{"id":312713,"date":"2026-06-23T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/?p=312713"},"modified":"2026-06-22T18:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T22:04:24","slug":"queerness-is-an-essential-part-of-haitis-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/queerness-is-an-essential-part-of-haitis-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Queerness Is an Essential Part of Haiti’s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In January, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near Port-Au-Prince, devastating the area and claiming over 100,000 lives. Amid the grief and chaos, conservative religious and political groups revived a dangerous narrative that many Haitians cling to: that this natural disaster was a punishment for the unnatural behavior of the people in Haiti who identify as queer or trans. The fight for the recognition and acceptance of queer and trans Haitian identities is not new. We have sought equal rights and consideration from the heights of the governing bodies of our homeland for as long as we have existed. The reality is that our heritage\u2014our ancestry\u2014stretches far beyond the rigid mindsets that cast us as demons, beyond the superstitions that blame our country\u2019s struggles on our existence rather than on the powers truly working to take advantage of our nation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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My novel, Devil of the Deep<\/a><\/em>, is set in a version of Haiti where queer identities are firmly integrated into society. The titular character, Nnenna Delahaye, is a pansexual pirate captain who forms romantic relationships with other characters regardless of their gender. Nnenna\u2019s adversary, Lu Ortega, is trans and, while his identity causes friction between himself and his father, he finds acceptance from his chosen family. Nnenna\u2019s sexuality and Lu\u2019s gender identity are presented as much as a matter of fact as their identity as Haitians. This representation is intentional for queer Haitians to see themselves normalized in stories of Haiti and to challenge those who refuse to accept our existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To know queer and trans Haitians is to understand that we are human. Because of the stigma that continues to plague us, most people will only have the opportunity to get to know us through words on the page. This list of Haitian characters who are undeniably queer, trans, or both, is a starting point for the intentional reader. The featured stories span a variety of genres in fiction, showcasing characters from all walks of Haitian life. To read our stories is to know us, and to know us is to love us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n