The politics of passion
Gloria Wekker analyzes the phenomenon of mati work, an old practice among Afro-Surinamese working-class women in which marriage is rejected in favor of male and female sexual partners. Wekker vividly describes the lives of these women, who prefer to create alternative families of kin, lovers, and children, and gives a fascinating account of women's sexuality that is not limited to either heterosexuality or same-sex sexuality. She offers new perspectives on the lives of Caribbean women, transnational gay and lesbian movements, and an Afro-Surinamese tradition that challenges conventional Western notions of marriage, gender, identity, and desire. Bringing these women's voices to the forefront, she offers an extensive and groundbreaking analysis of the unique historical, religious, psychological, economic, linguistic, cultural, and political forces that have shaped their lives.
This book is a significant work in the fields of Black feminist theory, queer studies, and postcolonial studies, offering an ethnographic perspective on sexuality and gender in the Caribbean context.
The book is the result of extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted by Gloria Wekker in Suriname, focusing on the lived experiences and practices of Afro-Surinamese women.