Batty boy

In Jamaican Patois, batty boy (also batty bwoy, batty man, and chi chi bwoy/man) is a pejorative term often used to refer to a gay or effeminate man; however, it may more accurately be defined culturally as a man who has by some action or belief rejected societal norms of machismo and how the sexes (gender) interrelate. The term batiman (or battyman) is also used in Belize, due to the popularity of Jamaican music.[1][2] The term derives from the Jamaican slang word batty, which refers to buttocks or anus.[3]

Certain forms of Jamaican music feature hostility toward homosexuals using terms such as batty boy to disparage gay men. One example of this is in the T.O.K. song "Chi Chi Man", which contains violent lyrics against gay men and claims that "they have to die".[4] Another song, "Boom Bye Bye" written by dancehall musician Buju Banton, advocates violence against batty boys, including shooting them in the head and setting them on fire.

Post-World War II Jamaican immigrants brought the term 'batty boy' to the United Kingdom. Contemporary usage has been boosted partly by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen through his portrayal of the character Ali G.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Scott, Julia (May 22, 2015). "The Lonely Fight Against Belize's Antigay Laws". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  2. ↑ Cayetano, Isani (April 9, 2014). "Transgender woman is stoned and beaten by an angry mob". News 5. Belize. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ Frederic Gomes Cassidy, Robert Brock Le Page (2002). Dictionary of Jamaican English. p. 32.
  4. ↑ "Jamaica's Anti-Gay 'Murder Music' Carries Violent Message". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
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