Longing to Tell

In this revealing volume, Black women discuss their sexual lives, from coming-of-age and erotic adventures to AIDS, abuse, and interracial dating.

In a culture driven by sexual and racial imagery, very few honest conversations about race, gender, and sexuality actually take place. In their absence, commonly held perceptions of black women as teenage mothers, welfare recipients, mammies, or exotic sexual playthings remain unchanged. Rather than risk being stereotyped, most Black women have retreated into silence. Now Tricia Rose breaks this silence by presenting the sexual testimonies of black women.

The twenty women included in this volume span a broad range of ages, education levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In their own words, they talk with startling honesty about sex, love, family, relationships, and intimacy. Their stories dispel prevailing myths and provide revealing insights into how Black women navigate the complex terrain of sexuality. Nuanced, rich, and powerful, Longing to Tell is required reading for anyone interested in issues of race and gender.