Jamaican Challenges Notions of Race and Sexuality

Source: GBM Magazines

In record time, Dr. Glave has become known for his erudite expressions concerning the intersection of race and sexuality. In one word, Glave is – brilliant.

While born in the United States in the Bronx, Glave comes from Jamaican parents and spent a considerable amount of his formative years on the tiny island. From his Rasta-like appearance to his sing-song patterns of speech, it is clear that Jamaica – its history and its people – remain imbedded in his spirit.

But being a same gender loving man who loves the home of his ancestors has not been easy, given the negative attitudes and sometimes deadly and aggressive actions aimed at homosexuals.

Not to be deterred, Glave helped found the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-Flag) while in Jamaica to pursue post graduate education opportunities and continues to speak justice to a situation of injustice.

His skill for writing has been acknowledged with numerous awards, including the Lambda Literary Award for Nonfiction (2005) for his collection of essays, Words to Our Now: Imagination and Descent for which he also garnered the O. Henry Prize, becoming only the second gay African-American writer, after James Baldwin, to win the award.

We caught up with our friend and colleague recently in Atlanta where he was on a national book tour promoting his latest project, a collection of challenging and insightful short stories entitled, The Torturer’s Wife (City Lights Publishing, 2008).

“Each of the stories is stylistically distinct but each has its own particular issues and questions that I want to focus on and present to the reader,” Glave said. “In the first story in the book, “Between,” I wanted to explore what it would be like for two men from different races to experience a sexual relationship.

Complete article at GBM Magazines