Welcome back to #Y4SJBookClub Today we are going through C…

Global media often portrays the Caribbean as exotic and "backward"

A sex crazed and not advanced society.

This book aims at undoing this Colonial view of the Caribbean.

(some Caribbean people share that colonial view 😒)

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As Frantz Fanon (we should be reading his work soon as well) said:

"Colonial Discourses are deeply embedded in the psyche and behaviour of the colonised"

(we see this frequently in how we police women like its the early 20th century still)

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Caribbean sexuality is of significance to understanding the past, present and future of the Caribbean

(one YSJ member highlighted how 🇹🇹 has not done a proper post colonial introspection. Hopefully works like this help)

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The book uses the broadest definition of the Caribbean as possible, but indicates that some sections would only apply to sub definitions of the Caribbean.

For this book
Caribbean = all the islands plus Belize, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana

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There are two core concepts which are core to discussing Caribbean sexuality

- Hypersexuality

-Hetero-patriarchy

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Hypersexuality refers to the idea that Caribbean people possess hyperactive libidos and overly rely on sexuality as part of their identity

(not an endorsement of this idea but an indication that it is a core aspect when discussing sex in the Caribbean)

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Hetero-patriarchy refers to the privileging of HETEROSEXUAL, PROMISCOUS, MASCULINITY
and
Subordinating FEMININE sexuality

(lock and key bullshit which conservative Caribbean people like to propagate)

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In turn, this ends up normalising a power dynamic which is intolerant and oppressive of any practice outside of the traditional sexuality/gender regime

(you know... Our horrid treatment of lgbt people. Especially trans and gender non conforming people)

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(There is no post colonial solution which does not have women {including trans women} and other gender minorities. There is no post colonial solution which does not have lgb and other sexual minorites)

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Because of the Hetero-patriarchy structure within the Caribbean, lgbt folk and sex workers are often cast as outlaws within their own homes.

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(no book is without biases, and here are the authors. Which have a lot of overlap with our influences)

Influences include:
Walter Rodney
CLR James
Frantz Fanon

(shout out the first round of #Y4SJBookClub)

Also, scholars in "third world" feminism such as

Chandra Talpade Mohanty
Himani Bannerji

Were influential to the author.

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This book was not a solo endeavour and the author gives credit to all who were involved which includes 🇹🇹's own Prof Rhoda Reddock

(if you are trying to lead a movement without being aware of Prof Reddock's research you are not doing the due diligence)

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The aim of this book is to produce knowledge about post colonial Caribbean lives.

Thinking further about Caribbean sexualised struggles, identity and potentialities in the 21st century

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(that brings us to a close to the 1st chapter of Sexing the Caribbean. A nice introduction as to what to expect in the book as we move on.

It is crucial to read and understand what exists in order to overcome it.

See you next Thursday for #Y4SJBookClub)

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