Abstract

Between the 1980’s and 1990’s there were many female-centered sitcom television shows like The Golden Girls, Designing Women, and Sex in the City that explored women’s sexuality from an autonomous perspective. However, Black women’s sexuality and the way that gender roles are challenged in sitcoms has yet to be examined as both oppositional and equally significant. This research focuses on the importance of resistant sexual and gender representations in the 1990’s sitcom Living Single. This content analysis is drawn from four episodes in seasons one, two, and three. The study uses a Black Feminist theoretical framework to analyze how Living Single countered stereotypes of Black women’s sexuality. Additionally, this project examines how Living Single challenged gender norms for Black women. The questions that will be explored are: How did Living Single provide alternative representations for Black women’s gender and sexuality? In addition to, why is Black women’s sexual freedom an important representation for television?