In Hollywood, sex sells and the act has been committed several times by many.
Thus, when some decide to abstain from it, it seems unusual to many. It is seen as the exception rather than the norm.
Some celebrities, despite playing very sensual characters on TV, decided to abstain from sex and though it is a tough one to go by, they stuck by it.
These five African American celebrities were openly celibate and proud.
Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin, Photo: Oprah Magazine
Meagan Good
Meagan Good mostly played the love interest of a man in her movies which involved some love scenes. When she started dating her husband in 2011, the pair decided to abstain from sex till marriage.
Good’s husband, who is a preacher and film executive, co-authored a book, The Wait to elaborate their reason to wait which was borne out of their religious beliefs.
Franklin Devon wrote, “As a man, if you can be disciplined in your sexual life, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
Ciara and Russel Wilson, Photo: Hollywood Reporter
Ciara and Russell Wilson
Russel and Ciara vowed to be celibate till they got married just a few months into their relationship. True to their word, the NFL star Wilson and singer waited till they tied the knot on July 6, 2016.
They have granted several interviews on their decision. Russel once told The Rock Church that he was purposefully placed in Ciara’s life to “lead her on a path to purity,” which is from the biblical point of view.
Speaking to People Magazine, Ciara also said, “I really believe that when you focus on a friendship, you have the opportunity to build a strong foundation for a relationship—and once you know you’re really great friends and you’re what we call ‘equally yoked,’ where you share the same values or the same outlook on life, it kind of sets the tone.”
Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam, USA Today
Tamera Mowry-Housley
She decided to keep her virginity way before she met her husband Adam Housley. As human as she was, she broke it at the age of 29 but then decided to remain celibate till marriage because she felt guilty for not honoring her promise to God.
So, until 2011 when she got married, Tamera and Adam decided to honor her faith. She told Ebony, “We felt God wanted us to do it.” Knowing it’s not an easy journey, she added, “whenever you’re feeling discouraged just pray together.”
Photo: Hollywood Reporter
Yvonne Orji
Orji’s character Molly Carter in the hit series Insecure is nothing like her in real life. Her promiscuous character could take a cue from the actress who made a promise to God way before she got cast as Molly to remain celibate till marriage.
“Before any of [the fame] happened, I sat down with myself and with God and thought, when I make it, how do you want me to represent you while I’m here?” Orji said in an interview with People. “It was like, okay, I know why I’m here. It’s to make you proud.”
Sherri Shephrd, Photo: MeadameNoire
Sherri Shepherd
The View co-host opened up about her time of celibacy in her book, Permission Slips: Every Woman’s Guide to Giving Herself a Break.
She said “Being celibate is like being on a diet, and sex is like pizza. If you go without it for a few days, you realize you can go without it for a while…And it’s possible that someone will think you are special without trying to sleep with you.”
The wait is always a trying moment but it takes discipline to keep to one’s decision of celibacy. The actress spoke about an incident that occurred during a vacation with her now ex-husband when they were courting.
“I was horny as a loon and I’m chasing [my husband] around the hotel room saying, ‘We can make a mistake!’And he was like, ‘Jesus is in Grenada too!’ Many, many times I was like, ‘Why did I say this?’”
