“Unfiltered and Unapologetic: Discover the Provocative Journey of a Queer Black Voice in Brathwaite’s ‘Rage’!”
In a world where labels often oversimplify the rich tapestry of our identities, how do we truly celebrate the vibrant intersections that make us whole? Lester Fabian Brathwaite grapples with this very concept in his compelling memoir, Rage: On Being Queer, Black, Brilliant… and Completely Over It. Through a series of essays that dance between humor and honest reflection, Brathwaite invites us to witness his journey—one that navigates the often turbulent waters of race, sexuality, and the numerous societal expectations tethered to both. The author’s raw yet witty prose serves not just as a mirror reflecting his own struggles, but as a profound commentary on the broader narratives of marginalized communities. Whether he’s dissecting the complexities of body image within gay culture or wrestling with the silence surrounding familial connections, Brathwaite’s words resonate with an authenticity that leaves readers yearning for more. To dive deeper into this exploration and discover how laughter and sorrow intertwine on Brathwaite’s pages, LEARN MORE.
Reviewed by Brian Watson
Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined intersectionality in 1989 to describe the compounding biases experienced by people with multiple marginalized identities. Women, for example, must contend with systemic misogyny in North American societies, immigrants encounter xenophobia, queer people face homophobia and transphobia (and misogyny), Black people (and other people of color) swim in an ocean of systemic racism, and disabled persons are forced to interact with ableism. Intersectionality occurs, therefore, when you are both a woman and Black, a woman and queer, a queer disabled person, a disabled immigrant, etc.
