Marlon James Returns to Kingston to Uncover a Hidden Queer History for His New Novel The Disappearers

Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James has released his most deeply personal work to date, a sweeping 640-page novel titled The Disappearers. To construct the intricate narrative—which follows a group of queer men rehearsing a play who fall victim to an anti-gay hate crime, tracing their survival through Jamaica in the 1980s and 1990s—James undertook extensive research journeys to his homeland of Kingston in 2023 and 2024. The resulting publication grapples directly with the historical and contemporary contours of homophobia, the enduring shadow of colonialism, the devastation of the global AIDS epidemic, and rigid societal frameworks demanding absolute submission or dominance.

The Creative Process and Archival Discovery

James grew up in Jamaica during the 1980s under deeply religious circumstances, actively repressing his own understanding of queer identity during his youth. Consequently, his recent investigative travels across the Caribbean nation served as both a literary expedition and a personal reckoning. Rather than relying solely on official documentation, James conducted dozens of interviews with local queer communities in Kingston, as well as with the Jamaican diaspora residing in New Orleans, Toronto, and Montreal.

Because the project is a work of fiction rather than a formal academic documentary, sources proved remarkably forthcoming. James’s investigations revealed a vibrant, largely forgotten urban landscape from decades past. Contrary to Jamaica’s contemporary reputation for severe homophobia, historical accounts uncovered by the author indicate that Kingston once sustained up to five distinct gay bars operating simultaneously during earlier decades.

Establishments such as Fanny Hill, Marshall’s, The Closet, and Andante formed the bedrock of a hidden nightlife scene. Notably, Andante functioned ostensibly as a jazz venue that transformed nightly into a drag performance space by 9:00 p.m., drawing local celebrities and members of the political elite. However, this burgeoning counterculture suffered a devastating contraction by the late 1980s and 1990s. The convergence of the AIDS crisis and conservative religious rhetoric—which framed the epidemic as divine retribution—drove queer nightlife underground and decimated the institutional longevity of these social spaces.

Chronology of Queer Visibility and Suppression in Jamaica

To contextualize the evolution of LGBTQ+ life in Jamaica, historians and researchers point to several distinct eras of social acceptance, legislative pressure, and underground resilience:

• 1940s to 1970s: A period marked by quieter yet functional social spaces, clandestine gatherings, and periods of relative urban tolerance, featuring iconic venues like Andante and Marshall’s.
• The 1980s: The emergence of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, which catalyzed a sharp rise in religious conservatism and state-adjacent stigma, systematically dismantling formal queer establishments.
• The 1990s to 2000s: An era defined by intense public hostility, widespread violence, and the institutionalization of anti-sodomy legislation rooted in colonial-era laws, forcing many queer and transgender Jamaicans into exile to ensure personal survival.
• The 2010s to Present: A gradual shift characterized by modern advocacy groups, such as the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (now operating as Equality for All), alongside a growing generational divide where younger queer university students display markedly higher levels of social ease and defiance.

Generational Shifts and Contemporary Realities

During his fieldwork, James observed a striking contrast between older generations of queer Jamaicans—who lived through the peak of state and societal persecution—and contemporary youth. Visiting his alma mater, the University of the West Indies, James engaged with the institution’s student-led queer association. Anticipating the need to offer cautionary tales of endurance, he was met instead with modern collegiate nonchalance regarding global pop culture figures like Beyoncé and Rihanna, prioritizing normal adolescent anxieties over immediate physical survival.

Nevertheless, experts and human rights organizations caution against viewing this generational shift as a total eradication of systemic danger. Local advocacy networks emphasize that systemic threats, frequent harassment, and targeted violence—particularly against lesbians and gender-nonconforming individuals—remain persistent daily challenges. Organizations like Equality for All continue to fight an uphill legislative and cultural battle to repeal colonial-era penal codes that criminalize intimate same-sex relationships.

Broader Impact, Implications, and the Function of Historical Fiction

The release of The Disappearers arrives at a critical juncture in Caribbean literature, offering a vital counter-narrative to traditional historical documentation. Mainstream historical records frequently prioritize political figures, economic data, and elite narratives, often omitting the lived realities of marginalized populations. By utilizing composite characters drawn from oral histories, personal interviews, and imaginative synthesis, James has engineered a permanent cultural record.

Furthermore, the physical geography of Jamaica continues to house living repositories of this erased past. Landmarks such as Mountambrin, an artists’ retreat located approximately an hour from Montego Bay and founded by one of the country’s oldest openly queer residents, stand as physical testaments to resilience. These spaces, alongside the growing visibility of younger queer demographics, indicate a fragile yet persistent trajectory toward reclaiming public presence.

Ultimately, James’s methodological approach—which involves entirely unpacking his luggage upon arrival in every destination to immerse himself fully in local realities—reflects the dedication required to unearth suppressed narratives. Through The Disappearers, the author bridges the gap between historical erasure and literary preservation, ensuring that the complex, multifaceted history of queer survival in Jamaica is neither forgotten nor silenced.