{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7203715366","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","title":"The Unspoken Agony of Feminine Desire: Psychosexual Trauma and Womanist Resistance in Alice Walker\u2019s Possessing the Secret of Joy","display_name":"The Unspoken Agony of Feminine Desire: Psychosexual Trauma and Womanist Resistance in Alice Walker\u2019s Possessing the Secret of Joy","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-08-18","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7203715366","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1177/26318318261475859","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210235746","display_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","issn_l":"2631-8318","issn":["2631-8318","2631-8326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320017","host_organization_name":"SAGE Publishing","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320017"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["SAGE Publishing"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"diamond","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133439359","display_name":"D. Sarulatha","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1035-3067","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1035-3067"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4405285210","display_name":"St. Joseph University","ror":"https://ror.org/05020bw66","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4405285210"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"D. Sarulatha","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of English, School of Science and Humanities, St. Joseph University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1035-3067","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of English, School of Science and Humanities, St. Joseph University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4405285210"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137808055","display_name":"Nisha G. L.","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5414-9609","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5414-9609"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4405285210","display_name":"St. Joseph University","ror":"https://ror.org/05020bw66","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4405285210"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Nisha G. L.","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of English, School of Science and Humanities, St. Joseph University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5414-9609","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of English, School of Science and Humanities, St. Joseph University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4405285210"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5097081795","display_name":"T. Sathyaseelan","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6780-7042","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6780-7042"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210133257","display_name":"KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/02q9f3a53","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210133257"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"T. Sathyaseelan","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of English, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6780-7042","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of English, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210133257"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5041280618","display_name":"S. Sheeba Kumari","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9778-2114","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9778-2114"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4387154592","display_name":"St. Joseph\u2019s College of Engineering","ror":"https://ror.org/01g3pby21","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4387154592"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"S. Sheeba Kumari","raw_affiliation_strings":["St. Joseph College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9778-2114","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"St. Joseph College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4387154592"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5004629414","display_name":"B. S. Renuka","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3048-2632","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3048-2632"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4399657946","display_name":"Rajalakshmi Engineering College","ror":"https://ror.org/01dw2vm55","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4399657946"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"B. S. Renuka","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Humanities and Sciences, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3048-2632","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Humanities and Sciences, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4399657946"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133461870","display_name":"E. Vijayalakshmi","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6326-1924","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6326-1924"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"E. Vijayalakshmi","raw_affiliation_strings":["PG and Research Department of English, Government Thirumagal Mills College, Gudiyattam, Tamil Nadu, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6326-1924","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"PG and Research Department of English, Government Thirumagal Mills College, Gudiyattam, Tamil Nadu, India","institution_ids":[]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12655","display_name":"Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues","score":0.9574999809265137,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2739","display_name":"Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12655","display_name":"Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues","score":0.9574999809265137,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2739","display_name":"Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13174","display_name":"American and British Literature Analysis","score":0.0066999997943639755,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1208","display_name":"Literature and Literary Theory"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11717","display_name":"Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies","score":0.00559999980032444,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1208","display_name":"Literature and Literary Theory"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/alice-walker","display_name":"Alice Walker","score":0.9580000042915344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/possessing-the-secret-of-joy","display_name":"Possessing the Secret of Joy","score":0.9990000128746033},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/female-genital-mutilation","display_name":"female genital mutilation","score":0.9589999914169312},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/black-feminism","display_name":"Black feminism","score":0.8220000267028809},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/intersectionality","display_name":"intersectionality","score":0.8180000185966492},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/patriarchy","display_name":"patriarchy","score":0.9570000171661377},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/bodily-autonomy","display_name":"bodily autonomy","score":0.9229999780654907},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/silence","display_name":"silence","score":0.5770000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/motherhood","display_name":"motherhood","score":0.9160000085830688},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sexuality","display_name":"sexuality","score":0.6909999847412109},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/memory","display_name":"memory","score":0.4320000112056732}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781115785","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q502261","display_name":"Silence","level":2,"score":0.858299970626831},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780900520","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100268981","display_name":"Denial","level":2,"score":0.7092999815940857},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195954836","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5559410","display_name":"Psychosexual development","level":2,"score":0.6607000231742859},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C57473165","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7315604","display_name":"Resistance (ecology)","level":2,"score":0.6531999707221985},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778061430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188823","display_name":"Scholarship","level":2,"score":0.5989000201225281},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11171543","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41630","display_name":"Psychoanalysis","level":1,"score":0.5853999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107993555","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1662673","display_name":"Gender studies","level":1,"score":0.5490999817848206},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.5004000067710876},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.4415999948978424},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777688943","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3092681","display_name":"Feminism","level":2,"score":0.3781999945640564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780001913","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1516555","display_name":"Intersectionality","level":2,"score":0.3237999975681305},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776307086","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1165905","display_name":"Sexual identity","level":3,"score":0.31139999628067017},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776526686","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q252000","display_name":"Oppression","level":3,"score":0.3109000027179718},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777996642","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q558075","display_name":"Sexual violence","level":2,"score":0.3077000081539154},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3017944768","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1450463","display_name":"Poison control","level":2,"score":0.3043000102043152},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2992354236","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43414","display_name":"Sexual abuse","level":4,"score":0.301800012588501},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C68643176","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1143546","display_name":"Cultural studies","level":2,"score":0.2863999903202057},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.2815999984741211},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776453541","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q376596","display_name":"Courtship","level":2,"score":0.2782999873161316},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776234999","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181339","display_name":"Patriarchy","level":2,"score":0.2773999869823456},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781283010","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q152282","display_name":"Shame","level":2,"score":0.2687000036239624},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C157150851","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4810748","display_name":"Feminist theory","level":3,"score":0.26330000162124634},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776001192","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6636","display_name":"Homosexuality","level":2,"score":0.2533999979496002}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1177/26318318261475859","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210235746","display_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","issn_l":"2631-8318","issn":["2631-8318","2631-8326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320017","host_organization_name":"SAGE Publishing","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320017"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["SAGE Publishing"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1177/26318318261475859","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318261475859","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210235746","display_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","issn_l":"2631-8318","issn":["2631-8318","2631-8326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320017","host_organization_name":"SAGE Publishing","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320017"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["SAGE Publishing"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Psychosexual Health","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":1.0,"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/5","display_name":"Gender equality"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":14,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2004669085","https://openalex.org/W2337002970","https://openalex.org/W2985312700","https://openalex.org/W4214609100","https://openalex.org/W4221065519","https://openalex.org/W4224236291","https://openalex.org/W4234695346","https://openalex.org/W4315484254","https://openalex.org/W4377289453","https://openalex.org/W4383620161","https://openalex.org/W4390789115","https://openalex.org/W4392071721","https://openalex.org/W4409403927","https://openalex.org/W4410983706"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7167834840","https://openalex.org/W7117772497","https://openalex.org/W7219515720","https://openalex.org/W4415304151","https://openalex.org/W7217590863","https://openalex.org/W3040189486","https://openalex.org/W4377289453","https://openalex.org/W2978577005","https://openalex.org/W3135444194","https://openalex.org/W4300699260"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Background:":[0],"Alice":[1],"Walker\u2019s":[2,68],"Possessing":[3],"the":[4,15,56,77,120,154],"Secret":[5],"of":[6,17,42,62,70,79,119,168],"Joy":[7],"is":[8],"a":[9,38,96,164],"significant":[10],"womanist":[11,90,166],"novel":[12,161],"that":[13,45],"examines":[14],"intersection":[16],"race,":[18],"gender,":[19],"sexuality,":[20,124,146],"culture":[21],"and":[22,49,59,76,98,115,126,139,148,179],"patriarchal":[23],"power.":[24],"By":[25],"placing":[26],"female":[27,47],"genital":[28],"mutilation/cutting":[29],"(FGM/C)":[30],"at":[31],"its":[32],"centre,":[33],"Walker":[34,132],"exposes":[35],"it":[36],"as":[37,135,163],"socially":[39],"sanctioned":[40],"form":[41],"gendered":[43],"violence":[44],"controls":[46],"desire":[48],"silences":[50],"women.":[51],"Objectives:":[52],"This":[53],"paper":[54],"analyses":[55],"physical,":[57],"psychological":[58,177],"sexual":[60,175],"consequences":[61],"FGM/C":[63,134],"through":[64],"Tashi,":[65],"while":[66],"examining":[67],"critique":[69,167],"patriarchy,":[71],"cultural":[72,169],"obedience,":[73],"communal":[74],"silence":[75,155],"denial":[78],"bodily":[80,173],"autonomy.":[81],"It":[82],"also":[83],"explores":[84],"how":[85],"private":[86],"suffering":[87],"develops":[88],"into":[89],"resistance.":[91],"Methodology:":[92],"The":[93,160],"study":[94],"adopts":[95],"qualitative":[97],"interpretative":[99],"approach,":[100],"using":[101],"close":[102],"textual":[103],"analysis":[104],"supported":[105],"by":[106],"scholarship":[107],"on":[108],"womanism,":[109],"Black":[110],"feminism,":[111],"intersectionality,":[112],"trauma":[113],"studies":[114],"FGM/C.":[116],"Recurrent":[117],"images":[118],"body,":[121],"silence,":[122],"memory,":[123],"motherhood":[125,147],"resistance":[127,151],"are":[128],"examined":[129],"thematically.":[130],"Findings:":[131],"presents":[133],"both":[136],"physical":[137],"injury":[138],"enduring":[140],"psychosexual":[141],"trauma,":[142],"affecting":[143],"Tashi\u2019s":[144],"identity,":[145],"memory.":[149],"Her":[150],"ultimately":[152],"challenges":[153],"sustaining":[156],"oppressive":[157],"tradition.":[158],"Conclusion:":[159],"emerges":[162],"powerful":[165],"domination,":[170],"affirming":[171],"women\u2019s":[172],"autonomy,":[174],"dignity,":[176],"healing":[178],"right":[180],"to":[181],"self-representation.":[182]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-13T13:42:25.865203","created_date":"2026-08-19T00:00:00"}