By Gordon Braxton
(Oxford University Press | Hardcover | 9780197571675 | $27.95 | 272 pages | January 28, 2021)
“Gordon Braxton’s book, Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture is a groundbreaking book that gives voice to the responsibility Black boys must use to deal with a problem that is of their doing.” —Lawrence Ross, author of The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities and Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses
“For an African American feminist like me, to encounter the work of Gordon Braxton is to discover the future you have longed for standing right in front of you. This is the book we have been waiting for!”
—Pearl Cleage, Distinguished Artist in Residence at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, author of Mad at Miles: A Black Woman’s Guide to Truth, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, and We Speak Your Name
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This debut title calls for young Black men to be active participants in the fight against sexual violence. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture by Gordon Braxton (Oxford University Press | January 2022) is the only book of its kind; a book focused on sexual violence prevention that is written by a Black male author focused on Black boys.
Braxton, an anti-violence educator, provides readers with a new perspective on sexual violence prevention that has never been explored. Braxton explains that sexual violence is often not spoken about especially to Black boys. By utilizing existing research, preventive techniques, and providing personal commentary from an experienced educator, Braxton demonstrates the importance of training and educating to combat these concerns.
The most critical lesson that boys need to learn is that they have an essential role to play in preventing sexual violence. Though many of them accept this violence as beyond their control, there are systems being put in place to help change this notion. Parents and mentors are standing up to address sexual violence as a cultural problem rather than the activities of isolated social deviants. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture adds an important voice to our discussions about sexual violence education and prevention, showing that a rising generation of boys will play a vital part in realizing a non-violent future. It is time to support Black boys and show them how to become agents of change.
About the Author:
Gordon Braxton serves as the Director of Men’s Involvement for Campus Outreach Services where he provides educational content to secondary schools, colleges, and community organizations. He is a proud civil servant residing in the Washington, D.C. area and shares his voice on violence prevention as a blogger and public speaker.
Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture
By Gordon Braxton
Oxford University Press | January 2022
9780197571675 | 272 pages| $27.95