Queer Caribbean Culture // Resources & Discussion

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The Complexities of Queer, Caribbean Identities, and the Dangers of West-Centric LGBTQ+ Advocacy 

Jenia Browne, International Affairs 2024

"In reality, threats to non-Western LGBTQ+ individuals are far different than those faced by Western LGBTQ+ individuals. The purpose of distinguishing these differences is not to compare the severity of these threats, but to acknowledge the differences in how they need to be addressed..."

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Resilient and Proud: Accepting Queer Caribbean Identity: https://gomag.com/article/end-gay-just-kill-accepting-queer-caribbean-identity/






Young and Gay: Jamaica's Gully Queens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILXVpFQVEbw&t=70s 






"Queer and Trans African Mobilities: Migration, Asylum and Diaspora” by B Camminga and John Marnell


AUDRE LORDE | Caribbean-American writer, feminist, and civil rights activist:

“Your silence will not protect you.”
"There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives."


MARLON JAMES | Jamaican novelist and author of "A Brief History of Seven Killings":

“The most dangerous thing about Jamaica is that it’s the only country where I’m asked, ‘Are you a gay writer?’... But in America, in the UK, they’ll never ask a straight white writer, ‘Are you a straight white writer?’”


DANEZ SMITH | American poet of Caribbean descent:

“I am what this country fears most: A Black man with power, a mouth, a queer desire, a smile still living in his mother’s house.”


THOMAS GLAVE | Jamaican-American author and activist:

"In Jamaica, the church has been instrumental in promoting anti-gay laws and the anti-gay culture that has led to horrific violence against gay people. It’s the same church that promotes compassion."


SHANI MOOTOO | Trinidadian-Canadian writer and visual artist:

“If you look back at a lot of Caribbean literature, the dominant male character often had a colonial mentality. But now, we have stories coming out that show us other possibilities, including queer identities.”


MACKENZIE SWEETNAM | Caribbean LGBTQ+ advocate:

“Visibility matters. For LGBTQ+ people in the Caribbean, it’s about being seen, being heard, and knowing that we are not alone.”


STACEYANN CHIN | Jamaican writer and activist:

“All oppression is connected. But when you're gay in Jamaica, you're just told that you're not even allowed to exist.”
“I’m a daughter of Jamaica, and I’m a lesbian. I’m proud of both.”

JFLAG | Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals, and Gays:

“We continue to fight for a Caribbean where no one lives in fear because of who they love or how they identify.”


CHERIE Y. GAYLE | Caribbean writer and LGBTQ+ advocate:

“To be queer in the Caribbean is to navigate a complex landscape of love and rejection, tradition and change, silence and expression.”

NICOLE DENNIS-BENN | Jamaican author of "Here Comes the Sun":

“There’s a belief that we, as Jamaicans, must keep up appearances, that we must sweep issues like homosexuality under the rug, pretend it doesn’t exist.”

 





Music related articles and commentary...

Pamputtae brings dancehall to Toronto Pride — despite the anti-LGBTQ backlash: https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/pamputtae-pride-toronto-1.6886271

Queer Caribbeans Speak Out About One of Dancehall’s Most Homophobic Songs: https://www.them.us/story/queer-caribbeans-speak-out-about-buju-banton  

Jamaica's Anti-Gay 'Murder Music' Carries Violent Message: https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/jamaicas-anti-gay-murder-music-carries-violent-message 

Songs of Hate: https://www.eqfl.org/songs-hate-buju-banton-beenie-man-miamiheraldcom 

Reggae, rude boys and homophobia: https://theeyeopener.com/1998/04/reggae-rude-boys-and-homophobia/ 

BBC withdraws 'homophobic' reggae tracks: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/aug/30/broadcasting.bbc 

Dancehall Reggae Artist Under Fire for Anti-Gay Lyrics: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3837073 

Fans and sponsors abandon reggae festival over anti-gay song lyrics: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fans-and-sponsors-abandon-reggae-festival-over-anti-gay-song-lyrics-1.3144210 

Jamaica: Beenie Man Apologizes to the Gay Community: https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/jamaica-beenie-man-apologizes-gay-community 

Why Hate Reggae? When Reggae is Bigot Music: https://rootfire.net/when-reggae-is-bigot-music/ 

A Certain Kind of Slackness: https://www.afrosinthacity.com/home/2021/5/8/a-certain-kind-of-slackness 

No to hate: dancehall & gay-bashing lyrics: https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-82/no-hate-reggae-gay-bashing-lyrics#axzz81ARxwDRz 

Dancehall: What’s the deal with the sexist, and homophobic lyrics?: https://caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl/2018/08/08/dancehall-whats-the-deal-with-the-sexist-and-homophobic-lyrics/ 

A formerly anti-gay reggae star returns to Jamaica. This lesbian poet calls it ‘complicated.’: https://theworld.org/stories/2018-12-26/formerly-anti-gay-reggae-star-returns-jamaica-lesbian-poet-calls-it-complicated 

Lyrical Assault: Dancehall Versus the Cultural Imperialism of the North West: https://gould.usc.edu/why/students/orgs/ilj/assets/docs/17-2%20Nelson.pdf 

Murder Music in Sharpstown: https://www.houstonpress.com/music/murder-music-in-sharpstown-6553817 

Queen Ifrica, Stop hitting your black gay supporters below the waist: https://www.protemgl.com/articles/queen-ifrica-stop-hitting-your-black-gay-supporters-below-the-waist 

One Hate, One Fear: http://www.metroactive.com/bohemian/12.02.09/feature-0948.html 






“Caribbean queer people are resilient and courageous. We’re proud of who we are. We’re proud of ourselves for looking our parents in the face when we came out. We’re proud of our parents for at least trying to understand us. We’re proud of our culture despite its flaws. We’re proud of the activism we will continue to do in order to make sure our communities are safer for us all.” - Kori Williams

The Caribbean Equality Project: https://www.caribbeanequalityproject.org/

Pride Trinidad & Tobago: https://caribbeanprides.org/trinidad-tobago

J-FLAG / Equality Jamaica: https://www.equalityjamaica.org/

758Pride St. Lucia: https://twitter.com/758pride

SASOD Guyana: https://twitter.com/SASODGuyana

Pride Barbados: https://www.instagram.com/pridebarbados/?hl=en

Colors Caribbean: https://colourscaribbean.com/

Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity & Equality: https://ecequality.org/



We welcome any additions to this list of resources; please email info@kyapublishing.com with your recommendations.

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