2 research outputs found
Gengetone Music: Sexuality, Misogyny and Gender Representation in Popular Media
No full textThis study examines the influence of gengetone music in mainstream Kenyan media, particularly its effect on social perceptions of gender, sexuality, and cultural identity. It investigates the genre\u27s endorsement of sexualisation, misogyny, and skewed gender representation, by employing feminist and cultural analysis frameworks to investigate how gengetone both mirrors and perpetuates gender stereotypes, frequently representing women as objects for male pleasure while depicting themes of nightlife, casual sex, and substance consumption. It focuses on understanding how gengetone sustains these stereotypes and the implications for female agency and gender dynamics in Kenya\u27s music industry. It posits that gengetone\u27s material, although aligned with urban youth culture, may unintentionally perpetuate detrimental gender biases. The study thus establishes its topical significance, as the swift rise of gengetone\u27s popularity among Kenyan youth renders the analysis of its cultural meanings essential for comprehending its broader social implications. It evaluates the genre\u27s capacity to influence the identities and viewpoints of young listeners on gender roles, investigating how exposure to these representations may affect self-esteem, body image, and societal norms. The scope encompasses an emphasis on Kenyan gengetone, particularly analysing lyrics and video content as the principal data sources. This research enhances discourse on gender representation in popular music, calling for a balanced and socially aware portrayal of women that honours diversity and empowers audiences. The research therefore deepens comprehension of gender dynamics in Kenyan popular culture, emphasizing the media\u27s capacity to uphold or contest existing gender norms
Contesting Homosexuality: Unreliable Narration in Tendai Huchu’s "The Hairdresser of Harare"
No full textTendai Huchu’s The Hairdresser of Harare is arguably a queer text. It presents the homosexual orientation of one of its male characters, Dumisani. By positioning this character in-between, the normal and abnormal spaces, this essay attends to the politics that coalesce around homosexuality and demonstrates how Huchu’s novel gestures towards queerness, but narrative techniques undermine these overtures. Adopting deconstruction as a theoretical framework, the essay gets down to the nitty-gritty of what constitutes queer sexuality and measures this with the liminal presentation of Dumi as a queer character to show how he falls short of the queerness that he is deemed to harbour. The paper challenges prevailing interpretations of queerness in the novel by examining the politics of representation through the lens of unreliability and logo-centrism. By interrogating the reliability of the narrator and the centrality of language in shaping perceptions, the essay reveals the complexities of interpreting identity and sexuality in literature
