages affect Black women and girls’ lives. 

Simultaneously, it should seek to challenge patriarchal barriers that undermine the experiences 

and voice of Black women. In her work Eloquent Rage, Cooper explicates that Black feminist 

theology confronts the obstacles Black women face in reconciling their religious beliefs with 

feminist principles pertaining to their sexuality. She underscores the need for a nuanced approach 

within Black feminist theology that grapples with the tension between sexuality and spirituality 

49 

 
 
to find a sense of belonging and empowerment within both spectrums. Furthermore, she 

highlights that the scope of Black feminist theology extends beyond the confines of religious 

settings, encompassing the broader spectrum of Black women's daily experiences, even 

extending into professional environments (142). This perspective arises from the indirect 

advocacy for Black women’s sexual agency without judgment or censorship. As bell hooks 

echoes in Ain’t I a Woman, the purpose of feminism is to transcend the struggle against 

patriarchy and equal rights for women with men. She states, “[feminism] is a commitment to 

eradicating the ideology of domination that permeates Western culture on various levels—sex, 

race, and class” (194-5). This commitment signifies an aspiration to formulate an emboldening 

and non-negotiable appreciation of Black womanhood.  

In the 2019 special issue of Black Theology, several articles examine the Black church, its 

biblical interpretations, and its cultural practices. Within this context, the commitment articulated 

by hooks in her feminist statement gains particular significance, as it underscores the importance 

of addressing issues related to race and sexuality for Black women. More specifically, these 

articles sought to attend to the multiple and intricate narratives of Black women, delving into 

their various nuances and expressions. This approach aims to establish a politics of pleasure that 

empowers Black women and cultivates feelings of joy, rather than shame. The introductory 

article titled “Black Bodies in Ecstasy” helped in identifying the two key aspects that these 

scholars were attending to that relate to the focus of this dissertation. 1) It presents a  theological 

perspective that challenges conventional ideas of respectability and purity. 2) It defines pleasure 

in a manner that acknowledges and validates that Black women desire and experience pleasure, 

while also giving them permission to continue to do so. Through this special issue, it proposes 

50 

 
 
the fundamental values of a Black feminist theology, which encourages Black women to 

embrace and engage with all aspects of themselves.  

The article “Theorizing the Distance” by Lomax details the essential values necessary for 

a theology centered on healing. It calls for a new social and economic order that emphasizes the 

importance of recognizing the humanity and rights of Black people. It further places a strong 

emphasis on prioritizing freedom and dignity, as well as distinguishing between Black women’s 

“sexual being (interior identification) and being sexualized (cultural projection)” (268). This 

distinction is particularly crucial because it empowers individual autonomy, while the alternative 

involves objectification and external judgments imposed upon them. Consequently, this new 

social order calls for protection against objectification, fostering respect for privacy, nurturing 

healthy relationships, and working towards reducing the stigma attached to various expressions 

of sexuality. It also condemns any actions that undermine these principles as sin. Incorporating 

Lomax’s explanation of this new social order contributed to my understanding of the core values 

encompassing self-worth, articulation, sexual autonomy, and community among Black women.  

The same article delves into the shame that Black women grapple with within the 

Christian worldview, society, and their inner lives. It acknowledges this by recognizing that its 

purpose is not to promote respectability and a sanitized version of Black womanhood. Instead, it 

seeks to embrace the complexities of life and accept the coexistence of messy and contradictory 

realities (274). This signifies that it scrutinizes concepts such as consent, coercion, resistance, 

appropriation, and complicity within the context of both oppression and pleasure (274). This 

holistic approach allows for the multifaceted experiences of Black women that can be ratchet, 

lesbian, “churchy” and still having sex. This theological perspective empowers Black women to 

51 

 
 
assert control of their sexual identities, freeing them from stereotypical narratives. In the process, 

it creates space for the exploration of what pleasure entails.  

Lomax proposes that within Black feminist theology, pleasure becomes intricately 

connected to the redefinition and reclamation of agency over one’s own identity, sexuality, and 

spirituality. This involves challenging and dismantling harmful ideologies and stereotypes that 

have historically constrained Black women. She articulates that the ultimate goal of a Black 

feminist theology of pleasure is to “[unbind] Black female promiscuity from notions of social-

political regress; unhinging Black women and girls from the marketplace of shame; and de-

weaponizing respectability, virginity, sexual closeting, erotophobia, hyper-moralism, and 

heteronormativity as symbols of dignity and worth (“Theorizing the Distance” 278). In essence, 

pleasure is intimately tied to the idea of liberation and the restoration of dignity and worth to 

Black women and girls by freeing them from shame, respectability politics, and oppressive 

norms regarding sexuality and gender identity. This theology further grants Black women 

permission to break free from the confines of society and conservative Christian theology, 

propelling them towards self-love, sexual autonomy, and self-exploration.  

Womanist sexual ethicist Monique Moultrie10 approaches the politics of pleasure within 

the Black church. However, her perspective on pleasure differs from that of Black feminist 

theology. Moultrie places emphasis on sexual honesty and responsibility, coining the concept of 

“womanist erotic justice.” Her scholarly contributions have led me to reflect upon the essence of 

honesty and responsibility in the realm of Black women’s sexuality. This inquiry is central to her 

book, where she advocates for the use of protection and finding physical and emotional self-

awareness before seeking pleasure (132). However, it is essential to recognize that many Black 

10 Passionate and Pious: Religious Media and Black Women’s Sexuality   

52 

 
 
 
 
women, especially those who have endured feelings of shame and a lack of sexual visibility 

within the Black church, may grapple with where to begin their journey toward erotic self-

awareness. Considering Black women’s history of sexual repression and the perpetuation of 

harmful stereotypes targeting their bodies and identities, I posit that many Black women may 

find themselves infants to their politics of pleasure. Building upon Lomax’s conceptualization of 

pleasure, I interpret it as the process of taking ownership of one’s life and desires. Therefore, 

there is a need for more efforts to educate Black women about their own identities as sexual 

beings before expecting them to navigate responsibly and honestly.  

I contend that this can be accomplished through the pedagogical endeavor of teaching 

Black women about self-love and self-exploration. An example of this approach can be found in 

the utilization of storytelling as an educational tool to foster their comprehension. For instance, 

Elaine Richardson shares an ill literacy narrative11 (2009) about being raped and losing her 

virginity at 12 years old to a man she did not know and did not give consent to12. She was 

unaware of what it meant to be sexually responsible and honest. She required a deeper 

understanding of what it meant to inhabit a Black female body with sexual agency before 

anything else. However, the act of sharing her narrative did serve the purpose of pushing back 

against the dominant narratives of Black girls and validating her existence. This is because her 

experience as a young girl enabled her to understand that “the black female body is ascribed in 

society as a body without knowledge, a body to be commodified, a body that will serve at the 

11 In the article, “My ill Literacy Narrative: Growing up Black, Po and a Girl, in the Hood” Richardson calls her 
narrative an ill literate narrative because she redefines what ill means. In white mainstream English, ill means to be 
sick. In opposition of white mainstream English, she understands ill to mean skilled. In Black language (BL), the 
reversal meaning of a word is called semantic inversion. Richardson’s narrative is considered a “skilled literate 
reading” from those who are viewed at the lower level of society. In other words, her narrative “talks back’ to the 
dominant way of viewing her story.  
12See page 763 in the article  above for the detailed description of this account. 

53 

 
 
 
pleasure, ultimately of the system of white male patriarchy” (763). As a young girl, she 

encountered an experience of submission that those enslaved had to endure, without the proper 

knowledge and the lack of language to expose her truth. Unbeknownst to her during that period, 

by the age of five, she was already perceived as having knowledge of subjects typically 

associated with adults, thereby denying her innocence (Epstein Rebecca et al, 2017). I assert that 

the self-writing of her experiences is a form of healing the trauma of her 12-year-old self. Her 

narrative pushes forth the values of Black feminist theology of pleasure through the articulation 

of her lived experiences. That said, I recommend the adoption of storytelling as a deployment of 

Black feminist theology for exploring Black women and girls’ sexual liberation, as it serves as a 

prime example of what constitutes sexual justice.  

Methodology: Black Feminist-Womanist Storytelling 

It becomes clear that adopting storytelling as a means of exploring Black women and 

girls’ sexual liberation aligns with the call made by critical race theorists Richard Delgado and 

Jean Stefancic in their book Critical Race Theory (2017). Delgado and Stefancic introduced the 

concept of counterstorytelling, which allows Black and Brown individuals to tell their stories to 

counter the dominant narrative that dehumanizes them (50). In this context, it is important to 

recognize that while counterstorytelling is critical for Black and Brown people in giving voice to 

their own stories, language and literacy scholar Lamar Johnson, in his 2017 article “The Racial 

Hauntings,” emphasizes a broader role for storytelling. He contends that storytelling should not 

only “counter and disrupt” the dominant narrative but also give space to anyone’s racialized 

stories towards self-transformation and self-actualization through the practice of racial 

storytelling (482). He asserts that “educators can utilize racial storytelling as a response to our 

racialized memories, repressions, suppressions, and oppressions. Racial storytelling enables us to 

54 

 
 
tackle our racial hauntings and to work against our own miseducation while working toward self-

transformation and liberation” (482). The idea of “racial hauntings” suggests that unresolved 

racial issues can linger and negatively impact individuals and society. Therefore employing 

Johnson’s method can lead individuals toward self-transformation from racial oppression and 

miseducation. In light of this perspective on addressing unresolved racial issues through 

storytelling, it is important to explore the role of Black feminist-womanist storytelling.   

Black feminist and womanist storytelling expands upon the foundation of racial 

storytelling by serving as a literacy tool that helps Black women and girls collect, write, analyze, 

and theorize their stories while simultaneously healing from them (Baker-Bell 531). This 

storytelling approach integrates many elements, including autoethnography, African American 

female language and literacy traditions, and Black feminist and womanist theories. 

Autoethnography holds particular importance in this dissertation. As defined by Adams, Ellis, 

and Holman Jones in “Autoethnography,” autoethnography involves self-reflection to identify 

and explore the relationship between the self and society. They further state that it assists people 

in processing “what to do, how to live, and the meaning of their struggles” (1). Additionally, the 

utilization of Black feminist and womanist theories offers a means to reflect on the complex 

intersection of Black women’s experiences concerning race, gender, class, and sexuality. Baker-

Bell argues that this method positions Black women's stories at the forefront and allows their 

way of storying to interpret their intersectional realities (532). Nevertheless, as I recount my 

experience with shame and sexual repression within the Black church in the introduction, I 

contend that I employed the elements of Black feminist-womanist storytelling. Through this 

approach, I engaged in self-reflection on my own experiences and sought to connect them with 

55 

 
 
the experiences of other Black women in society. By embracing my own experiences as truth, I 

am applying the principles of Black feminist and womanist thought.   

Ultimately, Black feminist-womanist storytelling made room for Baker-Bell to do the 

soul work13 required for human freedom. She confirms that “writing about my experiences 

through storytelling provided me with space to reconcile past trauma; bring closure to situations; 

understand how my past, present, and future selves are always in conversation with one another; 

and imagine new ways to negotiate, resist, and preserve myself” (532). In essence, this practice 

transcends mere dialogue about Black women’s stories; it explores the healing power that arises 

from self-writing ourselves free. Through the selection of stories she chose to share, and the 

ability to analyze and interpret them personally, Baker-Bell, much like Richardson, exercised 

agency over the wounds that hurt her, liberating herself from them. Furthermore, this storytelling 

method is important to Black women as it empowers them to prioritize their own wellness by 

permitting them to identify themselves on their own terms and explore what it means to inhabit a 

Black female Body. That said, I am contributing to this methodology by proposing testimonial 

storytelling as an extension of Black feminist-womanist storytelling into the realm of spirituality.  

Testimonial Storytelling: An Expansion 

The act of testifying has long been a means through which Black women share their 

stories. Geneva Smitherman defines testifying as a form of communication in which one gives a 

verbal witness to an experience in their life (Talkin and Testifyin 58). Theologically, scholar Mae 

G. Henderson defines it as a “spontaneous expression to the church community [by whomever] 

13 Lamar Johnson coins this in “The Racial Hauntings” article as a practice that is performed by teachers in the 
classroom as a form of pedagogical practice. He defines it as “a deep excavation of the self(ves)…requires us to 
illustrate our vulnerabilities from taking a look within and tapping into our repressed memories and the 
subconscious. It requires us to revisit memories that we hope to forget but that continue to live on—memories that 
trigger feelings of joy, guilt, happiness, sadness, frustration, anger, and rage” (481). 

56 

 
 
 
feels the spirit” (“Speaking in Tongues” 58). Historically, in the Black church, testimony served 

as a way for those enslaved to express themselves, demonstrating enduring faith and resilience in 

the face of adversity. In Witnessing and Testifying, Rosetta Ross quotes Thomas Hoyt’s14 

description of the impact of giving testimony among the enslaved: “in testimony, people speak 

truthfully about what they have experienced and seen, offering it to the community for 

edification of all…in testimony, a believer describes what God has done in her life, in words 

both biblical and personal, and the hands of her friends clap in affirmation. [The] individual 

speech thus becomes part of an affirmation that is shared” (Hoyt as cited in Ross 2003, p.13). 

This process transforms individual speech into a shared affirmation, highlighting the authenticity 

and vulnerability required in testifying. It also underscores how testimony uplifts and enlightens, 

resonating with others in the community and creating a shared bond of faith and affirmation. It is 

important to note that testifying is not limited to the church setting and can have healing power 

beyond religious contexts. This idea aligns with Audre Lorde’s assertion in Sister Outsiders, 

where she writes “the transformation of silence into language and action is an act of self-

revelation (42). By connecting Smitherman and Henderson’s definitions of testimony, I propose 

the concept of testimonial storytelling. This form of storytelling serves not only as a narrative 

and literacy practice but also as a cultural approach that Black women can engage in to find 

healing in matters concerning their sexual and spiritual engagements. What sets testimonial 

storytelling apart is its incorporation of a spiritual dimension as an additional facet of Black 

feminist-womanist storytelling. This dimension allows for discussions rooted in faith alongside 

discussions of racial, gender, and sexual oppression. It provides a platform for empowerment, 

14 Thomas Hoyt Jr., “Testimony,” in Dorothy C. Bass, ed. Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching 
People  

57 

 
 
 
 
healing, and resistance to Black women’s conduct because of the harmful Christian rhetoric of 

the Black church.   

I argue that testimonial storytelling can serve as a means of instruction for Black women 

on navigating the world in three distinct ways—through the act of vocally sharing one’s story, 

through the process of self-writing of one’s experiences, and through the presentation of Black 

women’s stories in literature. This is because recounting their own experiences can provide the 

storyteller solace and empowerment about the world in which they live. For example, Baker-Bell 

explained the role of storytelling practices aiding in conveying the wisdom gained from her 

mother as a young girl about the essence of being a Black woman in America and the 

intersectionality of their experiences (“For Loretta”). While all women confront patriarchy and 

all Black individuals experience racism, as a Black woman, she lives at the intersection of race, 

gender, and sex, as discussed by Kimberlé Crenshaw in “Demarginalizing the Intersection15.” In 

this way, Baker-Bell came to understand the societal positioning of Black women, their distinct 

worldview, and how to navigate her identity as a Black woman. Another example of the 

importance of storytelling is celebrated by Walker where she articulates, “through the years of 

listening to my mother’s stories of her life, I have absorbed not only the stories themselves, but 

something of the manner in which she spoke, something of the urgency that involves the 

knowledge that her stories---like her life---must be recorded” (In Search of Our Mothers’ 

Garden 240). This statement illustrates the educational nature of storytelling and the significant 

impact that listening to someone else’s narrative may have. It also emphasizes the act of 

recording and sharing one’s stories allows individuals to ensure their experiences are not 

forgotten and can provide future generations with a connection to the past. By using comparable 

15 See page 149 of “Demarginalizing the Intersection” for further explanation.  

58 

 
 
 
techniques for sharing their personal narratives, Black women who have similar experiences 

within the Black church can connect through the practice of testimonial storytelling and engage 

in self-reflection. This practice contributes to the promotion of sexual justice, which seeks to 

redefine and elevate the understanding of what it means to live as a spiritual and sexual Black 

woman. 

In chapter five, an illustration of the practice of testimonial storytelling will be displayed 

within the context of a book club. I specifically selected a book that reflects Black women’s 

experience in the Black church. Participants and I met weekly to discuss the book and I 

employed questions to foster connections between our own lived experiences (more of this will 

be elaborated in the following chapter). The outcome of the book club showcased the practice of  

Black women sharing their experiences, engaging with literature that mirrors our own realities, 

and the act of self-writing ourselves free. My intention was that the practices within the book 

club would challenge established notions of respectability politics, reclaim the power of tongue 

from others, and give the power back to Black women. Through this empowerment of Black 

women, we acknowledge our agency in defining the language of our Blackness, womanhood, 

sexuality, and spirituality.  

Conclusion  

 I assert that Black feminist theology can be observed through the use of testimonial 

storytelling, operating in the lives of Black women to foster healing, nurturing self-love, and 

helping liberate them sexually. Providing a space in which Black women can engage in literature 

that mirrors their lived experiences and be in communion with other Black women that also 

share similar experiences, is a reflection of Black feminist theology actively working in their 

lives. The practice of testimonial storytelling contributes to building the components of Black 

59 

 
 
feminist theology which I identify as self-worth, articulation, sexual autonomy, and community. 

By participating in a book club, we witness Black women actively engaging in testimonial 

storytelling and gain exposure to healing practices that support their journey toward wholeness.  

I conclude with the lingering thought of thinking through the tension between Christian 

indoctrination of how Black women are taught to see themselves in the Black church and the 

inability to see who they can actually be. There’s a desire for Black women to kill the kind of 

subjugated versions of themselves, shedding the burden of shame and desexualization. I suggest 

testimonial storytelling as a spiritual rebirthing project, enabling them to draw insights from 

stories in literature to understand, theorize, and strategize ways to engage their spirituality and 

sexuality. This approach not only offers pathways to healing their Black womanhood but extends 

to their Black girlhood too, which may have wrestled with the same internal battle. 

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHAPTER THREE 

The purpose of this chapter is to explain the recruitment process taken to conduct a book 

club. This book club served as a platform for dialogue among a group of participants that drove 

forth the research’s objectives of providing alternative viewpoints of Black women’s sexuality, 

after experiencing feelings of shame. I outline my procedure for recruiting participants and then 

provide some demographic data about the participants. This led to the exploration of the way I 

gathered data in the book club format, detailing the book we read, as well as some other media 

we engaged with. I conclude this section by describing my approach to analyzing the data. 

Recruitment Process 

Before conducting the study, I circulated a flyer on my social media platforms—

Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. In my social circle, I had approximately 700 connections on 

both Instagram and Facebook, as well as around 200 connections on Snapchat. My aim was to 

find people within my existing networks and encourage them to share on their platforms. The 

flyer included a link to a questionnaire that the interested participants were required to fill out 

(see the questionnaire in Appendix A). The goal of the questionnaire was to collect demographic 

information to ensure the participants met the basic criteria to participate, specifically focusing 

on Black women who have an understanding of and engagement with spirituality and sexuality. 

In order to maintain a comfortable environment for those sharing their experiences, my intention 

was to keep this group relatively small, which consisted of approximately six women. However, 

I recognized the sacredness of the topic of spirituality and sexuality and did not want to exclude 

anyone genuinely interested in participating. Ultimately, I wanted these Black women to come 

together to represent an interpretative community,16 as they embarked on a journey to trust 

16 See Black Women as Cultural Readers by Jacqueline Bobo, p. 22. 

61 

 
 
 
 
themselves and each other with their vulnerabilities and strive to discover valuable 

representations of themselves.   

Limitations 

The flyer only generated interest from two participants within the month-long deadline. 

Despite receiving much interest in my messages, I could not understand why more people did not 

fill out the survey. My understanding of the limitations of this work was not formed until I re-

read the flyer (see figure 1 below).  

Figure 1: Seeking Research Participants Flyer  

The above flyer limited participation by two variables: age and language. Initially, I chose to 

focus on Black girls falling within the 17-24 age range because I was interested in the personal 

growth and journey of younger Black women during this particular phase of life. I questioned the 

religious messages that influenced their perception of their bodies, and how it impacted their 

understanding of sexuality in their early twenties. I also wanted to explore whether they 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
experienced any fear about not aligning with those messages. Reflecting on my own experiences 

as a seventeen-year-old piercing my belly button, I recognized that my understanding of 

sexuality had been shaped long before that by the disapproving looks I received from older 

church women if my dress was above the knee or if I dared to wear red lipstick to church. It was 

implied that the more I drew attention to myself in a non-traditional way as a Black girl, the 

more I was sexualized as being “fast.” It was not until graduate school, in the later part of my 24 

years, that I was introduced to theories advocating for positive perspectives on sexuality. 

Therefore, I wanted to see if this particular age range served as a common thread connecting my 

experiences with others in that age bracket, and when or if their self-actualization journey began.  

I observed that one of the two people who completed the survey was 19 (within the age 

requirement) and the other person was 30 (beyond the age requirement). Interestingly, I received 

inquiries from several women above the age bracket who expressed their interest in participating. 

This raised questions about why the flyer did not reach a larger audience of younger Black 

women, despite being advertised in spaces frequented by this demographic. As a result, I 

recognized the necessity of expanding the distribution of the flyer across additional networks to 

garner increased interest. Consequently, I enlisted the support of my colleagues and family 

members to share the flyer within their social networks. Additionally, the committee members 

also promoted the flyer on their platforms. Finally, I made the decision to remove the age 

restriction and extend participation to all Black women aged 18 and above. I believe that older 

Black women might bring valuable experiences and insights to the subject matter due to their 

potential broader life experiences. It occurred to me that older Black women, much like myself 

in my later twenties, might have experienced different periods of unlearning and relearning about 

matters related to sexuality and spirituality. Conversely, younger Black women might still be in 

63 

 
 
the process of unpacking their narratives, searching for appropriate language to articulate and 

comprehend their experiences. Importantly, I did not need to make any major changes to my 

research aside from adjustments to the flyer.  I also welcomed the opportunity to hear from older 

Black women and gain insight into the experiences they encountered that shaped how they 

recognized the need for unlearning and how they attempted to overcome their religious forms of 

violence.  

The flyer also used the words hyper-visibility and shame. I recognized that I gave the 

participants the language to describe their experiences, and that these terms do align with the 

vernacular commonly used by Black women in their everyday descriptions of their experiences. 

Therefore, I acknowledge an alternative need for this study to analyze the language used by these 

women to think through how we can theorize Black women's experiences through their everyday 

language and everyday experiences within/because of the Black church. In other words, I listen 

intently to the specific language that my participants use to describe their own experiences to 

understand how language choices impact the way Black women negotiate their sexual identities. 

Having said that, I revised the flyer to appeal to a wider range of ages and removed the language 

that described my personal experiences in the church. I also extended a $25 Amazon gift card as 

a token of gratitude for participation in the book club, helping cover the costs of their book 

purchase upon completion (see updated figure 2 below).  

64 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 2: Updated Seeking Research Participants Flyer 

Participants  

Having shared the revised flyer on my social media platforms and through the assistance 

of my family, friends, colleagues, and committee members, I established a deadline of one month 

for interested participants to complete the questionnaire. Within three days, 26 participants filled 

out the survey. Although many were interested, only five participants actually participated in the 

book club (see Table 1.1). All of the participants were given a consent letter about joining the 

book club (see Appendix B). The letter contained a brief summary of the book club, potential 

risks in participating, assurance of research confidentiality, the potential for future research, and 

the option to withdraw at any time. Participants were informed that only their age would be 

disclosed and were given the choice to use a pseudonym for identification. They were also able 

to view any information written about them, ensuring no harm would come from their 

involvement. 

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  If participants agreed to these terms, they were instructed to sign the form and return it 

to me via email. This consent form was a mandatory requirement, as I needed ethics approval 

from Michigan State University because I was working with human subjects, overseen by the 

Institutional Review Board (IRB). I could only submit the consent form to participants upon 

approval from the IRB of the study and the requirements for each participant. Upon receiving the 

signed consent forms, I stored the information in a password-protected file on my computer to 

protect the participants’ information.   

The participants were Sarah, Lex, Altalie, Sam, and Tony.  Sarah, Lex, and Altalie 

resided in New York, while Sam and Tony were located in Georgia. Despite living in the same 

states, the participants were not acquainted with each other. As elaborated in the next chapter, the 

participants did not attend any church regularly and grappled with reconciling their views on 

sexuality with their spirituality. However, their religious backgrounds stemmed from Church of 

God in Christ and non-denominational affiliations. Although I lacked specific details about these 

religious backgrounds, it was evident that their beliefs are rooted in the Christian tradition, 

centered on the belief of Jesus’ crucifixion for the redemption of sins. Additionally, the 

participants ranged in age from 28 to 42 years old, underscoring that the conflict between 

spirituality and sexuality transcends specific age demographics but can persist throughout life 

stages. Lastly, their motivations for joining the book club varied, including the desire to connect 

with other women, interest sparked by engaging with the book’s summary, and readiness to 

confront these challenging issues. Refer to the table below of a breakdown of the participants' 

race, gender, age, and religious affiliation. 

66 

 
 
 
 
Table 1.1: Study Participants 

Race/Ethnicity  Gender  Age 
(5) Black 

Females 

       1       28 
1 
   34 
       1       36 
       1       41 
       1       42 

Religion? 
      1    Church of God of Christ (COGIC) 

      3    Non-denominational 

1    Spiritual 

Procedure 

I combined close readings of the literary text, Sugar (2000), with transcripts of the book 

club as literature that needs to be analyzed, produced during six weeks. This was to see if 

engagement with literature that reflects Black women’s lived experiences offers them a way to 

feel empowered about their sexuality. Furthermore, I facilitated discussions during the book club 

on the relationship between sexuality and shame to posit the necessity of a theological approach 

to Black women’s lived experiences — both real and imagined —in the Black church.  

Together, we attended weekly book club meetings on Sundays starting October 23rd to 

December 4th of 2022. An extra week was added because the last week of the book club landed 

during the Thanksgiving holiday, and therefore, that week was an off week. This book was 

selected because it tells the story of a Black woman who was raised listening to biblical teaching 

in the Black church but chose to live a life of sexual exploration and unrepentant pleasure. In her 

growth as a Christian, Sugar (the titular character) learns not to be governed by the sexual 

alienation of the Black church members. This context provided a framework for the participants 

to consider the ways in which the Christian rhetoric of the Black church contributed to issues of 

race, gender, power, identity formation, spirituality, and sexuality. I intended to stimulate 

discussion about these issues to understand how Black women feel about and address the issue of 

67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
shame, and to discover how they can begin to heal. Beyond the usual structure of discussion in 

traditional book club formats, this book club makes room for the participant’s ability to name 

and frame their own language about their experiences in the church, in connection to the novel, 

while utilizing multimodal content such as Beyonce’s soundtrack of “Church Girl” to address 

oppressive factors for Black women. I selected this song because it touches upon the concept of  

Black church women embodying qualities of sexuality, sensuality, and spirituality. The choice 

aimed to stimulate the initial reaction of the participants to this theme and whether the song 

connected with their personal experiences or aspirations. The participants were the storytellers of 

their experiences while connecting with fictional characters that affirm their existence. Toliver 

(2020) upholds, “stories are more than just basic commentary, for they are a means to reaffirm 

the humanity of the storyteller because they share their lives with those willing to listen” 

(507).  Therefore, the participant's stories served as testimonials of their lived experiences. 

Data Sources and Data Collection 

I conducted the book club sessions in a video-recorded format using ZOOM. ZOOM is a 

digital technology that can be used on mobile devices such as cell phones or iPads. The main 

purpose of using this method is that we have been undergoing a global pandemic called COVID-

19 for about three years now. Despite the removal of mask mandates and gathering restrictions 

on both the state and federal levels, I deemed it essential to prioritize the community’s care and 

protection. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regularly updating 

information regarding emerging strains (CDC, 2022), safeguarding an already at-risk community 

remained the most important. While ZOOM provided protective measures for participants, it had 

its drawbacks, such as the potential limitation of creating intimacy online. However, my primary 

68 

 
 
focus revolved around building rapport17 with participants prior to the start of the book club. This 

involved connecting with them on social media, if not already, and sharing more of my 

background and motivation behind this work to build on my own vulnerability. Ultimately, my 

goal was to minimize power imbalances by transparently acknowledging my positionality as 

someone who also struggles with issues presented in this study. Furthermore, ZOOM had the 

ability to record and store data internally, eliminating the need for third-party software 

(Archibald et al 2). This feature is important for the protection of sensitive information. 

Consequently, ZOOM was a practical choice for ensuring the security of my participants during 

the global pandemic, while also offering accessibility for continued learning at any given time 

and place. Additionally, during and after the ZOOM sessions with the participants, I maintained 

a research memo of my thoughts and ideas. This practice aided in promoting reflection and 

analytic understanding of various aspects, including the participants’ facial expressions, the 

nuances in their language — both shared and distinct, and additional observations capturing the 

diverse personalities of the participants. I utilized the memo to assist in presenting the findings of 

the book club in a manner that authentically represents the culture and experiences of Black 

women.  

Coupled with the ZOOM sessions, I concluded the book club with a writing activity, as a 

form of self-writing in which the participants wrote their reaffirmation into existence. This 

activity was guided to answer the sub-field questions a) How do Black women’s experiences 

within the Black church contribute to how they view sexuality? (b) What does the engagement of 

testimonial storytelling look like in a book club research study? I selected these concluding 

questions to gauge whether their answers aligned with the discussions we had and to determine if 

17 See Tauhis Khan and Ellen MacEachen’s 2022 article titled “An Alternative Method of Interviewing” for more 
explains on how to build rapport with participants.  

69 

 
 
 
engaging in discussion and reading about these issues had proven beneficial to them. Finally, 

during the last session, we had a guest speaker named Pseusennes Bay, a holistic therapy doctor 

who utilizes meditation to facilitate self-healing. His expertise primarily focuses on a practice 

known as womb work, aimed at building individuals’ self-perception of their body, reducing 

stress, promoting vaginal health, and strengthening emotional well-being. Before this study, I 

had no prior knowledge of womb work. Interestingly, one of the participants mentioned their 

personal experience with Pseusennes Bay and the sense of agency they gained from working 

with him. I must admit that during our discussions, I had reservations about a man teaching 

women about womb work. However, I turned to bell hooks’ The Will to Change to explore the 

intersection of race and gender, which delves into men challenging traditional ideals of 

masculinity and engaging in feminist approaches. Although this topic deviated from the main 

focus of this dissertation, it prompted me to question the extent of Black men’s support for Black 

women’s healing. I began to contemplate what it would be like if Black men not only understood 

Black women’s experiences but worked alongside them in creating change. Therefore, I 

welcomed Pseusennes Bay’s perspective and his potential to contribute to the ongoing efforts to 

challenge societal expectations regarding how individuals should navigate and engage in the 

world.  

Introduction to the Research Study 

To begin the study, I created lesson plans that explored different topics for discussion for 

each week. For discussion, each participant was asked to bring one question related to the book. I 

also provided discussion questions to allow for further engagement with the novel. Included 

below is the tentative lesson plan created for each meeting of the book club, with the readings 

and some of the discussion questions I provided (Table 1.2). 

70 

 
 
Table 1.2: Black Women’s Book Club Meetings 

Week: 
1 
“Church Girl”: 
Pop, Lock, and 
Drop It” 

Readings:  

Discussion: 

Intro Week: 

Discussion Questions:  

●  Discuss the lyrics of the 

“Church Girl” by Beyonce 

●  What does the song mean to 

you? 

●  How did the song identify 
Black women’s sexual 
agency? 

●  What does it mean for Black 
church women to reimagine 
simultaneously being sexual, 
sensual, and spiritual? 

●  Come with one question 
about the chapters for 
discussion 

Sample Questions: 

1.  Why do you think Beyoncé 

chose those lyrics? 

2.  What message do you think 
Beyoncé was trying to 
convey? 

3.  Which line from the song 
resonates with you the 
most? And why? 

          *Read Pages 3-47* 

Sample Questions: 

1.  How is race portrayed in 

these chapters? 

2.  Let’s talk about the sexual 
agency among the Lacey 
women. 

3.  Why do you think Pearl is 
interested in Sugar the way 
she is?  

2 
Testimony & 
Trauma 

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 1.2 (cont’d) 

3 
Girls vs. 
Woman 
(Sisterhood) 

*Read Pages 48-106* 

Sample Questions:  

●  Come with one question 
about the chapters for 
discussion 

1.  What are some ways we see 

Sugar as the young Black girl 
that still needs healing? 

2.  What do these chapters reveal 
about women’s pleasure 
during sex?  

3.  What similarities, if any, can 
you tell between Pearl and 
Sugar? 

4 
Pleasure vs. 
Love 

*Read Pages 107-169* 

Sample Questions: 

●  Come with one question 
about the chapters for 
discussion 

1.  What does Pearl’s reaction to 
Sugar using the word ‘pussy’ 
reveal about language usage 
for conservative Black 
church women?  

2.  How can Pearl’s newfound 

self-expression be compared 
to a form of rebirth?  
3.  What truths did Sugar’s 

presence in Bigelow bring to 
light?  

72 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 1.2 (cont’d) 

5 
Pleasure vs. 
Pain 

*Read Pages 170-229* 

Sample Questions: 

●  Come with one question 
about the chapters for 
discussion 

1.  What did you think of the 
ending? Was it missing 
something? If not, why did 
you like the ending?  
2.  What can we say about 

language in conversation 
with sexuality in these 
passages? 

3.  Are there any questions you 
still have after reading this 
book? 

6 
Conclusion of 
Study 

*Wrap-Up Session* 

{Guest Speaker: Pseusennes Bay} 

Transcription Process 

Upon the conclusion of the book club, I proceeded to the transcription phase, utilizing 

Otter.Ai technology to convert each discussion into written form. Employing this platform, I 

transferred the audio files into the transcription database and devoted considerable time 

meticulously listening to each discussion once again. During this process, I made revisions to the 

digital transcript by associating the names of individual participants with their respective 

statements, comments, or questions. This is a critical step as it requires close attention and 

editing skills. Subsequently, I printed the transcripts and looked for patterns and themes within 

them, whether they were common themes present across multiple transcripts or unique to 

individual stories. These annotated transcripts were then organized in a binder, offering an 

efficient means of navigating and retrieving the data. As previously mentioned, participants were 

73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
identified using pseudonyms to mitigate potential risks associated with harm and privacy 

breaches. Furthermore, in conjunction with protective measures, the data was securely stored in a 

private file, accessible solely through a unique pin number.  

Analyzing Method 

This dissertation employs a dialogical approach within the context of a beauty salon 

setting to present and analyze the findings. This approach involves the incorporation of direct 

quotes of participants’ speech during group discussions held in the beauty salon. It was important 

for me to maintain linguistic integrity and refrain from applying any hegemonic influence to their 

language usage or way of thinking. As part of the participants’ identity formation, my aim was to 

accentuate their way of being, talking, and thinking as valuable and significant. Also, 

considering I am the only person the participants have been in direct contact with, I also 

incorporated my own experiences in the dialogues to promote a sense of comfort when sharing 

their experiences. Additionally, I wanted this experience to feel like a collaborative effort, 

wherein each participant felt empowered to express their most vulnerable selves.  

 I use the beauty salon metaphor to demonstrate a site of affirmation of community with 

other Black women. Similar to the characterization of “kitchen tables” from the Black Girl 

Literacies Collective, Black beauty salons also evoke:  

an inclusive space for Black girls and women to come together, to be seen, to be heard, 

and to just be. [It] signifies the rich history of our foremothers and grandmothers 

who…beyond gossip and social talk…bared their souls and received healing and 

affirmation in the company of their sisters. (“At the Kitchen Table” 380). 

Like the Black church, the beauty salon is a site of literacy for Black women in which they go to 

learn, engage, understand, and connect with other women who not only understand their 

74 

 
 
struggles but live them too. Language and literacy scholar April Baker-Bell affirms this notion, 

asserting that “beauty salons are not only spaces where Black women’s language and literacy 

practices are cultivated, legitimated, and valued but also spaces where they flourish and evolve” 

(“For Loretta” 527). Ultimately, I posit that when Black women come together and find safety 

and comfort among each other, it fosters a process of healing.  

This dialogical approach builds upon the foundations of Black feminism by embracing a 

cultural tradition practiced by Black women that highlights restoration, communal engagement, 

and an epistemological framework.  It accomplishes this by acknowledging the central role of 

dialogue within Black women's communities. In her 2015 article titled “Inheriting Patricia Hill 

Collins’s Black feminist epistemology,” Kristie Dotson outlines the four tenets of Collins’ Black 

feminist epistemology tenets. The first and second tenets underscore the importance of lived 

experiences in shaping how Black women generate knowledge and highlight the role of dialogue 

as a “criterion of assessment.” This positions dialogue as a valuable tool in the process of 

‘vetting’ knowledge (Collins as cited in Dotson 2015, p. 2325). Hence, employing a dialogical 

approach with research participants proved beneficial for gathering, evaluating, and analyzing 

my research data.  

The idea for a beauty salon engagement emerged during our interactions when we 

regularly met on Sundays at 11 a.m. It was apparent that the participants did not attend church on 

Sundays. This sparked my interest because I assumed that Sunday meetings might be 

problematic due to their church commitments. What I did observe was that each participant 

attended each session with different hair stages (i.e. hair wrapped in a scarf, deep conditioning in 

their hair, or braids). As a Black woman myself, I recognized that Sundays were a common day 

for resetting one’s hair day in preparation for the upcoming week. Consequently, I wanted to 

75 

 
 
extend this cultural experience beyond the virtual realm, inspiring the development of a symbolic 

beauty salon experience. That said, I have characterized the discourse within the beauty salon 

into five hair care practices: consultation, wash, treatment, style, and post-styling. I opted for 

these stages because they represent the fundamental steps of most of my personal hair care 

experiences. However, it is important to note that there is no universal way to manage all of 

Black women’s hair. Much like their ever-changing and dynamic identities, Black women’s hair 

care routines are tailored to their individual needs and can take many hours and even multiple 

days to complete (Rowe, 2019; Steele, 2021). The process that I identified above comprises the 

basic steps essential for the purpose of this study, yet each hair care experience can include many 

additional steps before reaching completion. 

Furthermore, the use of the transcripts from the beauty salon engagement can be 

classified as performative writing. According to Denzin (2001), performative writing describes 

the way the world is being performed through an autoethnographic and vulnerable approach. In 

alignment with the Combahee River Collective perspective, it emphasizes the personal narrative 

as a political act to “imagine new worlds, worlds where humans can become who they wish to 

be, free of prejudice, repression and discrimination” (Denzin 43). Additionally, performative 

writing offers researchers an unconventional means of conveying their research findings. 

Utilizing their own lived experiences as a gateway to engage the performer and their audience, 

allows for the exploration of individual interpretations within the narratives being shared. I 

employ this approach to imagine a site where the dialogue of the participants authentically 

represents the lived experiences and realities of Black women. The goal was to create a sacred 

space for Black women to not only feel seen but heard, but also have the opportunity to share 

their private thoughts openly. Through this, the performer (the Black woman speaking) and the 

76 

 
 
audience (the other Black women listening) can actively engage in discussions regarding 

prejudices or feelings of shame, judgment, or censorship they have towards their Black sexual 

politics.   

To conclude, I have included Table 1.3 below that presents the research questions, data 

sources utilized, methods of the study, and the Black hair care practices explored in the study.   

Table 1.3: Research Questions, Data Sources, Analysis Methods, and Potential Conclusions 

Black Hair Care 
Practice 

1.  Consultation 

2.  Wash 

3.  Treatment 

4.  Styling  

5.  Post-Styling  

Research Questions 

Data Sources 

Analysis Methods 

•  Zoom 

Dialogical Approach:  

recordings 

•  Memo notes 
taken during 
and after 
book club 
discussions 

1.  How do Black 
women’s 
experiences 
within the 
Black church 
contribute to 
how they see 
themselves as 
sexual beings? 

2.  How does 

literature help 
Black women 
heal from the 
spiritual 
violence 
associated with 
the Black 
church? 

3.  What practices 
and strategies 
can Black 
women engage 
in to develop 
and strengthen 
their sexual 
politics? 

• 

• 

• 

to demonstrate the 
common themes of 
the book and the 
connection to the 
participant's lived 
experiences.   
to find the 
commonalities 
between the 
characters in the 
book and the 
participants’ 
perceptions of 
sexuality and the 
way it is perceived 
in the church.  
to identify the 
participants’ 
newfound 
understanding of 
sexuality and 
spirituality and the 
positive 
affirmations 
displayed in the 
text.  

77 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
CHAPTER FOUR 

In this chapter, I present the findings from the book club research study as a discussion 

within a fictional beauty salon setting. I’ve categorized five distinct Black hair care practices: 

consultation, wash, treatment, style, and post-styling. Each of these hair care practices are 

allocated into one-hour segments to explore the metaphorical significance of these processes and 

their relevance to the various themes explored within the book club. Additionally, I provide a 

brief analysis in italics of each theme following the discussion, serving as a wrap up of that hour. 

In the next chapter, a more detailed reflection on the themes will be provided. This concept 

emerged from the different hair phases observed among the participants during each book club 

session. Additionally, the book under discussion, Sugar, features Fayline’s House of Beauty 

salon as a cultural site that serves as a communal space for townswomen to gather and discuss 

the town events. Consequently, I’ve taken inspiration from this cultural setting and the 

significance of beauty salons within Black communities to reimagine a space that serves as a 

form of therapy for Black women. This practice is in line with the concept coined by Afiya 

MBilishaka as “PsychoHairapy,” which includes facilitating group therapy sessions within salon 

settings by a mental health professional. In this approach, the psychologist participates in 

fostering relationships within the salon by facilitating storytelling and providing additional 

emotional support (MBilishaka 389). The dialogues I’ll be sharing from the book club research 

study mirror this approach, with a shared objective of reaffirming Black women’s identities 

concerning matters of spirituality and sexuality. However, my role in this context is that of a 

facilitator rather than a trained mental health professional.  

The history of Black women’s hair began in Africa, where hairstyles unique to Black 

people have been associated with age, social status, and ethnic identity within the community 

78 

 
 
 
 
(Banks, 2000; Byrd & Tharps, 2001; Gill, 2010). In the early fifteenth century, hair functioned as 

a means of conveying cultural messages in Africa. For example, within the Wolof tradition in 

Senegal, a young girl’s shaved head with a single tuft of hair left on top symbolized that she was 

not at the appropriate age for marriage (Hair Story 2). What is most interesting is that hair held 

great value in African countries, such as Senegal, due to its proximity to the heavens. In their 

book Hair Story, Ayana Byrd and Lori Tharps quote Mohamed Mbodj, a professor of African 

studies at Manhattanville University and a native of Dakar, Senegal, who comments that 

communication from the gods and spirits was believed to pass through the hair to reach the soul 

(Mbodj as cited in Byrd & Tharps 2001, p. 4). Consequently, hairdressers were highly esteemed 

within their communities for their meticulous care, which included washing, combing, oiling, 

braiding, twisting, and garnishing the hair with various accessories (5). This dedication to hair 

care sessions also fostered a sense of fellowship among community members (6). Below, is a 

description of five common hair care routines in contemporary Black hair care culture, along 

with insight into what the process involves. This knowledge is drawn from my personal 

experiences as a Black woman who regularly engages in these hair care practices. However, 

visual demonstrations of these practices are shared by Black women on social media, with 

Instagram being a notable platform where Black women often share such content18.  

Another important aspect to consider is that during enslavement, the appearance of 

enslaved individuals reflected on their “masters,” and an unkempt slave was more challenging to 

sell. Therefore, Sundays became a designated day of rest for them, and it evolved into a day for 

combing and styling hair, along with going to church. When the participants of this study 

showed up in their diverse hair processes on Sundays, I aimed not only to acknowledge this but 

18 Some Instagram public pages of Black women engaging in these hair care routines are: @dhatgirlbecca; 
@teerachelle_; @iesha_hairbraiding 

79 

 
 
 
also create a space that encourages their multitude of hairstyles and the beauty they represent. 

This is a tribute to the extensive history associated with the Black beauty culture.  

Sugar Unhinged 

Sugar was one of many books that touched on the themes of sexuality and spirituality. I 

particularly gravitated toward this book due to the complexity of one of the main characters, 

Sugar. Her upbringing was marked by exposure to sexuality while being raised by three sisters 

who used their home to deliver sexual experiences in exchange for money. After leaving their 

household, she resided with another woman who also employed Sugar’s body for the same 

business. In essence, Sugar’s understanding of sexuality revolved around pleasuring others, with 

little consideration for her own pleasure. It was only when she met her neighbor, Pearl, that she 

encountered someone who harbored no demands or desires from her. Pearl taught Sula what it 

meant to be valued for one’s authentic self rather than what your body possesses. Additionally, 

she introduced Sugar to the church, where, despite facing judgment from the church members, 

Sugar experienced a sense of belonging and self-worth. Sugar, in turn, played a crucial part in 

assisting Pearl in connecting with her own femininity and embracing sensuality, all while 

maintaining her faith in God. Sugar’s journey resonates with many women I’ve conversed 

with—those who were raised in the Black church but felt constrained by judgment, hindering the 

exploration of sexuality for themselves. As Sugar’s character blossomed throughout the book, 

her testimony and trauma became intertwined with self-love and friendship. I believed that the 

participants could connect with parts of the text, if not its entirety, regarding the process of self-

discovery in defining one’s sexuality.  

80 

 
 
 
 
 
Hour 1: Consultation 

When a Black woman finds the right stylist, it is important to meet with them before their 

hair styling appointment. This ensures that the stylist knows, understands, and can treat the hair 

without causing damage. Although Black women may engage in similar hair care practices, their 

hair has unique qualities such as length, curl patterns, and texture. The ideal stylist can revive the 

hair by trimming split ends and using suitable products to restore moisture, providing advice for 

long-term hair health. With the right hair stylist, you can slay19 in different hairstyles. Altalie’s 

hair is styled in a disheveled high bun, appearing void of any hair product, giving it a completely 

natural look.  

In this context, during the consultation stage, the participants discussed the challenges 

they faced due to preconceived notions instilled in them while growing up in the church. Before 

delving into the discussion on Sugar, I wanted to understand the issues these participants 

encountered as a result of these teachings. We explored Beyonce’s “Church Girl” to gain insight 

into what Black women’s sexual agency looks like and to investigate how popular culture 

addresses the problems they face. Additionally, we sought to unveil what it means for Black 

women to reimagine what it means to be sexual, sensual, and spiritual. The discussion was 

guided by three key questions: 1) What does sexuality mean to you? 2)  How has the black 

church informed your approach to how you view your sexuality? 3) How do you feel about your 

spiritual relationship affecting how you embrace your sexuality? Through these questions, the 

discussion revealed themes of mental imprisonment, judgment, and guilt.  

I radically imagine the following discussions taking place at the center of the beauty 

salon. The salon’s color scheme features shades of green, Black and tan, with six green chairs 

19 Slay is a slang word in Black language to describe a noun that is cool or pretty such as an outfit or people. Please 
see the urban dictionary for more context on the word.  

81 

 
 
 
arranged in the center, mirroring a serene atmosphere like that of nature. The walls of the salon 

are adorned with  paintings showcasing Black women in various shades of melanin and a range 

of hair styles, including stretched out natural curly hair pattern, braids, locs, and silk press. 

Participants and I are gathered in a circle as we discuss the following themes:  

Mental Imprisonment 

Marlisha: I define sexuality as more than just a physical act of intercourse, but also a site 

of self-exploration and liberation for the mind, body, and soul. I believe that Black women can 

develop tools to cope with sexual discrimination by using literature that represents their lived 

experiences. So today we'll be reading Sugar by Bernice McFadden, which displays a Black 

woman being unrepentant in her advocacy for her sexuality and ways of being. We uncover the 

deep layers of pain and trauma that make the main character, Sugar who she actually is. To 

begin, I want you all to answer the question, do you go to church? If not, is there a reason you 

don't go to church? 

Lex: Like Altalie, I took a non-traditional route. I started going to a non-denominational 

church because I believe that you don't necessarily always have to be in a particular building in 

order to be spiritual. And also the timeframe of that church was less than the traditional one that I 

was accustomed to. Also, like Altalie, I'm interested to find out more about, why there are so 

many sexuality issues when it comes to certain subject topics relating to women.  

Sam: (Sam raises the hand emoji on ZOOM to go next) I do go to church. It is a Christian 

church. However, I'm spiritual. I don't identify with one specific religion, like Lex and Altalie. (I 

notice the way they all are referring back to each other which is great because they are all 

learning each other’s name as they go along) I just want to have an open mind. Over the years 

82 

 
 
we've seen sexuality evolve with pronouns and gender classifications. I just want to get more 

knowledge on the different things that are happening around us. 

Sarah: I do not go to church anymore. I kind of stopped going since the Covid pandemic. 

I actually agree with the other ladies, especially Sam. I feel like salvation is personal. So I'm on a 

spiritual journey, where I'm separating from, the religious stigma and trying to separate from the 

different religions and their particular views. I believe if there's one God, then, we all serve that 

one God. And so I don't like to be included in the separation of particular religions and the 

restrictions that they impose on people. That’s why I haven't returned back to church, but I do 

feel like my connection with God is a personal one and it still continues to prevail in my life.  

Tony: Currently, I do not go to church. I was raised in the church. I've dealt with 

different denominations. But I haven't been to church in about three to four years. Even though I 

was raised in a church, I'm not religious. I'm more spiritual. I've dealt with Bible study and all 

that. I usually have too many questions for them, so I guess I kind of make those higher up in the 

church at times uncomfortable because I inquire too much.  

Marlisha: Thank you all for sharing. I personally don't really have a church home. And 

I'm in and out of the church, but the particular reason is like Nell, I had so many questions and I 

had so many experiences that I had questions about that were never really answered. And only 

through books did I actually find those types of answers. I felt like I was connecting with other 

literary Black women that were going through similar issues. Before diving into the book, I want 

to understand your particular view of sexuality. What does sexuality mean to you? How has the 

Black church informed your approach to how you view your sexuality, and how do you feel 

about your spiritual relationship affecting how you embrace your sexuality? 

83 

 
 
 
Lex: Sexuality to me means being comfortable with yourself and expressing it freely. 

Based on my personal experience, I became more comfortable with my sexuality over time. 

Growing up in a Christian-based church, the belief was you hold onto your sexuality until you 

get married. So for many years, I had this jaded perspective in terms of not wanting to have sex 

and waiting to find the perfect match. However, when do you find the perfect match? Some 

people never.  

Altalie: For me, sexuality means embracing who you are, understanding who you are, 

and being self-aware. It’s about identifying what you identify yourself as and all that 

encompasses who you are and what your makeup is. Growing up in a Black church when you 

think about sexuality, you think about the fact that you go into a marriage, and then the purpose 

is to procreate.  

You hold onto your sexuality or your virginity, for instance. you get married. You 

procreate, and then you continue life and that's what God wants you to do. You get into a 

marriage to, you know, populate the world. Then forgetting the pleasure aspect. You know, the 

church is not gonna teach you that there's a pleasure aspect to it. How do you enjoy it? Is there a 

way that you can do both? So it's more of a connection, and less of a chore or less of a burden 

that you have to give your husband this, or you have to do this in order to procreate. I don’t know 

if I let my spirituality and sexuality intertwine or combine in any sense. Because my spirituality 

is one thing, and then my sexuality is another because the relationship that I have with my 

significant other is a bond. It's something that we create together. So I don't know if it's 

connected in any way. 

84 

 
 
 
Marlisha: You actually raised two important valid points, Altalie. This idea of the purity 

culture that both you and Lex touched upon as well as your saying that spirituality and sexuality 

should not conflate right, but all of our teachings actually put them as one. It's like in order for 

you to be spiritual, you can't engage in this type of activity. Yet, the perception that you have of 

it is it's two separate entities. So that's what I'm trying to understand, this idea that you can still 

have a sexuality, you can still be spiritual, and you can still have a relationship with God.  

Sam: (Sam raises the hand emoji on ZOOM to go next) I love those points you all 

touched upon. But sexuality to me is more of an identity. When I think of sexuality, I don't 

necessarily intertwine it with being like sexual. It's more like, who are you as an individual? In 

the Black church, I’ve learned that you're born a woman and we have assigned roles. So that's the 

part I'm still conflicted with through the teachings of the church and what the roles of a woman 

look like. I’m a woman that’s independent, having my own theories and thoughts. I have a 

relationship with God and at times when I engage in sexual activities because I'm not married, 

I'm like, am I failing myself? Am I doing what's expected of me? Is this right? Is this wrong? So 

I’m always in a battle back and forth and I ask myself, should I repent? But I think it's more of a 

journey and finding my own path and what works for me and what doesn't work for me. 

Sarah: When I think of sexuality, the first thing that comes to mind is self-awareness. 

Being raised in a strict cultural background, I’ve dealt with a lot of judgment from adults from an 

older generation based on how they grew up. They tried to impose their views on their kids and 

how they should be, especially growing up in the church. So for me personally growing up, it 

was shunned, so you couldn't explore your sexuality as a woman. Like you kind of had to just 

abide by certain rules. That hindered me from being able to explore my sexuality as a woman 

growing up. But then when I steered away from that, I was able to actually feel like, okay, I'm 

85 

 
 
not doing something wrong by feeling this, not even physical pleasure, but mentally. I no longer 

was imprisoned mentally. As Sam said, I was always going back and forth thinking am I doing 

something wrong? Because I believe in God, because I know right from wrong, so is my 

exploring myself as a woman a sin? I often felt guilty and I'm still dealing with that sometimes. 

(she paused as if contemplating her next response) 

As a 28-year-old going on 29 next month, I'm still dealing with that as a grown woman. I 

feel like sometimes I am living two, not two separate lives, but in a sense like hiding my true 

self. Because it's still looked down on by society. Women kind of have to carry themselves in a 

certain way, especially being married, because there's an image to protect. (she takes another 

pause) So that's the part where it's like I separate the two, my spiritual life and my sexuality. I 

feel like because of the judgment, or how it could be viewed, I might be doing something wrong 

by expressing myself. It's like, I have to keep that sexuality part private, and then embrace my 

spirituality more to be accepted. So it's a battle to this day. I’m still trying to figure that out. 

This theme of mental imprisonment is prevalent in the above discussion because it 

reveals the societal, religious, and cultural expectations for Black women concerning their 

sexuality. Participants Lex, Altalie, and Sarah, share their personal journeys wherein they had to 

reconcile their spirituality with their evolving understanding of their own sexuality. The concept 

of abstinence until marriage and specific gender roles for women, often lead to feelings of guilt 

and shame when exploring one’s sexuality outside these boundaries. Their experiences 

underscore the need for fostering open and non-judgmental discussions on this subject to assist 

in promoting self-acceptance and sexual liberation. 

86 

 
 
 
 
Judgment 

Tony: Sexuality to me means being free. Being comfortable being yourself, knowing 

yourself and the pleasurable aspect I would tie it with just confidence within yourself. I had my 

first child at 21. I grew up in the church, but I guess you could say I took a break from the church 

life, pretty much my high school days up until I turned 21. At that time it was a Church of God in 

Christ (COGIC). And that's where I would say I experienced my worst times in dealing with the 

church. I was judged heavily. At the church I was attending, I pretty much sat in the back, and I 

was at that church through the rest of my pregnancy, so about three to four months.  

It was interesting. (She hesitated. It seemed as if she didn’t want to say much more than 

that). I had to deal with a lot of judgment from the church mothers. I can give one example. Even 

though I was 21, they had the nerve to approach my mom and complain because that church only 

allowed women to wear skirts. Although I was wearing a skirt and a shirt, I was like seven, eight 

months pregnant. Everyone knows usually about that time your belly button starts poking out. 

They approached my mom and complained my shirt being too tight. I don’t get how they thought 

I could hide my stomach. That incident did not sit right with me especially since I wasn’t married 

nor was I with my child’s father.  

Tony’s account serves as an illustration of judgment and how it can underscore critical 

predispositions and double standards that can be pervasive in the Black church. Consequently, 

this can have an adverse effect on individuals’ self-worth. Furthermore, it demonstrates the way 

in which religious communities may fall short of displaying empathy or understanding. 

87 

 
 
 
 
 
“Church Girl” 

Marlisha: Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I know it may have been difficult 

to open those wounds. Like everyone, I've dealt with experiences in the church that wasn't ideal. 

My experiences stiffened me. Like Nell, I also experienced isolation in the church too and felt 

like I didn't really belong. And I longed for a sacred place where those feelings no longer existed. 

So I am extremely grateful for this space to reveal those inner thoughts, as we connect or maybe 

disconnect with the characters from Sugar. Before we get into the discussion of the book, I want 

you all to listen to Beyonce’s song “Church Girl,” a hymn and meditation song for Black church 

women to celebrate their authenticity. While listening to the song, keep these three questions in 

mind: 1) Why do you think Beyonce chose these lyrics? 2) What message do you think Beyonce 

was trying to convey? 3) Which line from the song resonates with you the most and why? 

~ 

[After playing the song, the participants begin to articulate the deeper meaning of the lyrics, and 

how it identifies Black women’s sexual agency in a liberating way.] 

Sam: I think Beyonce chose those lyrics based on the perception of what a church girl is 

supposed to be. She sang nobody can judge me. And that's exactly what it is. When you are a 

church girl, you're supposed to be a certain way and act a certain way. So the part where she said 

“drop it like a thotty” means you can still be a church girl, and still embrace your sexuality. You 

can be who you are without being concerned about what people have to say about it. So I think 

she was trying to say embrace yourself, love yourself for who you are, as opposed to what the 

church says you have to be. 

Altalie: I agree with Sam on that. I remember a friend of mine I grew up with. She was 

Pentecostal and I remember her going to church and complaining how they wanted her to 

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separate worldly music from church music. She wasn't allowed to listen to what was on the radio 

or everything else even though she wanted to. But this song is saying, you can still enjoy what's 

out there and that doesn't necessarily have to conflict with who you are spiritually. You can still 

go to church, you can still love God, you can still pray. That shouldn't tie into what you wanna 

do and how you wanna enjoy yourself. Like Sam said, embrace your sexuality and be out there. 

There's nothing wrong with it. I wish I could have told my friend that back then.  

Sarah: I agree with the other ladies on Beyonce’s song meaning to just be yourself, be 

free. That freedom part just keeps sticking out to me. One particular part that stuck out was “you 

could get it tatted if you want to.” Because my first tattoo was last year at the age of 28. And I 

felt so liberated doing it. But I actually went out of state and didn't let nobody know that I was 

going or whatever. And then when I got back home, I still felt like I had to hide it, so that 

freedom I felt doing it was taken away again. I still felt like I had to hide it because I felt like I'd 

be judged by it, which I actually was. My aunts and my parents were shaking their heads and 

looking down at me. I have to keep reminding myself that you are your own woman, so do what 

makes you happy. It’s a constant daily battle because I’m so used to how I grew up and what I 

grew up knowing or was taught, and then trying to free myself from that. It’s a constant daily 

battle for me but I try to remind myself to live my life with no regrets and just be happy. Like, do 

you. But it's hard.  

I introduce “Church Girl”  as it addresses two main issues that it attempts to 

renegotiate: censorship and judgment. The participants’ interpretation of the song posited that 

Beyonce focuses on the power of loving oneself and resisting the narratives that oppress them. In 

her response, Sarah highlights the challenges of negotiating between what is expected of her and 

what she wants for herself. Her tattoo was a liberating experience, but she felt condemned and 

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compelled to hide it. She grasps the importance of living life without regrets, even though it is a 

difficult task. She strives to avoid conforming to other people’s expectations because it minimizes 

her own desires. Both the song “Church Girl” and the book Sugar expose the participants to 

alternative narratives for living. It exposes them to freedom of the mind, body, and spirit in 

challenging preconceived notions of how Black women are supposed to act, think, talk, or dress. 

Having identified the problem in the consultation phase, in the wash phase, the book aids the 

participants in embracing new ways of living that do not constrain them.  

Hour 2: Wash 

Washing the hair involves removing the accumulated residue from it. The right cleanser 

or shampoo should not contain ingredients that dry the hair but should instead eliminate dirt and 

infuse the hair with moisture. This process can be seen as a detoxifying step, ultimately shedding 

the hair of any build-up. I consider this step to be the acceptance stage, where participants 

acknowledge the necessity of new concepts of sexuality due to issues related to race, gender 

roles, and judgment that Black women continually face, spanning from historical times to the 

present. 

During our conversation, we concentrated on the first half of the book Sugar. Our 

discussion revolved around Sugar’s arrival in the town of Bigelow, where she faces immediate 

judgment based on her appearance and her public behavior at her home windows. However, 

Pearl made an effort not to pass judgment on Sugar by how she looked, how others talked about 

her, or what she did in her own home. Instead, Pearl attempted to welcome Sugar into the 

community. This exploration delves deeper into the societal roles of women role, highlighting 

the differences between Sugar and Pearl. Sugar is criticized for being too sexual, while Pearl is 

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revered as a “holy” woman. Our discussion allowed us to further examine the influence of race 

and geographic location on perceptions of women.   

We also examined the murder of Jude, Pearl’s daughter, as an illustration of the 

dehumanization of the Black female body and the necessity for healing from traumatic 

experiences. The questions that guided our discussion were: 1) What role did women play in 

Bigelow? 2) How is the concept of race depicted in these chapters? 3) Why does Pearl show an 

interest in Sugar?  

Societal Expectations & Gender Roles 

Altalie: A lot of times when you start reading a book with a new author, you're just 

trying to understand their writing style. Because with Bernice, she's very like, graphic, in a sense, 

where she's really trying to make you sit in that scene to kind of understand what's going on. And 

also understand the build of each character understanding what their sentiments are. So I really 

got a lot of that. The first chapters were about understanding the main character Sugar coming 

into this whole community, and the people not knowing her but are ready to judge her. She was 

being labeled something all because of the way she looks. This was written way before 2022 and 

we're still going through that today. So nothing has changed societal-wise. So we're still seeing a 

lot of her own people judging her. And we have Black people being judged by not only their own 

but by society too. Do you all find that this book ties a lot into today's society and current state? 

Lex: It's funny that you said that. I actually thought about the role of women in the way 

it’s identified. Especially the part about keeping her man well-fed and fucking him, are the top 

priorities that she can't slack on. So if you look at societal norms, the woman is the one who 

really takes care of the household. And her role is to primarily make sure that her mate is 

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satisfied in terms of maintaining the house, looking a certain way, and making sure that he is 

sexually pleased. There's this stigma in terms of a church girl being your holy woman. 

Altalie: And then we're also like talking about the South right, where there are norms and 

values that are completely different from other parts of the United States. Not saying women are 

oppressed in the South but there are some general themes of men working and women being the 

homemakers. And so when they're home, they are expected to do these things, these are their 

roles, and this is what they have to do. And on top of that, you have to make sure that your man 

is well taken care of in the bedroom. Maybe that's why Bernice kind of placed this story in the 

South. 

The participants recognize the relevancy of the book’s depiction of societal expectations 

and gender roles to contemporary times. Lex examines the expectations placed on women for 

domestic care, maintaining their appearance, and satisfying their partner’s sexual desires. 

Additionally, Altalie highlights the regional differences, notably within the South, where certain 

cultural norms and values dictate gender roles. She acknowledges the general themes of men 

being the primary financial providers and women being the homemakers, thereby reinforcing 

traditional gender roles.  

Interlocking Systems of Oppression 

Marlisha: The idea of geographical location plays an impact on the role women have. I’d 

love to discuss further the way race is portrayed as well. Because it’s the South it's probably 

more racially problematic. What can we say about the way in which race is showing up similar to 

our modern world? 

Sam: Race to me was portrayed in the beginning by the dehumanization of Blacks, 

especially women. Bernice described the way Jude was murdered. The person cut off her vaginal 

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parts, and they chop off her limbs, and it's like if you're gonna kill somebody, just kill them. But 

to bring them almost to an animal-like state of nothing. That went back to race because if it was a 

white person, would they have killed them in that manner? And I know, they talked about other 

people at the beginning of the story who were beaten until they shed blood and the imagery of 

the bruises being purple is vivid. When you think about it, if you fall, you just get black and blue, 

but to be purple is to be severely beaten to an animal-like form. 

This discussion primarily focuses on racial oppression. However, it alludes to the 

interplay of multiple systems of oppression including gender oppression. This is evident through 

the vivid depiction of the violence and brutality of Jude’s murder, emphasizing the 

dehumanization of Black lives. Furthermore, Sam’s interpretation of the bruises being purple 

touches on the symbolism and imagery used in the book, illustrating how this violence is 

intertwined with the racial identity that is part of Black women’s lived experiences.  

Sexual Awareness 

Altalie: There was a scene that stood out to me. It was when Sugar came out of the 

shower and then Pearl and Shirley had this view of what her private parts looked like. It was 

difficult for them to embrace seeing it. But Sugar embraced herself like she was just being free 

and herself. And these women are just prudish in a way where they couldn't even embrace 

something that was part of them. It’s like taboo to even think about it for them, and I thought that 

whole scene was funny. 

Tony: Although Pearl was shocked to see Sugar in that way, I definitely value that Pearl 

is somewhat open-minded. She has an open heart. Because when it comes to a group of women, 

especially ones that like to gossip and judge, there's usually that small percentage of women who 

are different and understand everyone has their own story. I think Pearl is the epitome of that 

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right now. Like, it's following this model of just treating everyone equally. You don't know 

somebody's past; you don't know their present, and what's to come of their future. And I think a 

lot of that is just Pearl in general. I think it's just welcoming like that. 

This discussion underscores the varying levels of sexual consciousness among the 

characters. Sugar exhibits self-confidence and body positivity by being comfortable in her own 

skin. Conversely, Pearl and Shirley’s reaction reflects a more conservative perspective, marked 

by a challenge in embracing their own bodies. Nonetheless, Tony emphasizes Pearl’s open-

mindedness to treat everyone equally, serving as a paradigm of her ability to appreciate and 

respect diverse experiences and identities. This model of acceptance is important in the 

progression of their friendship, fostering opportunities for mutual learning and growth.  

Restoration 

Marlisha: What are some examples that we see that display that Sugar needs some 

healing? I can start off by explaining what I mean by that. On page 91, when Sugar is having a 

conversation with Pearl, she says: 

S-some of us make our living breaking our backs and some of us in this world make our 

livings on our backs.” Sugar didn't know why she put it that way. A simple yes would 

have been sufficient. She suppose she needed, in some small sick way, to sting Pearl, just 

as she had done to Sugar with her own words. Pearl's arm dropped to her sides. She 

stared at Sugar with eyes that held years of tears. “Why?” she uttered. Pearl was not 

seeing Sugar, but Jude. “Why,” she said again as one small tear worked its way down her 

cheek. Sugar shrugged her shoulders and hugged herself. She suddenly felt vulnerable, 

like a child. 

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Just that whole interaction of hugging herself, reveal some sort of innocence of a Black girl to 

me. What are other ways in which we see that throughout this text? 

Sam: I love that example that you just shared. It also reveals itself when Sugar and Pearl 

go back and forth between calling each other people’s names like Sugar calls Pearl, Mary, and 

Pearl calls Sugar, Jude. We know Mary was Sugar’s play mom. They lived together and Mary 

raised her and told her the do's and don'ts. Mary made her feel special. It wasn't a relationship 

that she wanted or willingly walked into. However, Mary was her sense of protection. And for 

Jude, you see the relationship with Pearl when she's talking to Sugar and asking her to answer 

her and telling her the neighbors are whispering about her. Pearl said this is what they say you're 

doing. So it's like a motherly feeling that they’re both relying on. Both of them are going back 

into their pasts. Or their mother-like figures, more so sugar, because you can see that her 

innocence was stolen from her. And I think Pearl is just trying to guide her. 

Lex: I do too. But I think Pearl wants to understand because when the women were 

sitting in the parlor, and they were talking, and Pearl kind of confronted everybody by asking 

who's without sin or not trying to run away from their past. And the women were still set on 

calling Sugar a whore. Pearl then tells the old tales that her mother used to tell her about a 

woman called Shirley Brown. And how Shirley Brown was 13 years old, but she was living in 

the house of her master and her master took advantage of her. It's not something that Shirley’s 

proud of. But like Pearl was explaining everybody has a past. But it seems to be only Pearl is 

grasping that concept. 

The discussion explores the theme of restoration by illuminating the characters’ need for 

healing, exposing their vulnerabilities, and their attempts to confront their pasts and reclaim 

their lost innocence. Sugar’s self-embrace and her and Pearl’s reference to names from their 

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past exemplify how one’s respective trauma can persist within them as one matures and 

encounters fresh experiences. This stresses the need for compassion and support in their efforts 

for recovery, as they rely on each other for comfort.  

Hour 3: Treatment 

The right treatment not only adds moisture but also strengthens the hair strands, 

preventing breakage and providing the necessary support for healthy growth. Not all hair care 

routines require treatment after each wash. Most often, you can apply treatment every 4-6 weeks 

to provide the extra nourishment the hair requires over time. In this step, Lex wears a plastic 

shower cap over the treatment in her hair, indicating she is using it to set her hair before styling 

it. Metaphorically, this section involves participants discussing the strategies they have learned 

while reading Sugar. At this point, three-quarters of the book has been read, and the themes of 

sexual liberation and sisterhood have been presented through scenes featuring Sugar and Pearl 

agreeing to attend a juke joint and church. The women have developed a friendship in which 

they transform and embrace all aspects of their identities. This reveals that the community of 

sisterhood not only teaches us about ourselves but also aids in our healing process. It has 

exposed the participants and me to ways of addressing the issues we are presented with and how 

the strategies in the book can be applied to our own lives. The guided questions for this hour 

were: 1) What do these chapters reveal about women’s pleasure? 2) Are there any similarities 

between Pearl and Sugar that you can identify? 

Sexual Liberation through Sisterhood 

Altalie: There’s the scene of the conflict that Pearl was having when she was getting 

ready to go to bed and she was looking at the bible and clutching on to it as if she was doing 

something wrong. She just agreed to go to the juke joint with Sugar. She had to compromise with 

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Sugar by agreeing to go and Sugar agreed to go to church with her. It was a sacrifice for Sugar 

because she clearly wanted to help Pearl find herself. She did not want to step foot in the church, 

but Sugar said she wanted Pearl to see something different. She wanted Pearl to experience 

herself outside of the church, outside of the normal cadence of her life. Then there's another part 

where they were arguing about what a whore is and Sugar said on page 134: 

“The only difference between you and me, Miss Pearl, is you began your whoring life in 

front of a congregation, dressed in white with God’s blessing!”  

I thought that was an interesting dialogue between the two that displayed different perceptions 

and language regarding people’s life choices.  

Tony: Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up because I've been thinking about Sugar's 

opinion of that. That actually would have been my response. The rebel in me would have said the 

same thing. 

This theme speaks to the notion of personal growth and self-discovery through the acts of 

sacrifice undertaken by both Pearl and Sugar. Sugar agrees to attend church, while Pearl joins 

Sugar at a juke joint. The dialogue surrounding the definition of a “whore” is significant, as 

Sugar confronts traditional concepts of morality and the virtue of women. Her response disrupts 

conventional ideas of sexual liberation and personal choice in contrast to societal and religious 

restrictions. Tony’s response to Sugar’s statement reflects a spirit of resistance that resonates 

with her pursuit of sexual liberation on her own terms.    

Power of Articulation 

Sam: I love Sugar because I feel like she is our inner voice; the voice we really want to 

express but we just don't have the guts. A lot of the things she says, I’m in the background dying 

laughing. The theme that stood out to me was strength. Despite the fact that what the women 

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were saying about Sugar was common, they had a lot of negative things to say, and she took it. 

She took it and she played with it in a way that did not affect her. So I think that Sugar displays a 

lot of strength and courage, although her path may not be what somebody else would have 

chosen. She is not easily offended. She just rolls with the flow. Even when she is being called all 

these crazy names, she still shows up as herself and she speaks her truth. Now that she's opened 

up to Pearl about who she is, she's finding ways to evolve and possibly heal, because the only 

person she was hiding from was Pearl. This goes back to what I mean about respect. It’s not that 

she wanted to hide per se, it’s that she really respected Pearl and her opinion.  

Altalie: I like that Sugar is not faking. The other women are hiding behind the Bible in a 

sense, but deep down they probably wish they had Sugar’s strength or confidence, and because 

they don't have it, they take that anger out on her. I hate that they take their frustration out on 

Sugar because they don't have that same confidence. I hate that she always has to be so strong.  

On another note, I think the thing that really stuck out to me was the revelation that Lappy was 

behind that hideous crime against Jude, and just him being that type of person that tricks people 

That was big, but then I wasn't too shocked. Because like, his character seemed a little shady. 

And just like the fact that he was this white man placed in a black community. And the fact that 

Sugar decided not to say anything about knowing he’s the one behind Jude’s death, I'm a little 

conflicted with that, because I feel like people should know. 

Sam: I don't know if the truth would have really made a difference for Black people. It’s 

during a time of the suppression of Black people and their voices and everybody kind of just 

looked the other way, and fear that their own safety would have been jeopardized. And again, if 

Joe and Pearl knew, what would have happened? Just like when Lappy hurt Sugar, there was a 

whisper that said she can't call the police, nothing's gonna happen. Telling them would just bring 

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more pain. That is why I really love Sugar’s character because she just endorsed all of it for 

everyone. Although everyone sees her as the horrible villain. She's actually brave and she takes 

on everybody's problem.  

Marlisha: I do agree that telling Pearl and Joe the truth would bring more pain. But I also 

know there are detrimental effects when staying silent too. Sugar’s ability to take on so much 

may seem admirable but as Altalie said earlier, she shouldn’t have to be strong all the time. Is 

there not healing in exposing the truths too?  

This discussion underscores the complexities of vocalizing one’s truth. Sugar serves as 

an example of someone who has the courage to articulate what others may keep suppressing. By 

expressing her thoughts, despite the judgment she receives, demonstrates the power of 

articulation as a tool for resilience. This also reveals that sometimes speaking one’s truth can be 

hurtful and come with possible consequences, but it can also be a step towards healing and 

closure.  

Hour 4: Style  

After a style is completed, the client experiences a sense of renewal. Black women have 

many different styles to choose such as braids, weaves, twist-outs, or silk presses. During the 

consultation stage, it can be challenging to visualize the final look due to potential hair damage. 

However, with the right style, Black women leave the stylist’s chair feeling transformed and 

more confident in their appearance. Tony, for example, opted for Fulani braids, which feature 

cornrows on the top half of her hair and knotless braids on the bottom half. 

During this hour, participants talk through the ending of the text. The conversation 

touched on Sugar falling back into her previous lifestyle and associating with the wrong people. 

We also explore the practice of testimonial storytelling towards sexual justice from harmful 

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church rhetoric on our sexuality. The participants considered the following questions to guide 

their discussion: 1) What were your thoughts on the ending? 2) Did you relate to any of the 

characters and why? 3) How did this character shape your own personal experiences with 

sexuality in the Black church? The responses further developed the themes of rebirth and healing 

through self-writing of one’s experiences. 

Rebirth 

Sam: I was wondering something. Even with the compromise that Sugar made with 

Pearl, it shows that there was a part of Sugar that wanted to come out of the lifestyle by agreeing 

to go to church. And I just questioned, is it possible to come out of a certain lifestyle that 

somebody chooses? Like, how do you change your life around? Because it seemed like Pearl was 

going to help her and Sugar was willing to change. And then she fell right back into it with 

Lappy. So I'm wondering, do the choices we make dictate the rest of our lives or just the moment 

in which we make them? And who determines that? 

Marlisha: I definitely think that our circumstances can be changed over time. The theme 

of rebirth really stood out to me because I found a lot of different moments in which Pearl was 

becoming something new. But I also feel like what's stopping Sugar from being this new person 

that she can be is fear. Sometimes you go after what you know, as opposed to placing yourself in 

positions of unknown. And I think that's what happens with her. She knows how to run. She 

knows a life of pain and trauma. And when everything is hard, that's what she turns to. And it 

didn't matter how much Pearl wanted to save her. Sugar had to feel like she wanted to be saved. 

There were parts throughout the text where she started to open up. And then she closed it off, as 

we see later on throughout the text. She needs to want it for herself. I hope my perception was 

helpful in thinking deeper about Sugar’s circumstances. 

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Sam: It did, thank you. 

Marlisha: I also want to add another part that I felt showed a rebirthing moment. It’s on 

page 169, where Pearl said: 

God done sent you here to soothe my hurting heart. I see that now. He could have sent 

you anyplace else, but he chose Bigelow. He sent you here to put a smile back on my face 

and laughter back in my mouth. He knew I had turned my back on him after Jude, I told 

him I would continue to serve him, but I couldn't trust him no more. That was, until you 

showed up.” Pearl placed her hand over Sugar’s. “I love you for helping me trust again. 

And Sugar asked her in return: 

“You think you love me because I remind you of Jude.” 

Pearl responds: 

“That may have been so in the beginning, but now I love you for you, not for who you 

remind me of.” 

I really think that was a very monumental moment for both Pearl and Sugar. 

Altalie: That line you just read was the turning point of this book for me. It really is 

sticking with me a lot. I love it because it shows the healing they found in their sisterhood. 

This discussion focuses on the fact that individuals have the capacity to change and make 

choices that lead them toward personal development. However, the fear of stepping into the 

unknown can be a hindrance in the transformation process. Despite this fear, we see the way that 

the power of acceptance can bring about a profound transformation. The sisterhood that has 

developed between Pearl and Sugar becomes a driving force for rebirth, as they lean not on the 

fear they feel but on the love they have cultivated for one another.  

[everyone was given 15 minutes to write their response to the questions above] 

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Testimonial Storytelling Engagement 

Lex: I actually took some time to write a poem. I said:          

Who is sugar? She is a woman possibly hurt by men hurt by her past and constantly 

moving fast. She stands tall and signifies the pain for all. She tries to embrace love and 

friendship, but only to realize that she carries most of the pain in her hip. Needless to say, 

she's the life of a party and not afraid to say it's time for healing.  

I took the time to just write about some of her experiences in terms of the pain that she endured. 

And I ended it with black is gold and old is gold because your past experiences make you a 

stronger person so even though at times it might link to some struggles but if you acknowledge 

them and constantly work on yourself, you will achieve success in the long run. 

Altalie: That was beautiful, Lex. Thank you for sharing. (everyone was talking at once 

thanking Lex for sharing) I’ll go next: 

My body is my own despite its trauma, I love it. Only I can heal it. I care for it and 

cherish it my body is my own and I get to choose who I want to share it with. 

I wrote this because I resonated with the book and Sugar owning what she had and despite the 

people of Bigelow feeling a certain way. She had to be confident in what she was doing in a 

sense and for me as far as like experience is concerned and how I felt, I just think about myself. 

I've had some trauma with my own body, like juggling surgeries and people taking advantage. 

And only I can make that difference, only I can change and heal it and grow from those 

experiences like Lex was saying. Having those experiences and taking it as, hey, I'm gonna grow 

from it so only I can make myself heal from what my body went through. 

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Marlisha: Thank you for your vulnerability in sharing. That’s a great perspective to 

have. I can go next. Growing up literature always humbled me; it gave me an opportunity to 

connect with others that looked like me. The topics of sexuality and spirituality were taboo in my 

household, and even so in the church. I was condemned for piercing my belly button, nose, and 

ears. I was even chastised for wearing dresses and skirts, not past my knees in length. Seeing 

Sugar grow into who she is, despite the trauma of her upbringing, I felt for her. I cried for her 

because she paved the reality that helped me to be seen despite my own pain. I dedicate the 

following piece to her: 

You may be a figment of someone’s imagination, but you stand behind the truth of my 

heart. You raised above the ridicule; you stepped within your own light. I only wish that 

you learn to explore your other gifts. That room and space were made for you to do so. I 

would have loved to hear your singing voice heal you in the way your friendship with 

Pearl did. I would have loved to see you grow in ways you couldn't imagine. You may 

not have had space to breathe the way you deserve. But you made space for me to excel. 

Thank you for your transparency. Thank you for your bravery. I feel seen, I feel 

understood. I feel sensual. I feel wounds trying to heal. And that's because I found a safe 

space in your story. 

Tony: That was beautiful Marlisha. Thank you. I guess the biggest thing I took out of the 

book was acceptance. Sugar would be the first character that I related with, because just based 

off her actions and her choice of words. I don't know if anyone else seen it, but she screams 

through the text. The little girl in her is screaming to be heard, screaming to be seen and most 

importantly, screaming to be accepted. And so that did somewhat open up a slight wound for me. 

Similarly to what you spoke of earlier Marlisha with your personal experience with the church 

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and everything with your body and what was acceptable, not acceptable. I can’t fully relate to 

that only because I've always been more reserved. So a lot of things people never knew. They 

didn't know about piercings or any tattoos, I kept that a secret and kept it covered. So with that, 

there was always this pressure because people always held me high on this pedestal and it was 

annoying, I didn’t like it. But I ended up having to look up a poem I wrote a long time and I will 

share it with you. It's a poem I wrote over a decade ago and the crazy thing is the title of it, I 

actually have that tattooed on me. It’s called “Speak Little Girl.” And it says: 

Voice be heard.  

I know you've been trying to speak since you were a little girl. 

Never was the usual  

Always had dreams of being seen other than as beautiful, struggled to figure out self 

Needing encouragement but wouldn't ask for help.  

A mind of intellect but your creativity treated with neglect.  

Notice by tongues of crooks your little light constantly deceived about the truth.  

Lies became all that you knew. Often painless herb, a little understanding of your words 

escaping reality because life only seemed fair in your mentality. 

Speak little girl I know you once seemed like a seed compared to the world  

Speak little girl let your mind forgive the root and be heard.   

I see that a lot with everything Sugar went through. Other than her, Pearl would be the only other 

character that I relate to just as far as just constantly letting others' perceptions and opinions 

shape me and how I move amongst others. One thing I was really proud of with Pearl would be 

her going to juke joint and her giving in and letting Sugar do her hair and her wearing the dress 

and even having a drink. I know later on down the line she and Joe still ended up supporting 

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Sugar and attending the juke joint often and not caring about what the other church people had to 

say like that meant a lot to me.  

The writing that the participants gathered highlights the healing, empowerment, and 

transformation that engaging in testimonial storytelling can catalyze toward sexual justice. They 

represent the importance of acknowledging one’s experiences and using them as a source of 

strength. Drawing a parallel to Sugar’s journey in the story, Tony’s poem encapsulates the 

struggle to be heard and understood, illuminating the impact of societal pressures on one’s 

individual development. Lex and Altalie’s writing demonstrates the power of taking ownership of 

one’s body and experiences as a means towards liberation.  

Healing in Self-Writing 

Marlisha: How was the experience with writing your experiences down? 

Tony: The writing out is actually easier for me. It definitely got me to open up my 

memory vault. These chapters got better and better, and writing helped me find many relatable 

notions within this book, was really therapeutic, and an eye-opener for my own personal shadow 

work journey. 

Sam: It did the same for me. 

Tony’s relatability to the book fostered a sense of shared experiences, which can be 

comforting and healing. This allowed her to process her emotions and experiences in a safe and 

creative way. Her reference to shadow work implies that self-writing can be a process that 

contributes to personal growth. It entails confronting and integrating aspects of oneself that have 

been suppressed or ignored, leading to healing.  

Hour 5: Post-Styling  

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After each visit to the beauty salon, it is necessary to receive tips and strategies to help 

maintain the style until your next appointment. Following these steps correctly will ensure that 

your styles continue to boost your confidence long after you have left the stylist chair. As an 

example, Sam takes measures to protect her style by wearing a bonnet, which serves as a symbol 

of her decreasing reliance on the stylist for style maintenance. During these moments, the 

participants no longer need assistance from a facilitator. They share what they have learned 

throughout the process, discussing how it can benefit them beyond the space of a book club. To 

enhance this discussion, I also invited a guest speaker to share insights on self-healing practices 

that Black women can incorporate into their journey of sexual discovery. This speaker provided 

an opportunity for participants to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the process of 

womb work.  

Sexual Discovery  

Lex: Like Sugar, I learned to stray away from the concepts of the church and started to 

explore within, in order to be more comfortable and freer with how I express myself sexually. I 

think now as an adult I have evolved. I understand the power of masturbating and through that, 

I've learned to free myself from certain stigmas. I think if women took the time to work on 

themselves, and that could be by accepting who they are through their prayers or their 

meditation, it could help with all the issues they’ve experienced while being in church. I know 

we touched on mental health briefly, but I wanted to add that sometimes I see a Yoni coach, who 

has really helped me evolve sexually.  

Sarah: What’s a Yoni coach? 

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Lex: So it’s like having a massage therapist, but what he specializes in is womb therapy 

through massages or different crystals that are being utilized and also through meditation and 

deep breathing techniques.  

Sarah: Oh, okay. If you don’t mind, I want to know since you've been seeing him, how 

has it impacted your life?  

Lex: I’ve been seeing him for quite some time, and I remember when he was doing my 

massages, he was like, “You're so stiff.” And I was like, “I'm stiff?  I work out, I’m flexible.” He 

responded, “No, no, no. You have to understand that your strength is in your yoni.” And I asked 

him, “Well, what exactly does that mean? Because I've never heard of that type of theory before 

or those types of conversations.” He says, “Well, as a woman, your strength is in your womb and 

you have to be able to embrace yourself and release, and by doing so, you'll let go of all of your 

insecurities.” So that's what it has done for me. I think it also helped me to get deeper into my 

fitness and nutritional regimens.  

Sarah: Okay. Thank you.  

Altalie: Thank you, Lex, for that. Super, super enlightening. I think some things like that 

are important for women to hear so they do not feel ashamed about exploring those things for 

themselves. So, I really appreciate you being open and very candid about it.  

This discussion showcases the journey of sexual discovery and its connection to one’s 

mental well-being. The alternative approach to sexual wellness, which involves womb work, 

allows connection with one’s own body and the release of insecurities. It also encourages open 

conversation towards self-pleasure and the opportunity for the participants to learn from each 

other. 

~ 

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[After this brief exchange, Lex extended her coach's information to me and suggested I reach out 

to him. I did reach out and he agreed to join the last session and do a mini-lecture on what his 

work is and the impact it has on women who engage in it] 

Womb Work  

Psusennes: Hi ladies. My name is Psusennes Bey. I'm a Holistic Doctor of Therapy. My 

business is called Pain Solutions NYC. What I do is practice yoga which yoga is a lot more 

spiritual and a lot more about self-development. So throughout that practice of meditation, I use 

that mechanism to help people do self-analysis, self-healing, basically seek the path towards 

inner revolution, in other words discovering the things within yourself. This allows you to be 

able to have a fuller experience of reality. As we know, a myriad of symphony happens within 

the body, so the primary thing that I'm always concerned about when I'm treating somebody is, 

what's going on inside of them, and what is their typical state of health because those things will 

be expressing themselves inside of the body, and particularly inside of the gut, the face, and 

particularly, the womb. I described the womb as unlocking the most vital part of a woman's 

primal self. It’s a gateway to the spiritual realm, the central location in the body where women 

can learn the most about themselves, a secondary nervous system, and the proprietary location 

that expedites a woman's ability to purify all imbalances and toxins in herself. 

As far as what I can consider womb work, it’s the ability to define things ourselves 

outside of how society has shaped our perception of our bodies. And by mending the womb, 

women can begin to unravel deep renewed stress, increase overall vaginal health, and strengthen 

the emotional psychological, and anatomical bond with the womb itself. 

Sam: I do have a question for you. I wanted to know what advice you have for women 

when it comes to womb care. 

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Psusennes: There are many practices women can engage in at home that can unravel 

their sensuality. By unraveling your sensuality, that is in relation to womb care because a 

women’s sensuality observes and expands due to its connection to our five senses. For example, 

when you lose your sense of smell, or when you lose your sense of being able to go out and 

communicate with people that bareness is a response to something that you were used to being 

stimulated with, sensually through the five senses. And the spirit holds onto the records of what 

we feel good about, about the way that we interact with the outside world, and that can give us a 

lot of different securities. So paying attention to how the womb works really plays a vital role in 

your evolution as a woman. 

If you want to you can do womb work with a partner, you can do it with a dildo, you can 

do it with a Yoni egg, or you can do it with no hands. But it all has to do with the sensitivity of 

how the womb feels. And basically, there's something called armoring. And armoring is 

whenever your nerves lock up on a particular part of your body to try to protect itself, but it can 

happen to any part; it can happen around the heart, and it also happens inside the womb. It is like 

numbing down your sensitivity and nerves, consciously trying to protect yourself.  

Marlisha: You raised a really valid point about the way our body holds on to memory. In 

the book Sugar, we discussed the idea of sexual abuse and sexual liberation. So I wanted to 

know, the type of trauma that can actually be held in the womb, and ways in which we can kind 

of start releasing that. 

Psusennes: Trauma can be held anywhere in the body because your body can hold 

energy. A woman deciding to go down the path of trying to heal generational trauma through 

womb work and understanding themselves sexually, and getting deeper into themselves, requires 

various layers of vulnerability, to get to the deeper levels. So, as far as like tools that you can use 

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to practice womb work, of course, there are small and large Yoni eggs, which will go inside the 

vagina. And then you basically do pelvic floor Kegels, or you can just hold them inside. You 

should start with a larger one to increase your sensitivity by wearing it a lot. And you can wear it 

around the whole day or just for five minutes. But every time that you engage with the egg, you 

should have a relationship with the experience. 

By using a Yoni wand, you're manually doing what the Yoni egg is trying to do, but 

you're doing it in a systemic rhythmic type of way. You would use this for the labia, vulva, and 

clitoris. The larger wand is meant to reach the cervix by using a few different shapes. There are 

also Yoni steams which you squat over a hot bucket with herbs in it. Women can also engage in 

traditional yoga, tai chi, or swimming because those practices open up the nervous system and 

help the journey of emotional health throughout the body. 

As far as ailments, not practicing Yoni work can lead to ovarian cysts, cancer vaginosis, 

STIs, etc. So a lot of times when you're getting any of those things it can be because of tension 

that's stuck along the pelvic floor which is connected to the womb. By healing the spirit, the 

heart, and the mind, you have a greater possibility of clearing all these. Yoni work is something 

that you use for cultivation, literally. And by understanding what your relationship is with 

yourself and how deeply you really want to go on this journey, it's all the better. Health and Yoni 

work are synonymous. One’s spirituality and the way that the divine means something to us is a 

secondary part of our human experience. If we don't take care of the first part, we won't be able 

to understand the second part. 

Tony: What does it mean when you can't tolerate the yoni steam? 

Psusennes: What you do is boil hot water, then after it’s boiling, you throw the herbs in 

for a few more minutes. Then turn the water off and pour the contents into your bucket and let it 

110 

 
 
sit for 10 more minutes. Make sure to buy a bucket with a lid to cover it while you let the water 

cool down. The reason the lid is important is that you're going to test the water to allow yourself 

to know when it’s too hot and when you can stand it. You have to walk yourself through the 

comfort. 

Marlisha: This information was extremely important and informative. And of course, 

this is something that's going to take time to actually learn and really dig deep into it. I was 

especially interested in the tools that you described and the different types of methods that allow 

women to start at the pace and place where they are most comfortable exploring. Thank you so 

much for joining us today, Psusennes.  

The encouragement of womb work as a means of addressing trauma and a deeper 

connection to one’s body represents a practical approach that women can embark on toward 

their path to achieving sexual justice. Psusennes’s discussion of this practice points out the 

body’s potential for healing as women navigate at their own pace and explore their personal 

comfort levels. This is an exploration of learning to appreciate one’s body without judgment or 

restrictions. 

 Following Psusennes’ visit, we concluded our discussion with hopeful anticipation and 

newly formed friendships. In the upcoming chapter, I will delve deeper into the themes explored 

during our discussion by addressing the three original research questions of this study. 

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CHAPTER FIVE 

In this chapter, I analyze the discussions from the book club research study. I argue that 

Black women grapple with feelings of shame from harmful church doctrine, particularly related 

to the teachings of purity culture and the promotion of respectability politics. Consequently, I 

explore the ways Black women draw upon their lived experiences to foster knowledge 

production, community building, and the promotion of healing regarding their sexuality. 

Through the close readings of texts about Black women, the Black church, and sexuality, and the 

dialogues that transpired over a 6-week book club, I maintain that engaging with literature that 

mirrors Black women’s lived experiences empowers them.  

The book club discussion incorporated various themes, including trauma, shame, and 

sexual repression to posit the necessity of adopting a theological approach to Black women’s 

lived experiences in the Black church. Therefore, I propose Black feminist theology, a 

framework that seeks to establish sexual justice for Black women. The results from this study 

revealed a significant range of experiences of sexual alienation and how the participants 

attempted to authenticate their pleasure. Accordingly, this scholarship addresses three research 

questions.   

Research Question #1: How do Black women’s experiences within the Black church contribute 

to how they see themselves as sexual beings?  

During the consultation stage, my aim was for the participants to identify the challenges 

they encountered concerning their sexuality within the Black church. As a result, the participants 

revealed feelings of mental entrapment and judgment due to the oppressive experiences they 

experienced. Sarah admitted, “I feel like because of the judgment, or how it could be viewed, I 

might be doing something wrong by expressing myself. It's like, I have to keep that sexuality 

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part private, and then embrace my spirituality more to be accepted. So it's a battle to this day. I’m 

still trying to figure that out.” This statement highlights her need to live between two worlds to 

protect her image, yet it also hinders her sense of wholeness, leaving her with the constant 

question, “is exploring myself as a woman a sin?” Sarah acknowledges that understanding one’s 

sexuality requires self-awareness of how certain expectations can influence a woman’s choices. 

In acknowledging this, she battles with the decision of choosing herself over how others perceive 

her. The importance of the word sin is especially eye-catching when one considers how she 

intertwines it with the Black church disapproval she experiences. Delores Williams, a womanist 

theologian, researched the autobiographies of Black women in the 1900s and highlighted that sin 

was understood ontologically, implying that an individual’s fault or flaw is inherent in their 

existence (“A Troubling in My Soul” 142). This understanding of sin was imparted through 

teachings within their Christian community. However, Williams introduces a womanist 

theologian's perspective on sin, which I contend serves as the central definition in this 

dissertation. A womanist notion of sin encompasses four distinctive features, with the most 

relevant to this research being the idea that “Black womanhood and humanity are synonymous 

and in the image of God; Black women’s sexual being is also in the image of God; therefore to 

devalue the womanhood and sexuality of Black women is sin; to devalue the womanhood and 

sexuality of Black lesbian women is also sin (146-7). Understanding this perspective, it becomes 

evident that Sarah, much like Black women of the early 1900s, internalized the Christian 

doctrines. These teachings framed sin in terms of how they were operating in the world, often 

without realizing the broader notion that sin encompasses anything that disregards their humanity 

and womanhood.  

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Tony defined sexuality as the freedom to be comfortable with oneself. She came to this 

realization when she was 21 years old and pregnant, facing criticism for the way her belly button 

was visible through her clothes at church. Her self-esteem was affected because she was 

unmarried and not in a relationship with her child’s father. As a result, she chose to sit at the 

back of the church, seemingly to avoid any more judgment. She chides, “seven, eight months 

pregnant… everyone knows usually about that time your belly butting starts poking out…I don’t 

get how they thought I could hide my stomach.” In the third trimester of her pregnancy, it is 

unfortunate that her primary concern became harsh judgments directed at her. Both Sarah and 

Tony’s experiences demonstrate their longing for freedom to be expressive of their whole 

identity. Similar to Jacobs in her autobiography, these women needed a safe space characterized 

by grace and empathy, void of judgment.  

In the wash section, several scenes in Sugar left an impact on the participants. One 

particular scene that stood out was the gruesome death of Jude, Pearl’s  

daughter. The announcement of Jude’s death was delivered by a townsperson named Black John, 

a blacksmith. Regrettably, in stark contrast to the need for understanding and empathy, Black 

women often are met with physical violence too. When Black John arrived at the site of Jude’s 

death, he found her on the ground, her womanhood mutilated, displayed for all passersby to see: 

Glistening in the sun. His shadow stepped forward and shaded the glare. Black John 

knew immediately what it was, although he had never seen one without a woman’s 

support, protection and guidance behind it; something like that, once seen, always known. 

He leaned down and with the sweat-soiled handkerchief retrieved Jude’s womanhood. He 

would later recount (and he often did) how it quivered in the palm of his hand (5).  

history…suffers from lack of access to the rich histories of Black women’s ideas.  

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McFadden vividly portrays the scene in a way that makes it come alive. In the quoted passage, I 

can visualize the horrific moment when Black John held Jude’s womanhood in his hand. Lappy, 

her murderer, not only murdered her but also desecrated her body and left her there as if a 

monument to be idolized. This grueling scene exemplifies the perpetuation of anti-Black racism 

and sexism against the bodies and lives of Black girls and women. For example, the 

mistreatment of Jude’s body during her death draws a parallel to how this country has failed 

Sandra Bland. Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old Black woman, was arrested during a traffic stop in 

Texas in July 2015, allegedly due to a confrontation in which she assaulted an officer. Three 

days after her arrest, Sandra Bland was found hanging in her cell, leading to outrage and protests 

across the United States because many believed her death was suspicious (ABC13 Houston). 

Utilizing the concept of critical race autopsy20 in Critical Race English Education (2022), Lamar 

Johnson explores the pervasive nature of race, racism, whiteness, and white supremacy. He 

asserts that “if we were to perform a critical race autopsy on Sandra Bland’s body, the report 

would tell us that this country has an intimate history with the maltreatment of Black women 

(e.g. sexual harassment, rape, reproductive health issues, and human trafficking just to name a 

few)” (2). In this light, Jude’s womanhood was violated and left beside her lifeless body. Her 

body was objectified and dehumanized, and her murderer was able to carry on to do more 

heinous acts. 

While the participants from the book club may not have experienced the physical 

violence that Black women often endured, they did encounter the mental violence resulting from 

restrictions imposed on their sexuality, which had equally detrimental effects on their sense of 

being. This situation mirrors the circumstances surrounding Sugar’s arrival into town, where she 

20 A metaphorical concept used to show how modern-day state violence is rooted in colonialism, white supremacy, 
patriarchy, and racial capitalism (p.1).  

115 

 
 
 
was subjected to derogatory labels such as “slut,” “whore,” and other demeaning terms. 

McFadden portrayed Sugar’s confidence juxtaposed with the townspeople’s judgment in the 

following statement: 

Tall and black as the day was long. She walked with a confidence most people in 

Bigelow had never known. She swaggered along like a cat in heat, leaving swirling 

curtains of dust in her wake. People named her right there and then. Named her without 

an introduction, without two words ever passing between them. Called her things they 

had only whispered under their breath, or in their bedrooms when the doors were closed 

tight and passion drove them into saying it. Words no self-respecting, God-fearing man 

or woman would ever use in public (p.12-3)! 

Sugar’s display of confidence can be interpreted as sinful to the town, as it leads others to view 

her with disdain, conflating it with qualities that are deemed ungodly. Amidst this perspective on 

Sugar’s portrayal, it is noteworthy that, during an interview with Diverse Spines on Instagram21, 

McFadden shared the inspiration for Sugar’s creation. She explained that the idea of Sugar came 

to her while she was in the presence of the spirit(s) that frequently visited her home22. It was 

during this encounter that she envisioned Sugar as a character, one who exuded confidence and 

stood tall with a beautiful presence, despite the inward pain. The above quote signifies the 

essence of Sugar’s character, as she walks through the town of Bigelow. Despite her self-

21 Direct Link to the interview: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHBTFuygpae/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
22  More context on this can be found in Solimar Otero’s book Archives of Conjure: Stories of the Dead in 
Afrolatinx Culture (2020). There, she discusses the dead serving as active agents in sites like libraries, rivers, and 
living rooms to activate embodied practices like writing. As an archival practice, conjuring provides an opportunity 
for the dead to act as muses or collaborators in the creation process of one’s work.  

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confidence, a trait that many women feared and envied at the same time, it captured the attention 

of both the men and the women. This revelation sheds light on the deeper layers of Sugar’s 

character and the inspiration that brought her into existence.  

Research Question #2: In what ways does Black women’s literature provide a platform for 

healing and empowerment for Black women who experienced spiritual violence within the Black 

church?  

By introducing the participants to the themes of judgment and shame in Sugar, they gain 

insights into how these issues are portrayed in the lives of literary women and the strategies they 

employ to overcome them. This exploration builds upon the wash stage, where participants 

observed how Sugar puts her self-confidence to the test despite the judgment. This was important 

to display because it showcases the demonstration of sexual agency by Sugar, the journey of 

sexual discovery by Pearl, the importance of community in our efforts to unlearn and rebirth a 

new understanding of ourselves, and the restoration that one receives in living in their wholeness.  

In McFadden’s description, Sugar was captured in a moment, sitting by her window, with 

one leg up on a chair while flipping through the pages of a magazine. The sheer white curtains 

revealed, “Sugar’s dark triangle of pubic hair” (50). Shirley, a critical member of the town, 

witnessed this scene and admonished Sugar’s candidness. Meanwhile, Pearl thought about her 

“cootie-cat,” untouched since the loss of her daughter. The use of the word “cootie-cat” 

symbolizes women’s discomfort with discussing our anatomical parts openly in an unadulterated 

manner. In my view, this choice of words underscores Pearl’s innocence and lack of experience 

with openly expressing herself sexually. McFadden describes how “Pearl had avoided looking at 

her own cootie-cat for fifteen years. And Joe [her husband], well he wished he could say that he 

had touched it or caressed it within those years” (51). These lines illustrate how Sugar’s 

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openness about her womanhood made Pearl think of her closeted womanhood. For fifteen years, 

Pearl’s body had been devoid of pleasure, intimacy, and the softness of touch due to the grief and 

pain that had consumed her mentally and physically. 

The participants drew attention to Sugar’s sexual openness causing discomfort for the 

women in the town. As Altalie pointed out, “The other women are hiding behind the Bible in a 

sense, but deep down they probably wish they had Sugar’s strength or confidence, and because 

they don't have it, they take that anger out on her.” In response to Sugar’s openness, they chose 

to isolate her, making her feel like an outcast. Despite that, Pearl formed a friendship with Sugar 

because she recognized the value of everyone deserving a chance. Both women were coping with 

their traumas, and their friendship brought these traumas to the forefront. Pearl saw in Sugar a 

daughter she could mentor, something she could not do with her deceased daughter. On the other 

hand, Sugar saw in Pearl the mother figure she wasn’t raised with. As participant Sam brought 

up, they called each other names from their past, reflecting the maternal connection they both 

craved. In a passionate discussion about Sugar’s profession, Pearl demanded clarification:  

You answer my question. You answer my question, Jude! Pearl referred to Sugar by her 

dead daughter's name before during light conversation. It would just tumble out, 

innocently, like cotton candy, sweet and light. Sugar never commented on it, she herself 

has called Pearl Mary on certain occasions (p. 90). 

The exchange of names between Pearl and Sugar conveys the depth of their connection, 

illustrating the healing and support they provide to each other. Pearl believed it was necessary for 

Sugar to openly acknowledge her profession as a sex worker, but Sugar felt that her choices 

about her body were her own business. As a mother attempting to protect her child from the 

harsh realities of the world, Pearl exclaimed, “I ain’t raise you like that, Jude. Me and your father 

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ain’t raise you to be loose” (91)! Pearl was in a trance, attempting to teach her “daughter” how to 

survive as a Black woman. This commitment aligns with one of Alice Walker’s 4-part 

definitions of a womanist23, where Pearl is committed to ensuring Sugar’s survival and 

wholeness, recognizing the cruelty that Black women face. She is haunted by the loss of Jude, 

and her desire to protect Sugar appears rooted in her inability to protect her own daughter’s 

innocence. 

Sugar calls Pearl “Mary” because Mary served as a mother figure in her life. Sugar spent 

five years under Mary’s guidance and learned about the world of sex work. Throughout this 

time, Sugar had never experienced love not tied to her role “underneath” a man, preventing her 

from experiencing love for just being herself. Sugar lamented, “small town ain’t fit for a woman 

that ain’t never had a mamma. It ain’t fit for a woman that never had any friends.” However, 

Pearl showed her that her presence was needed in the small town of Bigelow. Participant Tony 

emphasized the healing power of the community of Black women stating, “There's usually that 

small percentage of women who are different and understand everyone has their own story. I 

think Pearl is the epitome of that right now. Like, it's following this model of just treating 

everyone equally. You don't know somebody's past; you don't know their present, and what's to 

come of their future.” As Sugar and Pearl accepted their roles in each other’s lives, they 

confronted their fears and found mutual support. The participants were able to witness the 

healing that can result from having a community, realizing that a community does not have to be 

a large group; sometimes, just one person can be all you need.  

23 In Search of Our Mothers’ Garden  

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As an analysis of the treatment stage, the participants gained a deeper understanding of 

what sexual liberation looks like, and how Pearl and Sugar’s friendship contributed to their 

sexual awareness. McFadden demonstrated that their friendship was a reciprocal learning 

experience, with both of them eager to learn from one another. Therefore, Pearl’s decision to go 

visit the Memphis Roll juke joint one night and Sugar’s choice to attend church for two months 

were predictable decisions. In a previous discussion about the song “Church Girl,” Altalie talked 

about the conflict a friend of hers faced between church music and worldly music. She 

mentioned, “She wasn't allowed to listen to what was on the radio or everything else even though 

she wanted to. But this song is saying, you can still enjoy what's out there and that doesn't 

necessarily have to conflict with who you are spiritually.” Pearl grapples with the conflicting 

values represented by the juke joint and her strong faith. However, a key aspect of this situation 

is Pearl’s willingness to step outside her comfort zone, just as Sugar is ready to do the same. 

Participants read about Pearl’s transformation from a super-conservative woman to someone 

who learned sexual techniques to enhance her marriage. Pearl’s journey embodies the struggles 

that Black women face in exploring their sexual identities, especially in light of the biblical 

hermeneutics in the Black church. Despite her initial reservations, Pearl allowed Sugar to assist 

with her appearance and even learned how to “give hand and head” using a cucumber.  

Furthermore, the participants admired Sugar for her strength in the face of criticism from 

the townspeople. However, Baker-Bell shed light on the enduring struggle that Black women 

face, always expected to display strength, even when they are going through hardships. She 

expressed, “Black women are always expected to be strong, even when we are dying” ( “For 

Loretta,” 528). Participant Sam also noted that, in addition to Sugar’s strength, she carried many 

secrets and relied on different coping mechanisms, such as alcohol and cannabis. This 

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observation is significant because, despite both Pearl and Sugar’s personal growth, true healing 

involves accepting and loving even our darkest aspects. While their friendship opened pathways 

for communication and support, the process of internal healing is unfolding gradually and takes 

place from within oneself. Both women found a sense of community in each other and learned 

valuable lessons that would sustain them beyond their shared experiences. Regrettably, the 

townspeople, particularly those who frequented Fayline’s House of Beauty, perceived the 

transformations as sinful, neglecting to recognize the wholeness the women gained. They believe 

it was necessary to “reintroduce the lord back into Pearl’s life” (153). However, they overlooked 

their own past and experiences. As the participants concluded, Sugar’s presence exposed the 

underlying issues within Bigelow – certain expectations of women that do not allow them to look 

within themselves. This can also imply that even when we evolve, acquire knowledge, and 

embrace the wholeness of who we are, it does not necessarily guarantee acceptance from those 

who consistently judge us.  

Ultimately, the participants observed how Pearl and Sugar created a sacred space for one 

another to love and receive grace for every version of themselves. McFadden anchors this story 

with the Black church as a sanctuary. In spite of this, she does not shy away from raising indirect 

challenging questions, such as the judgment from its attendees and the patriarchal influence of 

the reverend, who happened to be one of Sugar’s regular clients. McFadden did not portray a 

flawless Black community, unstained. She incorporated cultural elements like the power of oral 

tradition in the Black community, to introduce issues of anti-Blackness, sexism, and patriarchy. 

In my final analysis, I assert that Sugar emerged as the Black heroine of Bigelow because her 

presence effectively catalyzed truth and inner healing.  

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Research Question #3: What practices and strategies can Black women engage in to develop 

and strengthen their sexual politics? 

Black women can employ various practices and strategies to enhance their sexual 

politics. In this dissertation, my focus centers on the role of their lived experiences in shaping 

their knowledge production, and I aimed to introduce them to literature that mirrors their lived 

experiences. To facilitate community building, I established a book club where Black women 

who share similar life experiences can connect and form a supportive network. Additionally, I 

have introduced a wellness workshop to discuss self-improvement practices. After engaging in 

dialogues surrounding the issues of sexuality and spirituality, I recognized the need for a 

framework that allows for the personal exchange of experiences aimed at advocating for sexual 

justice through cultural and literary engagement. This framework, which I refer to as testimonial 

storytelling, becomes central to the findings of my study. 

 During the style stage, participants engaged in a writing activity where they were 

encouraged to reaffirm their sexuality in response to reading Sugar. This practice not only serves 

as an outlet through which Black women can communicate but also provides a platform for the 

(re)negotiation of their Black sexual politics. Throughout our discussions, it was evident that the 

participants understood the unfair treatment of Sugar. However, I wanted to explore any 

therapeutic moments they encountered while or after reading. I sought to understand how their 

perspectives on harmful Christian rhetoric had evolved, and whether there were memorable 

moments in the text that held significance for them. This approach challenged the participants to 

share their experiences, leading to discussions on rebirth and how to heal their inner Black 

girlhood. An example of this is illuminated in the following lines written by participant Tony:  

“Speak little girl I know you once seemed like a seed compared to the world  

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Speak little girl let your mind forgive the root and be heard” 

Tony mentioned writing the lines above a few years ago, and as she read Sugar, it evoked 

memories of her inner Black girl who needed a reminder to not only forgive but to heal. These 

lines convey the idea of breaking the grasp of silence and internalization and creating alternate 

images of oneself. While recognizing the historical dominance of the culture of dissemblance24 

may have allowed Black women to build a “protected cloak” over them, it also rendered them 

more invisible. By permitting herself to express her truth, Tony is actively advocating the mental 

and physical survival of Black women in a world that can be hostile toward their sexual identity. 

She articulates and asserts her sexual agency, redefining what it means for her Black female 

body to take up space and demand to be heard.  

Considering the participants’ diverse experiences with sexual repression, I recognized 

their progress toward sexual liberation was at varying stages. My goal was to offer participants 

options and potential solutions for achieving sexual justice that extended beyond the book club. 

Accordingly, in the post-styling stage, Psusenne’s discussion on healing sexual trauma through 

womb work was necessary. He explained that since the body is capable of retaining energy, 

engaging all our senses is necessary for womb cultivation. As Lyvonne Briggs (2023) points out, 

when we do healing work on our bodies, our senses are activated. She affirms, “You’re in a 

luscious body, darling one; and healthy bodies respond to stimuli. If all of your faculties are 

functioning properly, you can literally sense it. You can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. What a 

24 Darlene Clark Hine (1989) described this idea as “the behavior and attitudes of Black women that created the 
appearance of openness and disclosure but actually shielded the truth of their inner lives and selves from their 
oppressors” (“Rape and the Inner Lives of Black Women in the Middle West,” 912). It highlights a survival strategy 
utilized by Black women to protect themselves from further oppression, discrimination, and harm. 

123 

 
 
 
 
 
delicious gift it is to journey on this earth in a sensory temple” (6)! To help participants grasp 

these concepts, they were introduced to exercises that could be practiced individually or with a 

partner, such as using yoni eggs or wands to connect with their bodies at every step. Yoni steams 

were also mentioned as a way to control one’s experience by determining the right temperature 

for the steam and stimulating the nervous system. All the while, taking into account that the 

healing process is not immediate, rather it is a constant and ongoing journey. In summary, the 

primary objective of the post-styling stage was to demonstrate that there is no single solution to 

sexual repression. Instead, there exists a range of practices available to promote sexual liberation, 

tailored to the unique needs and experiences of each individual.  

“Her hurt had been replaced with tranquility. The anger that had laid heavy in her heart 

for so many years was no longer present in her mind and soul” (Sugar, Bernice L. 

McFadden, p. 223). 

124 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dear God, 

CHAPTER SIX 

Why you ever fix your hands to make a Black woman? I ain’t worth of the good schools, the 

good water fountains, the good neighborhoods. I ain’t worthy of your pulpit. You say after you 

looked over everything you made, it was good. Did you make Black girls? Did you make Black 

girl hair and Black girl lips and Black girl thighs and Black girl hips and Black girl teeth and 

Black girl feet and Black girl backs and Black girl necks and Black girl laughs and Black girl 

tears and Black girl words and Black girl ears and Black girl breasts and Black girl rest and say 

this was good? I feel bad. They tell me I am bad. Your people tell me to be quiet, to be covered, 

to be small, to make them Lord. If I’m good, then they bad. And if they good, then I’m bad.  I 

don’t think we all good cuz they seem more free in and out of your house than me. 

And I’m left wondering whose image I came from. 

-Alexis V. Jackson, My Sisters’ Country, p.48 

Summary 

After reading Jackson’s above poem/prayer for the first time, I was overcome with 

emotion. My emotions of internalization clashed with a sense of fondness I felt as a Black 

woman. As Sojourner Truth did during an anti-slavery rally in Indiana, I bare my breasts proud 

to be born Black and female (Ain’t I a Woman, 159). Despite this, I am aware that Black women 

are subject to sexist oppression. From the women’s movement during the 1900s, when women 

fought to be seen, to the attempts to shed light on Black patriarchal issues, there has been a 

growing need for more empowering and affirming representations of Black women’s sexual 

politics, as opposed to demeaning and degrading ones. As such, my research is informed by the 

history of violence perpetuated on Black female bodies. In other words, I recognize how violence 

125 

 
 
 
 
 
is created by censoring Black women’s sexual beings. My experience as a Black woman born 

and raised in the Black church has exposed me to the sexual discrimination that Black women 

endure because of the white, capitalist, hetero-patriarchal systems that oppress Black women. 

Consequently, I am committed to advancing sexual justice and liberation through research rooted 

in a Black feminist theoretical and pedagogical approach that explores the role that sexuality and 

spirituality can play in the dehumanization of Black women. As a transdisciplinary scholar, my 

research contributes to the fields of Women and Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Black 

studies, and Language and Literacy studies. 

Throughout these areas, I seek to develop and/or identify transdisciplinary frameworks 

and methodologies to dismantle the narrative of shame and open pathways to sexual liberation 

for Black women. Specifically, I investigate how Black women draw upon their lived 

experiences within the Black church to facilitate knowledge production, foster community, and 

promote healing. I also explore how their experiences demonstrate the influence of Christian 

rhetoric related to purity culture and respectability politics on their sexual experiences, 

contributing to feelings of shame and sin regarding their sexual identity. I accomplished this by 

combining in-depth analyses of literary works, such as Sugar (2000), with conversations that 

emerged during a 6-week book club, highlighting how Black women engage with literature that 

mirrors their lived experiences. My intervention is that literature can be employed to understand, 

theorize, and devise strategies for Black women to embrace their sexuality and seek wholeness. 

Ultimately, I propose testimonial storytelling as the deployment of Black Feminist Theology, a 

sexually liberatory framework, operating in the lives of Black women fostering healing, self-

love, and sexual liberation. Thus, I identify liberation and healing as the true purity codes for 

Black women.  

126 

 
 
 The study’s outcome exposed a diverse range of experiences, all aimed at enabling the 

participants to renegotiate their sexuality. I presented my findings resembling a conversation in a 

beauty salon, a space commonly frequented by Black women for discussions on various subjects. 

The choice of a beauty salon is symbolic because the goal of the stylist is to revitalize the client's 

hair. In these moments, a special connection forms between the stylist and the clients, 

establishing a platform for them to openly share their emotions and thoughts about their lives. 

This fosters a sense of community, sisterhood, and rapport, often resembling a therapeutic 

session. I organized the discussion into five distinct hair stages that Black women engage in: 1) 

Consultation; 2) Wash; 3) Treatment; 4) Styling; and 5) Post-styling.  

Implications 

In chapter three, I emphasized my intent to focus exclusively on Black girls. In alignment 

with Ruth Nicole Brown’s idea in Black Girlhood Celebration of the fluidity of Black girlhood, I 

defined Black girls based not solely on their age but on their lived experiences of being in a body 

identifiable as a young girl. However, I’ve encountered certain constraints with the Institutional 

Review Board (IRB) application process. For instance, when submitting the IRB forms, I was 

required to specify an age range for participant inclusion, which I specified as 17-24 years old. 

This led to complications in articulating the central themes of “healing the inner Black girlhood,” 

primarily due to additional guidelines about participants under the age of 18 since they are 

considered not of adult age. Furthermore, these limitations created feelings of discomfort within 

me regarding the exclusionary nature of the study. Consequently, I recognized the necessity of 

adopting a framework that would allow Black women to engage in discussions concerning both 

their Black girlhood and womanhood experiences, without the age-related constraints. Thus, I 

expanded the study to include individuals above the age of 18 to mitigate these restrictions.  

127 

 
 
 
Hence, I developed testimonial storytelling as a means to facilitate Black women’s 

exploration of their inner Black girlhood as a form of healing. This is embodied through 

instances such as literary Sugar’s efforts to restore her inner Black girlhood, and participant 

Tony granting her inner Black girlhood the freedom to express itself. Drawing from the stories 

written in Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves by Gloria Edim, I 

further contend that Black girlhood represents a transition of time marked by the evolving 

lessons of selfhood that we discover over time. Even at the age of fifty, I maintain the belief that 

we retain elements of Black girlhood because we continue to grow and learn about what it means 

to inhabit a Black female body. The experience of Black girlhood does not adhere to any age 

restrictions, rather, it involves a process of rebirthing oneself through the recollection of 

memories, experiences, and storytelling. The goal is to cultivate their own sense of self and 

fearlessness, regardless of how many times they fail and need to start over. The empowerment 

tool lies in the ability to choose one’s own path. As a result of testimonial storytelling, Black 

women gained insights into their Black girlhood, rebirth themselves from stifling experiences, 

and challenged them by immersing in literary works that depict their lived experiences to find 

alternative ways of being. While I acknowledge the limitations I encountered at the start of this 

study, I also recognize that as a young Black woman, I did not possess the knowledge I now do. 

It was my sense of displacement that led me to seek scholarship that awoke me. This is why I 

included the voices of ordinary Black women in the study because I wanted them to speak out 

against oppressive spaces where they feel marginalized. 

128 

 
 
 
 
 
Future Research 

This dissertation utilizes a Black women’s novel to present the experiences of Black 

women's self-advocacy and healing as ways to challenge the internalization of self-doubt and 

shame. As a result of the book club discussions, I have gained insight into a variety of alternative 

approaches to the sexual politics of Black women. In this section, I suggest a few future research 

directions.  

Research Recommendations 

Additional research avenues could explore Biblical figures like Ruth and Rahab, as they 

are closely related to notions of sexuality and femininity in traditional biblical exegesis, and thus 

frame sexual injustice against women as a theological problem. Ruth’s story25 is often used to 

display the obedience of a woman, and what women should strive to be in the context of finding 

the right partner. Specifically, it highlights Ruth’s persistence in pursuing a relationship with 

Boaz. In one pivotal moment in the story of Ruth, she was told to lay at Boaz’s feet while he was 

intoxicated, and the next morning, Boaz proposed to her. This scene is often presented to display 

Ruth’s patience and care. Yet, in the Hebrew Old Testament the word “feet” was a “euphemism 

for genitals,” implying that Ruth may have used her sexuality to win over Boaz (Eloquent Rage, 

137). This suggests the need for the bible to encompass multiple meanings of female sexuality. 

As further validated by Brittney Cooper in Eloquent Rage, Black women in the church should 

refrain from limiting themselves and instead actively strive for their happiness.   

In her role as a prostitute, Rahab’s26 choice to use her body on her own terms stands as a 

resistance against the male desire to control female sexuality. Rahab experiences marginalization 

25 Ruth 3:14 in The Holy Bible  
26 Joshua 2 in The Holy Bible 

129 

 
 
 
 
 
 
in her society due to its failure to celebrate women who are sexually active outside the bounds of 

marriage. In a much larger conversation surrounding sin and shame within the Black Church, 

Rahab’s story serves as a powerful reminder that one’s profession and society’s perception 

should not define one’s identity. Notably, Biblical scholar Wilda Gafney has offered an 

insightful womanist midrash27 of Rahab’s feelings. “Rahab believed that it didn’t matter what 

you had done or what had been done to you, there is a place for you in the people of God. Rahab 

knew it didn’t matter if folk call you out of your name when God calls you daughter. That’s who 

Rahab is God’s daughter. Never mind that the Epistle to the Hebrews and James still call her a 

prostitute.” Rahab’s agency in shaping her own image represents a critical and resistant act that 

is vital for the representation of Black women. 

Beyond providing different biblical hermeneutics, it is important to recognize the 

emergence of Black women preachers, with particular attention to Sarah Jake Roberts. An aspect 

of Robert’s narrative is the depiction of the experience of premature adultification, harsh 

judgment, and abandonment. I am interested in how her Christian rhetoric embodies notions of 

grace and repentance tailored to the experiences of Black women. I am curious about the ways in 

which her evolving Christian rhetoric creates a hush harbor28 for Black women. I believe that 

this research can address scholarly gaps regarding the plight of Black women preachers who may 

not conform to traditional patriarchal discourses. In addition, this research offers new insights 

into the social production of Black women preachers.  

27 Describe by Wilda Gafney in Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne as, 
“a set of interpretative practices, including translation, exegesis, and biblical interpretation, that attends to 
marginalized characters in biblical narratives, especially women and girls, intentionally including and centering non-
Israelite peoples and enslaved persons” (3). 
28 Hush harbors are spaces for Black women and girls to find healing and wholeness. These spaces do not only have 
to be physical spaces but can be a conversation with someone, music, and literature (Womack, 2021) 

130 

 
 
 
 
Concluding Thoughts 

Connection to Literary Texts 

In the year 2020, I enrolled in the course “Writing to Save Our Lives” with language and 

literacy scholar April Baker-Bell. As part of the course expectation, we were tasked with 

maintaining a personal journal, and our entries often featured reflections written at the beginning 

of class. These reflections encouraged us contemplate how we were practicing tenderness with 

ourselves through the mind, body, and soul. In a journal entry dated January 13, 2020, I 

recorded:  

I often talk to God but since the semester began, I feel like I haven’t been prioritizing my 

mental health the way I need to…in a way, my spiritual life is changing. My views are 

changing, my understanding is expanding. Therefore, my spiritual life is going through a 

moment of transition; a rebirth. 

Back then, I lacked the right language and understanding to navigate my own stories effectively. 

However, the wisdom shared by womanist scholar Stephanie Y. Mitchem (2001) helped me 

comprehend that my journal entry marked the foundation step in my journey toward recognizing, 

naming, and transforming my pain. Presently, I have incorporated a research agenda situated 

around storytelling and Black feminist theoretical frameworks, aimed at empowering Black 

women to embody their inherent power and autonomy. In this dissertation, the study was 

designed to help Black women to exalt, evolve, elevate, and the recognition that these qualities 

encapsulate how they should navigate and exist in this world. 

131 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Williams, Delores S. “A Womanist Perspective on Sin.” A Troubling in my Soul: Womanist  
           Perspectives on Evil and Suffering (1993): 130-149. 

Wingfield, Mark. “SBC Pastor Calls Vice President Kamala Harris a ‘jezebel’ Two Days after 

Inauguration.” Baptist News Global, 25 Jan. 2021, baptistnews.com/article/sbc-pastor-
calls-vice-president-kamala-harris-a-jezebel-two-days-after-inauguration/#.YBDp215KjtS.  

Womack, Erica. “Explorations of Literacy and Black Girlhood in Out-of-Bound Spaces.” Black  
            Girls’ Literacies. Routledge, 2021. 13-30. 

“Womanish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, https://www.merriam- 

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Zane. The Sisters of APF: The Indoctrination of Soror Ride Dick. Simon and Schuster, 2003. 

Thomas, Todne. Kincraft: The Making of Black Evangelical Sociality. Duke University Press,  
             2021.  

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APPENDIX A: SURVEY 

***I used google forms and provided a link for participants to complete the survey***  
LINK: tinyUrl.com/BWBookClub 

Brief Introduction to Survey: 

This is a study that will look at Black women's experience in the Black church, specifically 
geared toward feelings of shame, sex, and respectability. The goal of this study is to use 
literature to connect with literary Black women who are advocating for their sexual agency 
through the five themes of Black feminist theology: self-worth, articulation, sexual autonomy, 
community, and sin. The study will take the form of a book club that will meet 1 time a week for 
6 weeks. We will be reading Sugar by Bernice McFadden Participants will be assigned about 60 
pages from the book for each week. 

I'd appreciate it if you took 5 minutes to respond to the questions below so that I can see if you 
fit into the study requirements.  

Feel free to email me (marcelli@msu.edu) with any questions! 

Questionnaire for the Participants: 

1.     What is your age? 
2.     What is your gender identity? 
3.     What is your racial identity? 
4.     Do you have a religious affiliation? If so, what is it? 
5.     To what extent does faith contribute to your well-being? 
6.     Have you or someone you know ever been perceived as sexually promiscuous? 
7.     Have you or someone you know ever been objectified based on their physical 
features? 
8.     Do you have time to meet virtually 1 time a week (one hour for each meeting) for 6 
weeks? 
9.     In the 6 weeks, will you be able to devote time to read the 50-60 pages assigned for 
that specific week? 

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Consent Form 

APPENDIX B: CONSENT FORM 

Study Title: Let the Church Say Amen 
Researcher and Title: Marlisha Marcellin, Doctoral Candidate 
Department and Institution: English Department at Michigan State University 
Contact Information: marcelli@msu.edu 

BRIEF SUMMARY: 

You  are  being  asked  to  participate  in  a  research  study.  Researchers  are  required  to  provide  a 
consent form to inform you about the research study, to convey that participation is voluntary, to 
explain  the  risks  and  benefits  of  participation  including  why  you  might  or  might  not  want  to 
participate and to empower you to make an informed decision. You should feel free to discuss and 
ask the researchers any questions you may have.  

You are being asked to participate in a research study of Black women’s experiences in the 
Black church. Your participation in this study will take about 6 weeks in total. You will be asked 
to participate in a 6-week, meeting one time a week book club on the book Sugar by Bernice 
McFadden. All communication will be conducted on ZOOM. 

The most likely risk of participating in this study is your age being known. However, pseudonyms 
will be used for the name of the participants. This is to ensure protection from any identifying 
markers about the participants.  

You will not directly benefit from your participation in this study. However, your participation in 
this study may contribute to the understanding of Black feminist theology, and the healing when 
its founding themes are represented in one’s life.  

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH: 

The purpose of this research study is to encourage the need for a Black feminist theology in 
Black women’s lives that pushes them towards self-love, sexual agency, and healing. In addition, 
literature will be used to provide ways in which literary Black women are advocating for their 
sexual agency through the themes of Black feminist theology. The hope is for the participants to 
see their stories written down and the ways literary Black women have worked to overcome their 
shame and hyper-visibility to find their wholeness.  

POTENTIAL RISKS: 

Based on the topic of this conversation, participants may experience discomfort in sharing their 
experiences. Hence, this is why the book club will be in a discussion format to create a sense of 
sisterhood and community.  

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY: 

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Data for this study will be kept for 3 years after completion. The data will include memo notes, 
signed consent forms, and audio recordings to ensure the accuracy of the study. Also, to 
reference the study for larger book projects and teaching presentations. Data will be saved on a 
personal computer with locked access and destroyed after the 3 years. Still, the data will be 
stripped of identifiers and used in future research without anyone being aware of the personal 
information of the participants. If I were to leave MSU, the copy of the data will be taken with 
me and will not be accessible to others.  

YOUR RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE, SAY NO, OR WITHDRAW    

You have the right to say no to participating in the research. You can stop at any time after it has 
already started. There will be no consequences if you stop, and you will not be criticized.  You 
will not lose any benefits that you normally receive. 

COSTS AND COMPENSATION FOR BEING IN THE STUDY: 

You will receive a $25 gift card to amazon for participating in this study. This is to help with any 
cost of literature that the participants would like to purchase after the study. 

RESEARCH RESULTS: 

If the participants would like me to share the study findings or any additional resources related to 
the study, it would be no problem to share that information. 

FUTURE RESEARCH: 

Your name and church attended collected as part of the research, even if information that identifies 
you is removed, will not be used or distributed for future research studies. 

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

In the case of a research-related injury or if you have concerns or questions about this study, 
please contact the researcher (Marlisha Marcellin: marcelli@msu.edu, 516-255-7165). 

If you have questions or concerns about your role and rights as a research participant, would like 
to obtain information or offer input, or would like to register a complaint about this study, you 
may contact, anonymously if you wish, the Michigan State University’s Human Research 
Protection Program at 517-355-2180, Fax 517-432-4503, or e-mail irb@msu.edu or regular mail 
at 4000 Collins Rd, Suite 136, Lansing, MI 48910. 

DOCUMENTATION OF INFORMED CONSENT. 

Your signature below means that you voluntarily agree to participate in this research study.   

__________________________________                   _________________________ 
Signature                                                                                             Date 

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***As required to be in the project, you will be audiotaped/videotaped. Please check the box and 
initial below that lets me know that you agree to allow audiotaping/videotaping of the interview. 

 Yes                   No              Initials____________ 

You will be given a copy of this form to keep. 

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