Reviews with content warning for Racism - Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

38 reviews

jayisreading's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

This was a compelling read, giving a lot of food for thought to the reader. I thought Brown did a wonderful job addressing the rampant acephobic narratives that exist outside but also within the queer community. What makes this particular book stand out to me compared to other essays and writings about asexuality is the way Brown approached it from a Black perspective, reaffirming the importance of intersectionality. They critically reflect on what it means to be a Black asexual, and how the treatment of asexuals and Black people have overlaps.

Brown brings in academic sources in their discussion on asexuality, but also turns to lived experiences to assert why it’s so important to highlight the asexual experience (especially as a queer one). Acknowledging and uplifting asexual voices is more than just accepting that there are some people who have little to no sexual attraction. It’s clear that, through an asexual lens, especially a Black asexual lens, a lot of reflection needs to be done.

I did find the book a little repetitive after the first few chapters, but for those who have little to no familiarity with asexuality (and, relatedly, aromanticism), I would absolutely recommend this book as your starting point.

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elwirax's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

"If we are not human, then surely we must be displaced gods."

This was an informative non-fiction book, written in a very straightforward and accessible manner that would work for those largely unfamiliar with academic writing. It provided relevant content warnings for each chapter which was great for those who require them and a timeline of asexulity in publication and media towards the end which was very interesting.

As an ace, this did not provide me with any new information in that regard though this is an invaluable resource for the Black asexual experience through its discussions on the intersectionality of racism and (a)sexuality and which I admittedly hadn't considered in great detail before reading this book. While it is clear that the author researched this book extensively, particularly concerning historical context, perhaps it could have benefitted from being more scientifically based in other areas (though I acknowledge the sparsity of adequate data on asexuality). The author had a tendency to make big statements but not support them with any relevant referencing for example in the following quotation: "These are male supremacists who fail to form romantic and sexual relationships or connections, blame others for their social and sexual ineptitude, and believe that women should be required or forced to have sex with them. Several have even become mass killers because of their frustrations and misogyny". While I can't argue that this statement is untrue, it would have been good to get some examples when such statements were made to ground the argument. This is not to say that the author's own experiences and views (or the people she interviewed) are invalid as a member of both communities but that the arguments provided could have been stronger with supporting evidence and a more in-depth analysis/ examination of the impacts of the discussed ideas on individuals rather than just being surface level. Additionally, the author repeated many of the same points frequently and as it was often quite disjointed in terms of structure where I couldn't always grasp the connections/comparisons being made.

While this may seem like a largely negative review, I think that this is a great start for those who are unfamiliar with the topics discussed (the intersectionality of (a)sexuality and racism). It was informative and well researched, yet accessible and touched on issues I might not have considered as a white asexual. I really have no major faults with this book other than slight nitpicks which are just my personal tastes in terms of non-fiction. I'm really glad that books like this are being published more frequently as they can be very validating to individuals who are struggling with their ace identity, compulsory sexuality and racism. Overall, it is a really solid nonfiction, would recommend.

Personal highlights:

"Help not Wanted"
"Frigidity"
"Refusal"
"Histories"
"Black Asexual Insight"

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cedence's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Each chapter of the book has its own trigger warnings for content as it deal with mistreatment of black people, esp. black women and black (a)sexuality, and generally is informative on what constitutes acephobia and the narration of asexuality as "abnormal" and an illness thoughout history. I added some of them below.

The book focuses in on asexual people who do not experience sexual attraction at all.

The book focuses on US history and context.

This book will show you the clear ties between white supremacy, the patriarchy and capitalism to racism, queerphobia, and compulsory sexuality. It will share with you how black sexuality has been forced, shaped and willfully misinterpreted by white supremacy agendas. It will also contain testimonies of lived black asexual experiences. And it will end on a positive note on the futures of asexual people.

Loved it.

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jugglingcoder's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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beals's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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rorikae's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

'Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture' by Sherronda J. Brown is an insightful look at asexuality. Brown delves into different topics, bringing her own experience into a look at how heterosexual society directly harms asexual people. The book covers different topics, including asexual erasure, society's obsession with sex, and more. I found Brown's intersectional exploration incredibly insightful and easily digestible. I learned a great deal and think this should be mandatory reading. Brown does a great job of looking at different areas of society and peeling back how they harm asexual people and in the process, most people. The audiobook was great and I highly recommend it.

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bdingz's review against another edition

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hopeful informative slow-paced

4.0

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tina94's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Review to follow

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mfrisk's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

This was an excellent read for those wanting to delve into the intersections of asexuality, race, gender, and a multitude of other identities which impact our lives and how we view ourselves and others. I highly recommend folks pick this up and use it as a pathway to keep learning.

The only reason I’m knocking off a star is it can at times get to be hard to digest all the information as a vast number of topics are covered here and at times it feels more like a research paper than a book. However, I can only hope the author will continue to write and give more space to these topics in further depth. All the topics discussed are worthwhile but some could constitute their own books so it can be hard to absorb all we are learning.

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literarycryptid's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

4.75

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