A Critical Analysis of Heteronormative Discourses on Gender and Sexuality in the Jamaican Rock Music Scene

Abstract

Historically, Jamaican culture has been positioned at odds with the development of LGBTQ rights. Though the locale has been making steps towards accepting different groups, its stalwart history of heterotypical male and female roles is still ingrained in the AfroCaribbean psyche. This paper provides a critical analysis of the construction of the homophobic and misogynistic discourses within the Jamaican rock music scene. Despite attempts to embrace cultural differences, members consistently adopted heterophobias towards gay men and women. Within the scene’s everyday discourse, women’s bodies were constantly objectified. Additionally, gay men remained simultaneously invisible and subjugated by hypermasculine anxieties. The collective philosophy of the scene suggested that the community was a safe haven from mainstream prejudices. However, this philosophy was an act of dark play which hid the group’s biases.