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The Role of the Strong Black Woman in Black Female Sexual Development

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Abstract

Black girls and women are disproportionately impacted by sexual health disparities, including an increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI). Early sexual development among Black females heightens their risk of HIV/STI. Utilizing the Becoming a Sexual Black Woman (SBW) framework, this study sought to understand how early sexual development and stereotype messages may underpin HIV/STI risk, building on and furthering the discussion of the consequences of the SBW schema. To better understand this phenomenon, we conducted a secondary thematic data analysis from two previously completed grounded theory studies with Black girls and women ranging in age from 11 to 62 (N = 40). Findings revealed that Black women have been socialized to be strong and independent and yet are highly vulnerable to HIV/STI. This clash between Black girl's and women's ideals of strength and heightened vulnerability to HIV/STI presents a paradox that may help explain disparities in HIV/STI risk. Four themes emerged among both Black girls and women: complex construction of the SBW schema, burden and consequences of strength, pressure to be strong, and being strong and sexual. Findings also highlight how becoming both a strong and sexual Black woman occurs over the life course and is inherent to Black female sexual development. We discuss the implications of these findings for parents, healthcare providers, educators, and researchers with the aim to improve sexual health outcomes for Black females across the life course.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the participants who shared their personal stories. We would also like to acknowledge the support from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, Public Health and Dane County, and the Allied Wellness Center in Wisconsin. We send many thanks to the Boys and Girls club in Decatur, GA. We would also like to thank Jennifer Neely for her editing brilliance.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) (Grant #1F31NR016624-01A1) and by the University of Wisconsin—Madison, School of Nursing Robert, and Carroll Heideman Research Award.

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by NC and RB. The first draft of the manuscript was written by NC, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Natasha Crooks.

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Crooks, N., Barrie, R., Singer, R. et al. The Role of the Strong Black Woman in Black Female Sexual Development. Arch Sex Behav 52, 1389–1402 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02529-2

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