Robin Shumays

Prince broke down barriers and challenged many so-called societal norms throughout his career,  especially around sexuality. This paper explores Prince and the theme of female pleasure, emphasizing how he used his artistry to advocate for sexual equality. 

Expectations around hetero sex are shaped by patriarchal attitudes that often prioritize male pleasure, creating a significant “pleasure gap” between men and women. Studies, such as those by the Kinsey Institute, reveal that perceptions of sex are heavily centered around the male orgasm, often neglecting women’s sexual satisfaction. This disparity is perpetuated by cultural assumptions that women should mask their desires and prioritize their male partner’s pleasure.

Prince’s music uniquely and consistently addressed these issues, making him a pioneering figure in the celebration of prioritizing female pleasure. His 15th studio album, Come particularly the opening and closing tracks, (Come, Orgasm) are a treatise on how to elevate a woman’s sexual experience.

Prince’s influence on artists like Janelle Monáe, (who celebrated sexual liberation on 2023’s The Age of Pleasure), is evidence of the enduring impact of his legacy on contemporary discussions about sexuality and agency.

Robin Shumays is a multi-talented artist and designer based in Queens, N.Y. She’s the creative force behind the dazzling and edgy fashion brand hennaflower, which has made its mark on NYC runways during shows for Harlem Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week, among others.

Robin’s creativity doesn’t stop at fashion; she is currently studying classic burlesque, acting, and singing in order to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming the ultimate theater kid. She is also a co-founder and dancer with Zikrayat, an Arabic Music and Dance Ensemble that has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Museum. In the world of day jobs, she has worked in web development, graphic design, social media strategy, and is currently a User Experience Engineer at Guardian Life.

A die-hard Prince fan since 1984, Robin is proud to have presented several papers on his work over the last few years. In 2021, she presented “Punk, Paisleys and Polkadots” at the 78-88: Prince, The First Decade: Interdisciplinary Conference. In 2022 and 2023 she presented “Bedlah Bedlam: An Exploration of Orientalist Fantasy and Fashion Via the Lens of Prince Rogers Nelson” and “Like a (Nasty) Girl Group” at the #SexyMF30 and #TripleThreat40 symposia. She produces and co-hosts a webinar podcast on Prince called The Purple Paradigm with her bestie, Dr. Mauri De Govia. Once upon a time, Robin even held a short-lived dream job as an administrative assistant at Paisley Park Music (Paisley’s short-lived music publishing wing).

Of all of her varied career and creative pursuits, Robin’s most treasured role is that of a mother to a very sweet and talented teen daughter.