Queer Sexualities and Gender Performance in Malawian and Ugandan Short Stories

Abstract

This article explores how characterization and symbolism in four short stories – Stanley Kenani’s “Love on Trial” and “In the Best Interests of the Child”, Monica Arac de Nyeko’s “Jambula Tree”, and Beatrice Lamwaka’s “Chief of the Home” – serve as narrative strategies that confront anti-LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex) sentiments in Malawi and Uganda. The central argument posits that the gender representations in these stories resist traditional social binaries, which dominate the cultural landscapes of these nations. Through the lens of Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the article analyzes how these texts portray gender as fluid and dynamic, rather than fixed. These narrative strategies challenge societal norms, laws, and religious frameworks that often perpetuate homophobic attitudes towards LGBTI individuals, particularly in relation to homosexuality and lesbianism. By reading the selected short stories through a queer theoretical perspective, this article highlights the role of fiction in questioning deeply ingrained prejudices against non-normative sexualities and advocating for a more inclusive understanding of gender and sexuality.