Roots Theatre

As a part of a broader discussion on gender and sexuality in the Caribbean, this chapter examines the impact of popular culture in shaping normative conceptions of gender and sexuality.  As such, it outlines the traditional, normative standards of gender and sexuality that have historically provided the foundation for popular cultural themes, and then move into a more contemporary discussion on the current trends. 
The work uses examples from popular cultural forms, including music, roots theatre and slang, the paper will then attempt to map a thematic structure of popular cultural output, and its construction and dissemination of normalizing cues that impact on the conceptions of gender and sexuality.  The impact of these popular cultural constructions on the perception and treatment of normative and, moreso, non-normative gender performances are also explored. 
The chapter will points to a perceptible shift in the construction and performance of old versus new stereotypes and thus question the range of sexualities that are now given space within these popular cultural arenas.