Work

The Influence of Skin Color on Heterosexual Black College Women's Dating Beliefs

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: Black women's skin color perceptions were identified utilized qualitative methods. The primary goal was to identify the relevance of these perceptions on their understandings about dating preferences and related beliefs about appropriate scripts using a Black feminist thought framework. Twenty- eight self- identified Black women attending a large university in the southeastern United States were interviewed for this study. Lighter- skin was perceived as being more attractive, and associated with four themes about dating: (a) positive personality traits, (b) increased value in dating contexts, and (c) sexual appeal to men. Therapeutic considerations for addressing skin color concerns with Black female clients, including addressing within group differences and validation of skin color values, are addressed.

Source: Journal of Feminist Family Therapy

DOI: 10.1080/08952833.2012.710815

Authors: Dionne Stephens, Tami L. Thomas

Institutions: Florida International University, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Racial and Ethnic Identity Research

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities