Queering Chinese Crossings in Late Twentieth Century Jamaica: Larry Chang and the Gay Freedom Movement

Abstract

This essay examines the relationship between Chinese racialization and queer formation in post-independence Jamaica. Alongside its international reputation for black empowerment and homophobic exceptionalism in the late twentieth century, Jamaica also becomes home to the anglophone Caribbean’s first gay activist organization, the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM), led by Chinese-Jamaican General Secretary Larry Chang. Focusing on Chang’s life and work, this essay analyzes the relationship between Chinese-ness and local and international iterations of Jamaican gay activism. Drawing on archival research and oral history interviews, I argue that Chinese-ness was key to Chang’s politics of crossing in which he wrote as different characters in GFM’s newsletter to represent and recruit across the lines of race, class, gender, and nation in support of a broad-based gay social movement. This strategic mobilization of Chinese-ness in the service of erotic autonomy queers the racial logic that positions Chinese diasporans as “middleman minorities” in their multiracial host societies.

Keywords:

• Caribbean
• gay activism
• history
• politics of crossing
• race
• sexuality

Acknowledgments

I would like to convey my enormous gratitude to Larry Chang for his generosity of spirit in sharing his experiences of the Gay Freedom Movement over multiple conversations and for trusting me with access to his personal archive. Thank you also to those who so kindly shared their thoughts and reflections on their lives with me. Finally, thank you to the two reviewers whose feedback helped to greatly refine and strengthen this essay.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Jamaica Gaily News Collection. The ArQuives, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For more on GFM and the transnational nature of its work see Chin (2019a, 2019b).

2 “SHRG & GFM to Twin?” JGN 71 (1980): 1. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

3 I use the term “gay” and later “homosexual/homosexuality” to index the language used to describe same-gender desire in Jamaica during the period of study.

4 I use the term “queer” to describe a relation that carries the potential to disrupt normative operations of power (Lauretis 1991).

5 Author interview with Chang, June 12, 2017.

6 See also Rachel Mordecai’s (2014) analysis of the relationship between raced and gendered representations of Michael Manley and configurations of Jamaican citizenship.

7 Larry Chang, “Gays in Jamaica,” 1981. GFM Archive. Digital Library of the Caribbean. https://www.ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00001485/00001.

8 Laurence Chang, Letter to the Editor, Daily Gleaner, 28 January 1978, p. 6. Gleaner Collection. Jamaica National Library (JNL), Kingston, Jamaica.

9 Chang also penned several newsletter entries under the character Elsie (a play on his initials LC). However, Elsie was a minor and irregular contributor to JGN and Chang noted that he never fully fleshed out this character.

10 Mampala Morgan, “Suss-Uration,” JGN 75 (1981): 5. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

11 Author interview with Chang, June 26, 2017.

12 Mampala Morgan, “Suss-Uration,” JGN 76 (1982): 8. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

13 Chang’s characterization of Morgan precedes the work of his contemporary, Easton Lee, who shared gossip through his patois poetry (Prater 2014).

14 St. Clare, “Letter to the Editor,” JGN 6 (1977): 12. Chang personal archive.

15 Author interview with Chang, June 26, 2017.

16 Tony Long, “Ignorance or Apathy?” JGN 27 (1978): 6. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

17 Letter from “An Admirer” received 17 April, 1980. Jamaica Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 5. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York.

18 Letter from Larry Chang to “An Admirer” 12 June 1980. Jamaica GFM Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 5. Schomburg Center.

19 “Letter to the Editor” JGN 6 (1977): 9. Chang personal archives.

20 “Gaetan Goes,” JGN 42 (1979): 2. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

21 Letter from C.W. to Larry Chang, 29 April 1980. Jamaica Gay Freedom Movement Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 5. Schomburg Center.

22 “Letter to the Gay Queens,” JGN 24 (1978): 7. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

23 Author interview with Chang, March 4, 2019.

24 Letter from Ms. P.B received 28 March 1980. Jamaica GFM Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 5. Schomburg Center.

25 Letter from Larry Chang to Ms. P.B., 2 April 1980. Jamaica GFM Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 5. Schomburg Center.

26 See “Ursola Attacked,” JGN 56 (1980): 7; “Gays Attacked,” JGN 67 (1980): 1; “Homophobic Attack,” JGN 36 (1979): 1. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

27 Author interview with L.H. on July 31, 2017.

28 “Art & Poetry Mark Gay Pride Week,” JGN 65 (1980): 1. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

29 “Report on the 3rd Annual IGA Conference,” JGN 73 (1981): 2. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

30 “Fumes Hit Maddams,” JGN 51 (1979): 1. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

31 E. Dantes, “Gaypercussions,” JGN 69 (1980): 3. JGN Collection. The ArQuives

32 “Blackmail Attempt,” JGN 45 (1979): 1. JGN Collection. The ArQuives

33 “Bits and Pieces,” JGN 66 (1980): 5; “Jobs,” JGN 53 (1979): 7; “Dance Tutor,” JGN 52 (1979): 11; “A Series on Sexuality,” JGN 41 (1979): 6; Mampala Morgan, “Suss-Uration,” JGN 79 (1984): 5. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

34 Form Letter 3. Jamaica Gay Freedom Movement Records. Sc MG 902. Box 1, Folder 2. Schomburg Center.

35 Ginger, “First Time around Jericho,” JGN 8 (1977): 8. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

36 M’Lady, “Girl Talk,” JGN 79 (1984): 3. JGN Collection. The ArQuives.

37 “KSAC Committee Resolution Says – Stamp out Homosexual Activities in the Society,” Star, January 28, 1982, p. 6. Star Collection. NLJ.