Glave Criticizes Jamaican Prime Minister at Calabash Festival

Thomas Glave was the first reader at Jamaica's Calabash literary festival last Friday. Before reading from his new book Our Caribbean: A Gathering of Lesbian and Gay Writing from the Antilles, Glave bravely spoke out about recent anti-gay remarks made by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding. To loud applause, Glave said, "Mr Golding, think about how much you are not helping Jamaica the next time you decide to stand up and say that only some Jamaicans – heterosexuals, in this case – have the right to live in their country as full citizens with full human rights, while others – homosexuals – do not. That is not democracy. That is not humane leadership. That is simply the stupidity and cruelty of bigotry.” His full remarks are available at the Long Bench blog.

Comments

[Jonathan David Jackson]

Thomas Glave is without a doubt one of contemporary literature's burgeoning treasures--a writer whose technical and formal brilliance in three genres (fiction, essays, and poems) is only matched by his international socio-political actions.

(Regarding his poems: If my old spirit's memory serves me, Glave's pearl-like sonnet sequence is included in Alden Reimonenq's 1995 anthology called MILKING BLACK BULL; if not then the sonnets are included in the late 80s anthology of poetry, TONGUES UNTIED--yes, the original edited book collection before Marlon Rigg's film.)

Glave's calling out of Prime Minister Golding is not just brave. Murder is, without exaggeration, far more of an instrument of homophobia in Jamaica than in the U.S. From what I hear, Glave's calling out is the oral illustration of OUR CARIBBEAN's work--righteousness in a single, dazzling speech act.

Thank you for highlighting Glave's achievements.