Mother and Daughter Narratives about Health, Sexuality, and Young Womanhood

Abstract

This chapter presents general patterns about the relationships between Southern African American women and their adolescent daughters with a focus on health, well-being, and sexuality as topics that emerge from the data. My typology of the mother and daughter focus groups is presented with specific characterizations to help readers distinguish among each group and how their “worldview” reflected particular themes. For example, one group is called “Experts” because of the ways the group articulated the choices they made about how they discussed health-related issues with their daughters. It also refers to the way that they positioned themselves in the context of their expertise as health professionals. Analysis reveals how mothers talk among themselves and how daughters talk among themselves about key issues. The major themes that are connected to young womanhood are those of respect, trust, and pressure.