Black and homosexual masculinity represented in “Bom-crioulo”, from an intersectional view

Abstract

This essay analyzes the representation of Black homosexual masculinity in the novel Bom-Crioulo (1895) by Adolfo Caminha from an intersectional perspective. Considered the first work in Brazilian literature to explicitly address homosexuality, Bom-Crioulo portrays its protagonist through a narrative that reinforces racist and homophobic stereotypes, dehumanizing him through hypersexualization and violence. The analysis is based on the concept of hegemonic masculinity, developed by Raewyn Connell and James Messerschmidt (2013), which establishes a normative model of masculinity associated with compulsory heterosexuality, virility, and domination. In this context, masculinities that deviate from this standard, such as Black and homosexual masculinities, are relegated to subordinate positions. Frantz Fanon's (2008) perspective contributes to understanding how Black men have historically been socially constructed as objectified bodies deprived of subjectivity. Drawing on the concept of intersectionality proposed by Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989), this essay highlights how race and sexuality intersect in the protagonist’s marginalization. Beyond its literary and social implications, the analysis also underscores the impact of such representations on the mental health of Black homosexual men, who experience multiple forms of exclusion and discrimination. By problematizing these issues, this essay emphasizes the need for a critical reassessment of narratives like Bom-Crioulo, fostering new perspectives on dissident masculinities and their possibilities for resistance.