The whores left behind: Black sex workers’ college navigation & loneliness

This thesis explores how registered student organizations (RSOs), the collegiate version of K-12 extracurricular programs, designed for Black students’ enrichment and retention on college campuses may constrict, exclude, and disregard Black college sex workers and their identity. Through a Black whorehood theoretical framework, I investigate the discourses about Black girlhood, deviancy, and respectability that are found within Black RSOs which aim to give Black college students a sense of belonging on Black Exclusionary Institutions (BEIs) of Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and contribute positively to their retention and graduation rates, per Tinto’s Student Departure Theory. I find that these discourses within the making and functioning of Black RSOs perpetuate respectability politics aligned with white personhood, reinforcing an exclusionary model of an ideal Black college woman that ultimately contributes to the continued disenfranchisement of Black sex workers. I conclude with suggestions for how a Black RSO may develop programming and curricula using Black whorehood ideologies.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Morrow, Rayven Nicole

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dixson, Adrienne Denise
• González Ybarra, Mónica
• Ruedas-Gracia, Nidia

• Black girlhood
• Black whorehood
• deviancy
• Black sex workers
• college student development

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2021 Rayven Morrow

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/113101

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/113101