Respectable Women: Exploring the Influence of the Jezebel Stereotype on Black Women's Sexual Well- Being

Abstract

The Jezebel stereotype characterizes Black women as promiscuous, seductive, and sexually insatiable. Evidence indicates that Black women’s endorsement of the Jezebel stereotype has detrimental consequences for their sexual health and relationships. However, simply being aware that the Jezebel stereotype exists and that others may judge Black women’s behavior based on the stereotype may be sufficient to impact their sexual attitudes and behavior. My dissertation explores how Black women’s awareness of the Jezebel stereotype is associated with poorer sexual well-being.

Study 1 used structural equation modeling to test associations between Jezebel metastereotype awareness (awareness that others hold the Jezebel stereotype) and sexual monitoring, agency, inhibition, and risk. I also examined the moderating role of racial centrality in these relations. Young Black women (N= 575) completed measures of Jezebel metastereotype awareness, sexual monitoring, sexual assertiveness, sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-consciousness, sexual guilt and shame, drug and alcohol use, and condom use. Women who reported higher levels of Jezebel metastereotype awareness engaged in more sexual monitoring, which in turn was associated with less sexual agency, more inhibition, and more risk. Racial centrality was not a significant moderator. These findings confirm that Black women’s awareness of the Jezebel stereotype negatively influences their sexual well-being.

Study 2 used structural equation modeling to test associations among enjoyment of sexualization, body surveillance, body shame, and sexual agency. I also examined the moderating role of Jezebel metastereotype awareness in the relations between enjoyment of sexualization, body surveillance, body shame, and sexual agency. Young Black women (N= 569) completed measures of enjoyment of sexualization, Jezebel metastereotype awareness, body surveillance, body shame, sexual assertiveness, and sexual self-efficacy. As hypothesized, enjoyment of sexualization was indirectly associated with less sexual agency via body shame. However, it was directly associated with more sexual agency. Jezebel metastereotype awareness was not a significant moderator, suggesting that Black women’s enjoyment of sexualization did not depend on their awareness of negative stereotypes of their sexuality. The findings indicate that enjoyment of sexualization may have both positive and negative consequences for Black women’s sexual agency, regardless of their awareness of the Jezebel stereotype.

In Study 3, I drew on stereotype threat theory to test how Black women’s sexual attitudes and behavior are affected when the Jezebel stereotype is made salient. Black and White women (N= 95) were randomly assigned to complete one of two health questionnaires. In the threat condition, participants responded to questions assessing their sexual history, sexual health, and sexual behavior. In the control condition, the questions pertained to participants’ general hygiene habits. Outcome variables were assessed using a health product selection task, responses to a hypothetical vignette, and survey measures of sexual attitudes and behavior. When the sexuality threat was made salient, Black (but not White) participants were less likely to report that they would have sexual intercourse in the vignette than when the threat was not salient. There were no differences in the number of sex-related health products selected by participants or in their sexual attitudes. These findings expand stereotype threat theory by examining a gendered racial stereotype within a non-academic domain and in relation to non-performance-related outcomes.

Together, findings generally highlight Black women’s awareness of the Jezebel stereotype as negatively impacting their sexual attitudes and behaviors. Future research should account for Black women’s unique, racialized experiences when examining sexual well-being and self-sexualization.