Buller Men and Batty Bwoys : Hidden Men in Toronto and Halifax Black Communities

In "Buller Men and Batty Bwoys," Wesley Crichlow focuses primarily on the lives of nineteen Black gay and bisexual men in Toronto and Halifax, seeks to give voice to those who have been displaced, and explores the process of self-definition in the context of racial, ethnic, and sexual conformity. Crichlow's perceptive study brings to the foreground several concepts, including the role of homophobia in Black identity, and the problematics of Black 'heteronormativity, ' in relation to Black men who engage in same-sex practices. In his sociological analysis, Crichlow introduces to the discipline Audre Lorde's unique literary genre, "biomythography," which emphasizes the connections between the creation of culture and community (through mythology and story-telling) and the creation of personal identity (through names, labels, and group membership). At the same time, he problematizes and celebrates the multiple differences among the men he interviewed as he aims to broaden the study of Black history, Queer Studies, and culture in a Canadian context by bringing sexuality into the various theories that attempt to generalize experience. "Buller Men and Batty Bwoys" offers the reader critical insight into the complex lives of Black gay and bisexual men in Canada. Equally important, Crichlow's research makes a substantial and original contribution to the limited body of academic work in this area.

In Buller Men and Batty Bwoys, Wesley Crichlow focuses primarily on the lives of nineteen Black gay and bisexual men in Toronto and Halifax, seeks to give voice to those who have been displaced, and explores the process of self-definition in the context of racial, ethnic, and sexual conformity. Crichlow's perceptive study brings to the foreground several concepts, including the role of homophobia in Black identity, and the problematics of Black 'heteronormativity,' in relation to Black men who engage in same-sex practices.

In his sociological analysis, Crichlow introduces to the discipline Audre Lorde's unique literary genre, "biomythography," which emphasizes the connections between the creation of culture and community (through mythology and story-telling) and the creation of personal identity (through names, labels, and group membership). At the same time, he problematizes and celebrates the multiple differences among the men he interviewed as he aims to broaden the study of Black history, Queer Studies, and culture in a Canadian context by bringing sexuality into the various theories that attempt to generalize experience.

Buller Men and Batty Bwoys offers the reader critical insight into the complex lives of Black gay and bisexual men in Canada. Equally important, Crichlow's research makes a substantial and original contribution to the limited body of academic work in this area.

Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 Introduction: Entering and Opening the Black Closet 9 Part One: Oh My God! Look Who's in the Closet! Hidden Black Men Having Sex with Other Men 33 Chapter One. Hidden Men 33 Chapter Two. Collaborative Connections: My Biomythography 49 Part Two: Negotiating Everyday Life 87 Chapter Three. Family 87 Chapter Four. Community 114 Chapter Five. Violence, Fear, and Hypermasculinity 136 Chapter Six. Pleasure, Love, Identity 158 Conclusion: Seeking Inclusion 180 Appendix A. Participants 197 Appendix B. Partial List of Interview Questions 199 Appendix C. Chronology of Duller and Zami Activities in Toronto 201 Notes 205 Bibliography 221 Index 235 Introduction : Entering And Opening The Black Closet -- Pt. 1. Oh My God! : Look Who's In The Closet! : Hidden Black Men Having Sex With Other Men -- 1. Hidden Men -- 2. Collaborative Connections : My Biomythography -- Pt. 2. Negotiating Everyday Life -- 3. Family -- 4. Community -- 5. Violence, Fear, And Hypermasculinity -- 6. Pleasure, Love, Identity -- Conclusion : Seeking Inclusion -- App. Chronology Of Buller And Zami Activities In Toronto. Wesley Crichlow. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [213]-225).