"The black body has over the years been the center of political and social debate and the object of conquest. It has provided economic resources and social mobility for those not embodied within it. The object of much objection and subjection, the black body has carried the white power structure upon itself. In particular, the Black woman’s body has carried a dual energy and consequence. The body has been a source of nurturing, healing and soothing for our burning souls. Simultaneously, it is a hostage within a hostile environment."

Black women, do you have agency over your own body and sexual behaviors?

http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/cgs/winter00newsletterarticle.html

hummmm! i love to hear the ladies speak on this one !

I'd love to know what people think about this information...

"Our bodies have been an incredible source of sexual and spiritual healing, while the raping of the body has created a wound. The body for the black woman during the latter twentieth century has thereby provided a creative space. The arts, especially music, allow us freedom of expression within the context of our sexuality. Public sexuality then becomes a platform from which power in other arenas (e.g. economic and political) can be asserted."

http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/cgs/winter00newsletterarticle.html

Queenie,

Yes, I believe I do have agency over my body and sexual behavior. I may not be able to control the world's view of the Black, female, form but I control the body my soul inhabits.

SCORP!!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?????????? YOU'VE BEEN MISSED SISTER!!!!!!

This is an interesting thread and the article was very thought provoking…

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that any of us have “complete” agency
over our bodies for cultural and societal reasons. I believe the choices
we make with our bodies whether positive or negative are primarily influenced
by the norms that are established within society. While I do understand
we are all individuals, I feel that our decisions are often altered or dictated
to fit what is acceptable within our society. On some level I would like to
believe that I have 100% control…but if I were to deepen the reflection
within myself, I know that I would find that my actions, right down to
the selection of my wardrobe are all dictated by my surroundings.
Conversely, my sense of security in those choices is really the fulfillment
of a human need to be accepted.

This is an interesting thread and the article was very thought provoking…

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that any of us have “complete” agency
over our bodies for cultural and societal reasons. I believe the choices
we make with our bodies whether positive or negative are primarily influenced
by the norms that are established within society. While I do understand
we are all individuals, I feel that our decisions are often altered or dictated
to fit what is acceptable within our society. On some level I would like to
believe that I have 100% control…but if I were to deepen the reflection
within myself, I know that I would find that my actions, right down to
the selection of my wardrobe are all dictated by my surroundings.
Conversely, my sense of security in those choices is really the fulfillment
of a human need to be accepted.

Sister Angelic Sage, I agree that our thoughts and decisions are greatly influenced by external factors such as those that you mentioned. While what we, as individuals, have actual control of might be limited, I believe those limitations are only to the extent to which we believe we have or don't have control. What we choose to accept and don't accept is the boundary line that we draw for ourselves, thereby limiting us to certain choices. For example, to choose what to wear is based on the options that we choose to limit ourselves to. The fashion industry may greatly influence our decision by offering us someone else's idea of what we should wear; other members within our society may greatly influence us by what is considered acceptable to wear, but ultimately don't we have the right to use our mental capacity to either accept or reject their ideas?

It seems the more 'modern' the society, the more it takes control by thinking for us. We call them inventions and think they are convenient. People who create them know what their real purpose is for--to control. Artificial intelligence is packaged in ways that we think increase our intellect when in actuality, it only serves to reduce our real intelligence.

Things to select from are dictated by individuals that have power to manipulate others. We have allowed ourselves to become lazy thinkers, using less and less of our brain power. It's much easier to go to the mall to select an outfit hanging on a rack as opposed to having to decide each day how to protect your body from environmental elements and then have to create it. It's much easier to purchase prepared foods from your neighborhood grocery than to hunt and slaughter or grow your own each day.

To give others dominion over us is a choice we make to accept or reject based on how much control we are willing to turn over to others, and how much we want to retain for ourselves. It's too dangerous for any society to allow its members to think independently. It must discourage our use of too much of our individual mental capacity and encourage our acceptance of a status quo or group mentality.

I said all of that to say, even within the options that are given to us by others to choose from, individuals still have the power to decide among them. We still have agency over our bodies to a degree and what we allow to happen to our bodies. How we decide among what's offered includes a mixture of our self-perception and society's perception of us. Our choice could be to completely accept/reject all or part of what's available to choose from. But I believe the psychic energy we used to make the distinction is ours.

MHO...peace! :spinstar:

:bowdown:

Interesting topic and powerful replies!

More of our young girls and young adult women need to think about this subject and ask themselves how much control they feel they have and exercise over their own bodies and sexuality.