Vivência Negra: Black Lesbians Affective Experiences in Brazilian Gynecology

In Salvador-Bahia, many Black lesbians are deeply concerned about how gynecologists dismiss or demean their sexuality, which often leads to prolonged lapses in gynecological care. Black lesbians who identify as virgins in particular are confronted with challenges that reveal entrenched normativity within the gynecological clinic. In this article, I examine Black lesbian virginity as a site of vivência Negra (Black woman's existence or lived experience) during the gynecological encounter. In response to such encounters, Black lesbians assess their inhumane treatment by way of anti-racist knowledge production. The resulting anti-racist evaluations serve to identify and decenter white heteronormativity in gynecology.