Remixing the Script? Associations Between Black-Oriented Media Consumption and Black Women’s Heteropatriarchal Romantic Relationship Beliefs

Abstract

Black-oriented media may offer Black women an opportunity to produce and consume empowering messages that challenge heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs, but they may also foster their endorsement. Drawn by this paradox, we surveyed 597 undergraduate and graduate Black women aged 18 to 30 years to examine exposure to Black-oriented media and their association with the acceptance of heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs. Correlation and regression analyses showed that reading more Black magazines was associated with increased acceptance of heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs. Although it has been argued that media depictions of sexually agentic and empowered Black women may help disrupt and subvert the hegemonic nature of heteropatriarchal discourses in society, our findings suggest that some Black-oriented media may instead be associated with endorsing restrictive, scripted gender norms for intraracial romantic relationships.