Black Women + Sexuality
India Arie’s Essence Fest Criticism Reawakens Wounds on Black Female Hypersexuality
Racially-rooted stigmas and sexual criminalization are a continuing cloud over Black women.
The hypersexual war on Black female bodies has been culturally rooted in our diaspora for centuries. The often pre-stigmatized perception of Black women as overly-sexual has encouraged society to consistently impose their opinions, projections, and critiques around how we should properly present ourselves in the world.
On the other hand, perpetuated sexual adultification unfairly accelerated our ability to claim our girlhood earlier than our counterparts. And in today’s climate, Black women face higher degrees of sexual objectification than any other racial female group.
Public perceptions of Black women and how they display their sexuality have been a critical debate for decades. And sometimes, the criticism can potentially become further complicated when it originates from within our own community or even when we become our own perpetrators.
The 2023 Essence Festival took place this past weekend at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The concert series of the festival, hosted by Deon Cole, Affion…
