The Sex Lives of African Women is a powerful collection of over 30 personal stories from African women across the continent and diaspora.

It is divided into three sections—Self-Discovery, Freedom, and Healing—each exploring different facets of sexuality, identity, and empowerment. 

Overflowing with candor, vulnerability, and juiciness, this collection of raw, tender stories that Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has so lovingly gathered will upend all of your assumptions and stereotypes.

These mothers, activists, writers, sex workers, and others share painful truths, evolving glories, and journeys toward love and freedom, in their own words. They are trans, queer, heterosexual, kinky, and say, 'To hell with labels.' Facing down dangers and double standards, they are healing. The Sex Lives of African Women captures the breadth and depth of the Diaspora with the intimacy of looking in a mirror. Marvelous!

—Deesha Philyaw
Author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

In these emotionally charged and refreshingly honest essays, this collection gives literal shape to women's sexuality and desires. Nothing less than stunning. Essential read! I couldn't put it down.

—Nicole Dennis-Benn
Bestselling author of Patsy and Here Comes the Sun.

The Sex Lives of African Women is a Pan-African feminist love offering to our ancestors, women living across the Diaspora and future generations to come.

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah delivers this love with honesty, levity and delicious prose. This book satiates my appetite for stories that take the interior lives of Black, African and Afro-descendant women seriously. It is simply unparalleled and right on time.

—Charlene A. Carruthers
Author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements.

  • Margaret Busby

    The Guardian

    Extraordinarily dynamic...Here is a book like none you will have read before. The women speak openly and invariably for the first time about their experiences of sex and relationships as they seek to claim individual agency, however that expresses itself. They share emotion-filled stories with honesty, addressing everyday personal dramas within the wider context in which self-worth and confidence are affected by racism and patriarchy, with revolution in the streets and revolution in the sheets being two sides of the same coin...With sensitivity, this book has facilitated astonishing breaking of silences.

  • Lola Shoneyin

    Author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives.

    This collection affirms what we've known all along: African women are reclaiming their bodies and taking ownership of their sexual destinies. Every single story leaves you feeling deliciously empowered.

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