Willie Jean is a character in the book Coffee Will Make You Black, by April Sinclair, she plays an important role in the book because she of growing up issues she faces. In chapters 8, 9, 10 of the books Willie Jean is described as tomboyish girl who is neglected by boys her age. Girls her age also notice that she is not like any other girls by the way she acts. Willie Jean is comfortable enough with the way she is, which is a lesbian. I admire the fact that she came out and said she like girls indirectly because in the times she was living in homosexuality was not accepted.
Willie Jean was faced with stigma, negative attitudes, from people she knew. For example her boy classmates talk behind her back saying that she is a “Tomboy form the ghetto”, said Yuseff. Stevie mentioned to Youseff that she liked playing basketball and right away Yuseff had a negative attitude because women are not supposed to act or try to be like boys. This is a stigma that Stevie has to see and doesn’t understand why Willie Jean has o be talked about in that way.
Willie Jean has to face issues of acceptance from girls, especially from Carla. Carla described Willie Jean as flat-chest, tomboyish girl. This stigma affects Stevie because she is not used to seeing homosexuality. There was a situation where Willie Jean had to explain that it was ok for a girl to dance with a girl. With Stevie’s innocence she saw that comment as a normal talk but Willie Jean was indirectly saying that she is a lesbian.
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