exploratory study of how lesbian women and gay men are portrayed in Jamaica's primary newspaper - The Gleaner, dancehall music, and the works of authors Kwame Dawes, Kei Miller, and Staceyann Chin

This thesis examines the treatment of gay men and lesbian women through the multilayered lenses of the local Jamaican newspaper - The Gleaner, Dancehall music, and select works of Kei Miller, Kwame Dawes, and Staceyann Chin. The study is an exploratory one and as such its methodology is not confined to a prescribed model, but instead draws on a diverse range of theorists, some from postcolonialism, feminism, cultural studies, philosophy, Caribbean studies and more. This project's intent is to add to the newly emerging canon on queer Caribbean identities by further exploring societal representations of gay sexuality. The first chapter looks at the portrayal of Jamaican gay men and lesbian women through the public discourse of the Jamaica Gleaner. The second discusses the treatment of male and female homosexuality in the popular discourse of Dancehall music. The third chapter analyses the depiction of Caribbean gay and lesbian sexuality through the recent works of authors Kei Miller, Kwame Dawes and Staceyann Chin.