"They are pure men because at any moment, human folly can kill them, can subject them to violence all while sheltering behind one of the many perverted masks it dons to express itself: culture, religion, power, wealth, fame..."
Probably one of my favorite books of 2026, "Pure Men" is an analysis of the homophobia deeply engrained in the city of Dakar, Senegal. This fictional story follows Ndéné, a university literature professor who becomes entranced with a recent video of a violence towards the corpse of a góor-jigéen, otherwise known as a gay man.
The story deep dives into the dehumanizing treatment of gay men and its roots. It shows how homophobia plants itself in every part of society down to the individuals own personal decisions. It becomes internalized, to where a gay man might not even realize they are upholding the very values that kill those within his own community. This hatred is fostered towards men who are a natural part of humanity, men who want nothing more than to express themselves, men who are harming nobody else by doing so, men who are--by comparison to the societies they live in--pure.
Story aside, the novel is written with incredibly magnetic prose, easily shaping beautiful characters while giving us a vivid look of what is happening inside of both their heads and the protagonist's. The was the fastest book I've read all year, and I would read it again. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested diving into the discussion of homophobia. Just be mindful: this book can be triggering due to the violence and hatred displayed. Please let me know if you've read it because I'd love to discuss!
- Leo
No comments:
Post a Comment