Imagining Black Womanhood: The Negotiation of Power and Identity within the Girls Empowerment Project

Index

abortion, 42, 160n6 Adams, Natalie G., 139 African Americans. See Blacks African dance, 131, 133–135, 137 Africentric womanist femininity, 67–75, 99–117 Afrocentricity compared to, 70–71 Black herstory, importance of, 102–103 dis-identification with hypersexualized representations of Black femininity, 117, 148 empowerment discourse in, 75 feelings of sisterhood within GEP, 86–88 GEP girls’ challenges to, 4, 139 GEP girls’ empowerment, 94 key qualities, 100 middle-class perspectives and priorities , emphasis on, 75 as politics of respectability, 113–117 principles of, 67–68 role model for, Lauryn Hill as, 113–114 self-definition in, 100–105, 125, 147 self-determination in, 100, 105–108, 125, 147 self-love in, 103–105 sexual agency in, 100, 108–113, 139, 147 sexual displays as challenges to, 139 stratification of Black femininities in, 113 Sun Valley tenants’ response to, 74 Walker’s influence on, Alice, 71 West African dance in, 131, 133–135, 137 Afrocentricity, 57–59 Africentric womanist femininity compared to, 70–71 Black males, championing of, 58 culture of poverty discourse, 74 development of, 161n2 ethnic pride, 59 GEP women’s understanding of, 68–69 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Black girls’ and women’s sexuality, 40 Blacks as a percentage of AFDC clients in Bay City, 20 in mid-1970s, 159n2.ch2 American Association of University Women (AAUW), 44, 59–60, 162n4 Americorps, 80, 163n3 Anderson, Elijah, 55–56, 121–122, 137 Angelou, Maya, 73 Badu, Erykah, 114 Baker, Josephine, 2 Bartmann, Sarah, 2, 164n1 Bay City [pseudonym], Blacks in, 20–21 See also Sun Valley housing project Best, Amy, 92 BET cable network, videos on, 158n11 Index 181 Beyonce, 2 Black children and teens likelihood of having an incarcerated parent, 159n4 media consumption, 158n11 single-sex academies for Black boys, 58 See also Black girls; GEP girls Black femininities decent girl femininity, 118–127, 131, 147 as reflections of differences among Black women, 9 stratification of, 113 Strong Black Woman, 101–102 See also Africentric womanist femininity Black girls acceptance of traditional gender roles, 6–7 conflicts with Black women over sexuality , 41–42 control of their sexuality, reproduction and dependency, 48 femininity and, 158n7 identity exploration by, 7 media representations of, 5–6 reform discourses addressed to, 51–52 “self-image disorder” of, 157n6 sexuality of, 40, 42 stereotypes of, 6–7 triple consciousness condition of, 157n6 See also Urban Girl stereotype Black herstory, 27, 72–73, 102–103 Black males, 58 Black music in reinforcing stereotypes, 158n11 Black womanhood, 119–125 devaluation of, 6 GEP girls’ view of, 119–125, 147–148 laissez-faire model of, 119, 121 middle-class Black woman, 119–120, 121 powerless woman, 120 traditional Black woman, 119, 121 Black women activism of, 8–9 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), 40 conflicts with Black girls over sexuality , 41–42 dance and, 132–133 empowerment of, 9, 10 politics of respectability, 8–10 self-definition, 100 sexuality, 40 in state prisons, 159n4 stereotypes of, 8, 39–40 Blacks in Bay City [pseudonym], 20–21 (See also Sun Valley housing project) “decent” vs. “street” Blacks, 55–56 exodus of middle and working classes from central cities, 52 respect discourse among, 137–139 stereotypes of, 158n11 welfare utilization, 160n4 booty dancing, 2–3, 92–93, 129–131, 136–137 Bordt, Rebecca, 77 Bourgois, Philippe, 137 Boyte, Harry C., 10 Brown, Lyn Mikel, 93 Bush administration, George H., 38 children. See Black children and teens Clay, Andreanna, 136 Clinton administration, 38, 41 Collins, Patricia Hill controlling images, 6 “da butt” and Black females, 2 empowerment of Black women, 9, 10 “hegemonic” femininity, 33 self-definition and Black women, 100 community foundations, 161n10 Connell, R. W., 5 culture of poverty discourse Afrocentricity, 74 182 INDEX as historical response to economic and social conditions, 52 at Mobilization for Youth (MFY), 158n12 teen pregnancy, 46 welfare dependency, 46 “welfare queen” stereotype, 39–40 Cyrus, Miley, 5 dance, 129–143 autonomy, assertion of, 142 Black women and, 132–133 booty dancing during community talent show, 2–3, 92–93, 129–131, 136–137 conflict between GEP girls and staff members, 131, 137, 141 as cultural capital, 136 decent girl femininity, 131 gender, 2–3 hip hop/popular, 131, 134–143 identity work, 139 local community standards, 137 as public performance of GEP’s identity work, 131 racial/ethnic authenticity, securing, 140 as a representation of self, 132–133 respect in Black...