Virginia

The novel is set in Virginia in a country that is unfriendly towards the queer and Black communities. Through the novel, Ike notices the different manners with which people treat him compared to Buddy Lee, although he seems passively resigned to accept this. He tells Buddy Lee, “I’ve learned to always be ready to be disappointed by white people,” which reflects the effect the setting has had on Ike (196). The people also range from hostile to passively dismissive of the queer community. As the chapter in the barbershop and the lack of family presence at the funeral demonstrate, the majority’s attitude toward queer sexuality is not accepting. In fact, the only places where the queer community seem safe are in queer-oriented settings (e.g., the Rainbow Review, Garland’s). This demonstrates how the setting of Virginia is not accepting of the queer community in the novel...