Man to man, gal to gal…dat wrong: an analysis of how sexual prejudice is reflected in Jamaican popular music

This research analyses sexual prejudice in sixteen dancehall and reggae songs—two musical genres indigenous to Jamaica. The analysis provides us with insights on the lenses through which some Jamaicans view same-sex relationships and how sexual prejudice is normalised and justified. In this sample o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jackman, Mahalia (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2022
In: Human rights review
Year: 2022, Volume: 23, Issue: 2, Pages: 221-239
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Reggae
Dancehall
LGBTQ
Homosexuality
Attitudes
Sexual prejudice
Jamaica
Description
Summary:This research analyses sexual prejudice in sixteen dancehall and reggae songs—two musical genres indigenous to Jamaica. The analysis provides us with insights on the lenses through which some Jamaicans view same-sex relationships and how sexual prejudice is normalised and justified. In this sample of songs, homosexuality is presented as (1) a violation of gendered norms, (2) sinful, (3) unnatural, (4) a threat to society and (5) a foreign lifestyle. The presentation of homosexuality as a foreign lifestyle suggests that antigay prejudice could be related to fears of neo-imperialism and could be a means of rejecting ideological intrusions from the West.
ISSN:1874-6306
DOI:10.1007/s12142-021-00643-z