Abstract
This paper explores how physical, behavioral, and sexual constructions of black masculinity may affect heterosexual black women's intraracial partner preferences. A qualitative analysis of data retrieved from thirty black college women at a large research university suggests that attraction and partner selection for these women are likely impacted by idealized images or prototypes of black masculinity. Specifically, respondents identified four categories of black men (the "thug," the "nice guy," the "player," and the "endangered black man" or EBM) that seemed to inform their future partner choices. Moreover, these data suggest that reliance on these stereotypical ideals may result in an ongoing process of bodily negotiation that subsequently hinders more genuine modes of interaction between black men and women.
