Shani Mootoo’s “Out on Main Street” was an interesting read, being a quarter Trinidadian her trini accent that appeared through out the text immediately caught my attention. Her unique writing style is captivating, and while reading her stories I felt as If she were some one I knew well.

The  narrator describes herself as a “masculine lesbian wearing jackboots and a crew-cut”. (48)  Not only does the protagonist stray from gender norms but she refers to her self as “a watered down indian”.  Through out the narrative she is ridiculed and shamed for not conforming to conventional indian racial and cultural standards.

While Canada takes pride in and highly publicizes its “Multiculturalism” policy, which was put in place in 1971 to “[afirm] the value and dignity of all Canadian citizens regardless of their racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliatio” (Canadian Government)  the narrator illustrate the many occasions that this policy is not followed, not only by its citizens but also by the Canadian government.

Mootoo’s book addressed the shortcoming of Canada’s “Multiculturalism” policy and effectively demonstrated the challenges that come with deviating from gender, cultural and racial norms in Canada.