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The Peak of Pleasure: US Southern Black Women’s Definitions of and Feelings Toward Sexual Pleasure

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Abstract

Sexual pleasure has been identified as a key component of sexual health by the World Health Organization, yet only 6.5% of articles on Black women’s sexualities are sex positive. Historically in the United States (US), Black women’s sexualities have been marked by silence, encouraging Black women to refrain from discussing their sexualities, particularly the positive aspects such as sexual pleasure. The purpose of the current study was to explore definitions of and feelings toward sexual pleasure among (N = 206) Black women living in the Southern US using intimate justice and sex positive frameworks and thematic analysis. Participants identified three foundational dimensions of sexual pleasure (1) mental, (2) physical, and (3) emotional and four facilitators of peak pleasure (1) partnered interactions, (2) liberation, (3) mind-body-soul awareness, and (4) orgasm. Foundational themes and facilitators of peak pleasure are intertwined. For example, a combination of emotional, mental, and physical themes serves as the foundation of sexual pleasure. However, the facilitator themes often, but not always, included one or more emotional, mental, and physical aspects. Overall, 42.2% (n = 87) of the quotes included a combination of foundational themes, meaning two or more were reported in the same quote. Ultimately, Black women defined sexual pleasure in hedonic and eudemonic ways and had positive feelings about sexual pleasure. Implications for sexuality education and clinical practice are discussed.

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This study was partially funded by the Center for Positive Sexuality’s Race and Sexuality grant.

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  1. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Shemeka Thorpe, Natalie Malone, Candice N. Hargons, Jardin N. Dogan & Jasmine K. Jester

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  1. Shemeka Thorpe
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Correspondence to Shemeka Thorpe.

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“There is no justice for Black women without pleasure”- Brittney Cooper, PhD

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Thorpe, S., Malone, N., Hargons, C.N. et al. The Peak of Pleasure: US Southern Black Women’s Definitions of and Feelings Toward Sexual Pleasure. Sexuality & Culture 26, 1115–1131 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09934-6

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