Homophobic Killings or what?

It seems every time we walk away for a little peace and seemingly a lull comes over the community in as afar as incidents are concerned there comes something and very gruesome at that. RIP my brothers/sisters as the case maybe.
Late on the weekend of October 18, 2011 reports were published on various media regarding three incidents in a short space of time and of course whenever one hears of these incidents the natural inclination is to get angry and cry homophobia but as it turns out new information that has been corroborated has come forth. First let us look at the outlets and what was said.


CVM TV October 18 news item (srcoll to 10:00 or so to see the Oshane story)

New bloggers at the Pink Report reported that:

Home Eviction Turns Deadly! Gay Man Kills attacker forces another to Flee!

Montego Bay, St. James - Reports reaching the Pink Report are that a community member is nursing severe chop wounds at a St. James Hospital after successfully fending off two attackers who had visited his rented premises to enforce an illegal eviction order. The attackers were lead by the female landlord who wanted the man off the premises because of his alleged homosexuality. Up to the time of publication there is no indication that any monies are outstanding in respect of rent, maintenance or public utilities.
The report notes that on the afternoon of Wednesday the 19th October, 2 men lead by a female landlord attempted to evict the man who was living at a premises in the parish of St. James with another man. A struggle ensued in which knives/machetes were brought into play. The man being attacked was, however, successfully able to defend himself killing one attacker in the process and forcing the other to flee.


The St. James Police are currently investigating the circumstances but have preliminarily ruled it a case of self-defense.

ENDS

The Ricardo Morgan murder story 

Then gay lawyer and AIDSFREEWORLD Consultant Maurice Tomlinson wrote a letter to the Gleaner regarding a news item carried on CVM TV on October 21, 2011 about the murder of a 16 year old youth in Western Jamaica. It read:


Are Jamaican Gays Dispensable?

THE EDITOR, Sir:
 During its evening newscast on Tuesday, October 18, CVM TV reported on the gruesome early-morning home invasion and murder of 16-year-old Oshane Gordon in the district of New England in Lilliput, St Elizabeth. According to the news report, the youngster, who had previously been threatened, was killed because of 'questionable relations with another man'.


As he tried to escape through a window, Oshane was first chopped on his foot to prevent him from going far. When Oshane's attackers caught up with their prey, they finished him off with several more chops.
His mother, who was at home with him, also received several chops and is now nursing serious injuries.
This is the second homophobic murder that CVM has reported in three months. The other occurred in Torrington Park, Kingston, on August 2.
Despite these vicious attacks and many more like them, there are still those who argue that Jamaica's deadly homophobia is a figment of the global North's gay hysteria and an agenda to smear our country's good name.


Thanks, CVM, for daring to report the truth. In the face of this carnage, the silence of our politicians on the need for tolerance towards homosexuals is both cowardly and deadly. Where is the leadership?
Or are gay Jamaicans simply dispensable? 
MAURICE TOMLINSON
 maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com

ENDS

Sad that this is what befell both gentlemen and it is interesting how politically correct CVM TV was in saying young Oshane Gordon was in an inappropriate relationship. I am really sorry for this loss for his mother and especially his father who expressed grief at the scene on camera given the suspicious circumstances. The Torrington Park matter is puzzling to me as you may have noticed I held my comments from August on this matter as it puzzles me that even though the deceased Ricardo Morgan resided in an inner city community he survived for so long with little interference if the truth be told, the community knew that he was a hair stylist, a profession not practiced openly by many males from the lower socio economic quarters, also what was more puzzling was why didn't the traditional "born and grow" culture or protection chips in and protected him, this however is a fragile shield and can shatter if any proof presents itself as confirmation for them to act on the accused with sometimes harsher violence, MSMs and WSWs have been shielded in a sense by this community phenomenon where if one was born in a depressed area, or has family residing there for extended periods or generations then even if one was suspected or being gay or lesbian that knowledge of your roots would act as a reason not to attack and in some areas outsiders cannot enter communities and point out suspected individuals. Clearly even with his sister supposedly in the altercation as an intermediary it didn't stopped his attackers from killing him. New information which has been corroborated suggests the killing was made to look homophobic because of a fear by a particular gangster in the area who Mr. Morgan had a secret relationship with had gone sour and he reacted publicly to the presence of a "new babymother" whom the man moved into his house.

Ricardo in happier times


The man learned of the upset or Mr. Morgan and warned him to keep it quiet however like in most small communities the news travelled and in a bid to protect his identity and secret the thug arranged the attack so as to avoid any future issues and finger pointing. The community to this day is still tense according to my source and his sister who spoke on camera is said to know more than she revealed on camera. What is also curious is that she resides in the community with no threat to her person. This matter or downlow relations in inner city communities going haywire is not new, we lost several other persons in years gone by due to this phenomenon. Kitty in early 2000 from Fletcher's Land, Kelly formerly of Rollington Town is another who was shot in broad daylight in downtown Kingston as he prepared his vendor's stall to do business. Another gruesome killing was a popular figure named "Carry on" or Opal who hailed from Tivoli Gardens and who was the worse case as his body was stabbed all over, multiple gunshot wounds and was dumped on the infamous Matches Lane wrapped in barbed wire, then there was the killing of a young man in upper St. Andrew under the guise that he made the moves on one of his attackers. Gay Panic Defense? When these types of killings are done the ones who often commit them or accused of such are empowered in the community and praised as well so they have nothing to loose in killing a suspected person when things go wrong. Many deceased may have felt aggrieved due to possible competition as in this case a woman who is the main partner while they have to settle for second fiddle. So Mr. Morgan's murder cannot be deemed homophobic if we are to go by the new information that has come to light, this downlow issue has to be properly ventilated and brought to public as previous experience has brought to bear. The public's cynicism has always been there and the proverbial crime of passion description, here is an old star news piece from 2006 that spoke to the predictability of cases where a male is found naked with multiple stab wounds: 'Brotherhood of Knives'


Let us also not forget the supposed area leader who was to take Dudus' place in Tivoli Gardens despite his womanizing public persona rumours festered of his alleged hebephelic nature with male teens. Read More here: 


WANNABE TIVOLI DON KILLED - Was warned to reconsider his desires


Sad that in history this time of years seems to be a most violent one for LGBT people especially MSMs it was in November 30, 2005 that we lost Steve Harvey to a brutal murder after a home invasion. 
RIP my brothers/sisters as the case maybe


Peace and tolerance


H


additional thoughts from teens on gays in Jamaica and homosexuality as a gay for pay thing and the violence is more gay on gay.

International Conflict Resolution Day ...........

Each Year some parts of the globe celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, the third Thursday of October. October has become a time to promote and celebrate peaceful conflict resolution practices worldwide. Dedicated dispute resolution practitioners are helping to educate the public about mediation and other innovative conflict management processes. The American Bar Association ABA declared the third week of October, “ABA Mediation Week,” in part building on the efforts of many other national, state, and local organizations in the USA, including the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) www.acrnet.org/crday which have been celebrating conflict resolution during the month of October. The ABA and ACR, as well as numerous other organizations worldwide, are working to raise awareness of the importance of mediation and conflict resolution. 

History 

In 2005, in order to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating October 20, 2005 as Conflict Resolution Day. ACR coordinated its efforts with other conflict resolution organizations and reached out to local, state and international groups to build interest in holding local celebrations in conjunction with Conflict Resolution Day.

http://www.acrnet.org/crday/

Events were held in Canada, Portugal, and 22 U.S. states. Also in the United States, a number of counties, cities and states adopted proclamations designating day- or week-long conflict resolution celebrations. Jamaica has recognized and observed the day before but that seemed to have waned somewhat. In March 2006, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating the third Thursday in October as Conflict Resolution Day. Going forward, Conflict Resolution Day will always be held on the third Thursday of October. Nationwide radio briefly looked at the issue yesterday October 20 and brought into focus the problems in schools since the start of this year with so many incidents and murders involving teens as to how they can be given skills to settle disputes this was broadened to the national level to include civil society and other players such as the psychiatric communities in handling mental problems or issues that also lead to rage and unresolved conflicts.

Recently Minsister of Justice Delroy Chuck Urged Mediation as a way to Settle Cases

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (2nd left), and wife, Patricia Chuck (right), enjoy light conversation with retired Chief Justice, Hon. Lensley Wolfe (2nd left); and Attorney General, Ransford Braham, at the graduation ceremony for the 2011 class of the Norman Manley Law School, held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).JIS KINGSTON — Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is urging attorneys to assist their clients to settle matters out of court through mediation and arbitration.

Mr. Chuck, who was addressing the 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that lawyers often “push for a win-lose situation, when you can, with guidance, secure for both parties and yourself, a win-win situation, and everyone moves on with their lives”.

“Clients (would) have secured justice economically and you are free to take on more clients without being weighed down by cases languishing for years on end,” he pointed out.
The Justice Minister noted that the government is looking at ways to steer appropriate cases away from the formal court system, by supporting the work of mediation in Jamaica, and introducing legislation, to allow for a formal system of arbitration.

The 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School, at the ceremony held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, addressed the graduates.He pointed out that the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) is actively engaged in mediation, and civil matters from the Supreme Court are referred for mediation.

He urged the law school graduates, as they go out into the working world, “to get involved in mediation and with the work of the DRF, particularly, those of you who may not find employment immediately. It will help you to build up your experience and to make important networks.”

He said that mediation is an avenue that will provide many opportunities for young lawyers, who are interested in practicing commercial and business law, particularly where the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and other creative and scientific processes are involved.

“We want to see Jamaica and the Caribbean becoming a hub for local, regional and international arbitration, which commercial entities and traders across the world can utilise in settling their commercial and trade disputes,” he stated.

Mr. Chuck, in the meantime, highlighted other laws, which will open up opportunities for lawyers, and the country as a whole, such as the International Financial Services Authority Act, 2011, which was passed earlier this year.

“The Government is working also on updating the laws that will protect the creative and scientific property of Jamaican people and this initiative will create many opportunities for you,” he stated.

http://www.disputeresolutionfoundation.com/

Upon last checks at our local arm on conflict resolution agencies - Dispute Resolution Foundation they were silent on the matter of the day's recognition or activities, but of note are some of their services which includes:

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR):
Court connected
Workplace/business
Family and community
Schools /colleges etc.
Restorative Justice
Mediator certification
Caribbean programmes

Certainly in the LGBT community and advocacy we are woefully lacking in this regard, I am not aware of any direct interventions or collaborations with the above mentioned entity locally, judging by their stance I doubt they would take in LGBT issues seeing they also have a focus on family life which by our standards exclude same gender loving people. The recent impasse between the homeless men who have sex with men men (MSM) populations and two main NGOs that serve this community and who also have MSMs on staff serves to remind us in glaring terms the failings, one would have expected that barring the absence of any frontline services for the men and their registering thier upset at same via two days of civil disobedience On August 23 and 24 of this year at the gates of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (JFLAG) that an intermediary would have been brought in. They were supposedly banned for rowdy behaviour. Neither The Crisis Intervention Manager for JFLAG nor the Executive DIrector of the same group could console the men and it had to take influentials who were apart of both organizations to quell the fracar, yet we are asking the mainstream to be tolerant of same gender loving persons and embrace their right to freedom to express same love. Gay on Gay violence is also still a major challenge especially in the MSM communities as a recent incident has brought to bear as well where a prospective Miss LGBT World 2011 got herself in an altercation with a known enemy so to speak at a recent party the brawl halted proceedings for some time post the tussle she has been disqualified from the event, all this without very little attempt to have some intervention to quell the long standing disagreement between the parties. Let us be reminded of the case of the eye gouging male who in a jealous fit blinded one eye of his partner which made national news to the humour of many and the case drag on the courts for some time despite the victim's attempt to have the charges dropped.

So, clearly some sort of interventions are needed in this regard.

Peace and tolerance

H

The dark side to the homeless issue ..............

THIS POST MAY BE UPDATED occasionally please keep in touch by logging on now and again.

As this post was created disturbing reports (now fully confirmed) of unruly and outlandish protests by some of the homeless men are coming in as twice since this morning the men visited the premises of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life offices for reasons that are unclear, yesterday morning as well the security detail that is contracted to protect the property was summoned to quell what would have become a MAJOR disturbance as I had updated a post on GJW:

original update August 22, 2011

Rowdy gays banned by J-FLAG, JASL .......... (Jamaica Observer)

"Reports suggests at around 9:15 am a set of the homeless men went to the property adjacent to the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life offices where a gaping breach is in the bordering fence and created a temporary scene calling the occupants gays and battymen and other negative connotations so much so that the security detail contracted to provide surveillance had to be called in to maintain order, the men reportedly entered from the rear of the premises via an adjacent property but were kept back by the security, a shouting match ensued for some minutes. There seemed to be a zero tolerance approach the security detail however was professional who for all intents and purposes are usually summoned via a panic button or some other digital signalling device. According to the eyewitness while one of the men behaved very badly, almost defrocking infront of the detail the other men were more subdued and seem to cooperate in retreating to the neighbouring property.

The reason given for the visit was to see the Crisis Intervention officer for JFLAG who was said to have been at the office or expected to be so but they were told she was not there, they interpreted the reasons to be untrue so they felt they needed to react, in my view that is not a good enough reason and only serves to weaken their position in terms of finding a solution and quickly.

The behaviour of the men is a cause of concern for the residents as they fear needed attention to the property a view that is fear but given the article in The Jamaica Observer and the hint to where certain offices are there is some concerns as well. Certainly I am on record as to the behaviour of the men and would be unfair if I did not bring that part into question but if the only way to deal with this rebellious population is to not engage them and besides the major LGBT body politic is not engaged anyway then I am afraid more reports like this may be forthcoming or worse."

ENDS

today however ..............

JASL Offices

If these continued outburst occur as one angry resident of the property puts it then serious action would have to be taken which may include getting the landlord involved and I think that this only hurts their case and those who support them in terms of looking at long term solutions but also it proves at the same time that if they were engaged to begin with then we wouldn't be at this juncture now. JFLAG staff who happen to be on the property are trying to quell the situation as motorists passing by are being directed to the property by the screaming men. This is indeed a sad day and by extension time as this could have been avoided if only we heeded the early warning signs but this group was to have just faded I think the powers that be thought now the backlash is right at their doorstep literally.

In fairness ALL SIDES have to be taken into account on this, safety concerns are of the utmost importance as well for all parties who use the premises.

A resident said that as they were returning from doing business on the road they came across the men outside hurling insults at them and again saying the property is a "battyman place" as if to suggest they have or should have unfettered access to the grounds and services. Even if the guys were upset this is the wrong line to be taking instead of saying they are not being heard, to put the idea that the homophobia should be directed at the organization now is worrying, I am also worried and so too are others that this may get really violent and there maybe harm coming to the men from whatever quarters. Feedback from some taxi drivers as well who are known to me who sometimes park alongside the road as a rest stop suggest cynicism as they are asking amongst themselves where would an organization to serve gays push away their own when they are calling for rights in general? and they also had scaving remarks for the unruly men as well saying they are making their own case weak, one driver who I spoke to yesterday suggested we should work it our quickly as we do not know who may be in the wings watching, which to me makes sense.

Calls have been made that some intervention should urgently come as well to help to quell this tension now and some names have been suggested, frankly it is not our fault in essence why this backlash now comes the groups and individuals who should have gotten their hands dirty to begin with in real interventions are now being forced to consider same. The Executive Director of the J went out personally to speak to the men as a police presence is maintained on the property, for how long it is not yet clear.

Since then the influentials provided meals out of pocket and according to observers the JFLAG team even at this juncture seemed aloof to the whole thing, the crisis intervention personnel arrived and headed straight for the offices without engaging the protesting men who say they will continue their agitations albeit in a more peaceful manner (word of mouth actions yet to prove otherwise) the men say they are asking for meals, a place to shower etc.

Let us wait and see, if this quells I will try to see the men tonight as my day schedule has me at a fixed location. Please pray if you do so for this to ease down soon so we can work out a speedy solution. Interim solution is for influentials to visit the scene and calm nerves then move to a secure location to start dialogue as the advocates have not been able to control the tempers.

13;26hrs confirmed the arrival of television crew

A television crew from TVJ the same station that refused to air the ad from JFLAG was on the scene as well.

audio post (PART 1) after speaking to persons on the other side of the equation on August 22, 2011

Other sides to the msm homeless saga by glbtqja2

Here is a side effect of what can occur due to the neglect by the powers that be of the population

AUDIO PART II of the actual events concerning the civil disobedience at Jamaica AIDS Support for Life

Other sides to the msm homeless saga part 2 by glbtqja2

The Problematic “Battyman Entitlement” phenom, homelessness & LGBT safe spaces

also see: MSM Homeless Issues from 2010 on this blog and The Queitus (safe house project closes)

Real Peace and tolerance

H

Warning!: Fake Facebook pics and hookup dangers

With Facebook now the most widely used social networking site by Jamaican LGBTQI people these days there was sooner or later bound to be some anancyism turning up at some point as we are a people good for that kind of crap. With no clear rules by Facebook as to the use of the account holder having a real photograph of themselves on their profiles dishonest individuals have been running rough shod with photos of buffed man or provocative male images with some intended to lure unsuspecting MSMs in particular who in a short time arrange hook ups while not even verifying and developing any long term e-lationship or chat before the face to face or supposed sexual encounter.

Men who have sex with men are not the only ones who have been duped into this practice with disastrous and near death results.

Two women who suffered the "corrective rape discipline" that some men think they have a right to do in order to straighten them out after they were lured to meet a "lesbian" who has set up a profile with a female body (head capped) on a particular site run by a Jamaican as well, unbeknownst to the owner it happened with even CISOCA Centre for investigations of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse getting involved as they tracked the rape ring which led them to central Jamaica where one of the master minds was accosted. He got 29 years in total as he was on bail and had previous charges of rape as well answering in the courts. Another was arrested at the time but the case fizzled as the victims refused to come forward to testify fearing reprisals. CISOCA had seized several computers, printed copies of online message chats both on MSN and the particular networking site as well. Archived copies of the chat were also preserved by one of the victims as well which was a smart move on her part.

Thankfully the site's admin has since implemented new security features where members only can now log on with new members needing referencing or verification from existing ones. Both victims met a so called brother of the girl who took them to a fake address where his cronies were laying in wait armed with guns.

See more HERE

and HERE

Serial rapist gets 29 years in rape ring, Look out my sisters.

This particular MSM case of which this post revolves happened on June 11 and comes from a young man who met someone on the popular Facebook site who had a photo of an exposed torso male. Believing the photo was that of the person behind the messages and comments between the two over a three week period the profile's holder invited the young man to be in a face to face meeting at a point they agreed on. The date arrived but just before the meeting was to take place the profiler changed the point of contact via a phone call and in hind sight the young man said he heard rough voices in the background speaking about what they should "do to him" but he thought it was something else or not him. He went to the area near a plaza just off a main road for the proverbial hook up wearing the exact colours he had indicated to the profiler but noticed when he arrived some twenty minutes prior to the set time that a car was near the area parked seemingly with passengers aboard as the body of vehicle was lower than normal and the engines were running, he dismissed any unsuspecting issue as he thought that due to the summer' heat the occupants were using the engines to power the air conditioning.

Soon after he walked to the exact spot on the piazza where two men alighted and gave chase but though young he was not a fool as he had planned his escape route should the need arise.

This however was not before the men shouted the usual curse words "battyman" etc as their attempts were thwarted, it is not yet clear though if the men were homophobic or they wanted to gang rape the young man, he surmises the latter as he said after passing the photo around he was told it is a regular practice by this profiler to lure men for rough sex usually under duress.

Thankfully this one ended the way it did but for the men to use curse despite the young man's strong suspicion of gay on gay violence is a glaring sign how easily persons will cloak themselves with homophobic disguises to carry out their dirty deeds. Homophobes can well be posing as gay too or DL persons who are struggling with their own feelings of guilt and shame also can exercise this kind of revenge attacks as well to purge themselves of said guilt.

Some suggestions:

Please bear in mind the following if you or someone you know is planning a face to face meeting following an continued e-lationship

1. Make sure the profiler has a real photo or photos of themselves
2. Ask questions about them, get to know as much as possible as timely as possible
3. Establish telephone contact as early as you see fit
4. Listen for any change in mood, tone or information shared over time
5. Keep the e-lationship going with regular interactions to pick up any changes as well
6. Archive or save suspicious exchanges as you see fit
7. Avoid instant hook-ups without first developing some rapport in the e-lationship
8. Tell a close friend where and when you are going to meet an online friend for the first time
9. Develop a trend in communicating for e.g same times if possible per day for chatting
10. If you decide to meet find an open public area as best as possible, and decide how to behave in that space to avoid any unsuspecting onlookers who may deduce it's a gay link up
11. Decide on clothing and colour or change colours previously agreed to if you are not sure of the individual
12. Study your surroundings when there and get there early (as this young man did)
13. Plan your possible route(s) of escape if necessary
14. Have a weapon of some sort or maze that can create a distraction then escape as quickly as possible
15. Have a trusted friend accompany you if possible and have them away from the actual meeting spot but make sure they can see you
16. Make a call if needed to the person(s) who followed you and keep the line open so they can hear your conversation and call for help elsewhere if needed
17. Set your Facebook profile to "Friends Only" as under "Friends of Friends" all other persons can see you
18. If you are in a group and are active you may turn off the feature where non friends can send you a message or see you photos
19. Use only a sensible face picture as your profile thumbnail so as to avoid stalking

These are just some of what you can do as suggested by me, do more online research on your own as well.

Here is a previous suggested checklist I had done for the same gender loving sisters when I had written on their side of things:

"This is a stern warning to my lesbian sisters out there please be mindful of the persons and social networks you become associated with, here are some tips I think that are useful:
1) Check the sites and chat rooms to make sure their privacy settings allow for scrutiny of members and their profiles.
2) Be ware of the amount of pictures of yourself you may upload to these open sites,
3) If one intends to meet or hook-up with potential persons from these networks do so in a public place for your own protection
4) Develop a rapport with online chatters or friends before meeting them; get to know the chatter by asking probing questions
5) Use a pseudonym where necessary and ask the administrators to verify members where necessary
6) Use the privacy settings available on your respective social networks so that not everyone can see your page if needed
7) When in doubt just block a suspicious profile user if one if not satisfied that the person is legitimate
8) Be alert to the number of members in your page and try to discern suspicious activity
9) If in doubt leave the respective page and delete all content of you including photos
10) Look for pages that offer privacy settings that are suitable for you protection, pages on NING, Facebook and MySpace offer great privacy settings that can make your profile hidden from all other members
11) Network with those you know so they can verify other folks and tread carefully online."

As I say on my sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica - "Be Vigilant, Be Safe" in your e-lations.

Peace and tolerance

H

June is Pride Month ... but sadly last year's post still seems befitting

Sadly not much has changed since last year's entry on Pride Month on my sister blog GLBTQJA, yes we have seen some silent protests from a section of the advocacy arena and the letter writing campaign is still on which are geared to the anti gay establishment, there are some other changes in regards to homelessness and our transgender sister who was mentioned in the original piece but sorry to be the bearer of bad news many are just not feeling the overall community unity and sense of worth that is needed, there is a bright spot where a new forumatic area has been helping to air some of the inter and intra community issues and social networking sites have also been widely utilised, have a read of the post from last year and see if you agree, some slight editing has been done.

So June is PRIDE Month internationally as various parts of the world will celebrate publicly in most instances their respective LGBTQ events. With new territories adding their own voices in expressing pride in themselves, Jamaica in times past has had our own set of private celebratory events, parties and lymes when the the days of JFLAG (Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays) were far more introspective in the community itself and using such activities as a part of the social support strategy to engage the community and develop an identity given the homophobia and violence meted out to persons accused of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered as we have seen in recent times. Only some party promoters and bloggers like myself who will highlight or have events so themed in respect to the occasion still carry on, I hope that will change soon.

PRIDE presently is supposed to be a mostly American invention coming out of the Stonewall events in the late sixties, other jurisdictions have added their own historical experiences such as Brisbane, Russia, Canada and The UK. LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, that diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. The use of the abbreviated gay pride and pride have since become mainstream and shorthand expressions inclusive of all individuals in various LGBT communities.

The word pride is used in this case as an antonym for shame, which has been used to control and oppress LGBT persons throughout history. Pride in this sense is an affirmation of ones self and the community as a whole. The modern "pride" movement began after the "Stonewall riots" in 1969. Instead of backing down to unconstitutional raids by New York Police, gay people in local bars fought back. While it was a violent situation it also gave the underground community the first sense of communal pride in a very well publicized incident. From the yearly parade that commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall riots began a national grassroots movement. Today many countries around the world celebrate LGBT pride. The pride movement has furthered the cause of gay rights by lobbying politicians, registering voters and increasing visibility to educate on issues important to LGBT communities. LGBT pride advocates work for equal "rights and benefits" for LGBT people.

Symbols of LGBT pride include the LGBT rainbow flag, butterfly, the Greek lambda symbol, and the pink as well as black triangles reclaimed from their past use.

Historical Background:
Advocates of gay pride have used history to point to oppression as well as differing levels of acceptance of homosexuality throughout history. The ancient Greeks did not conceive of sexual orientation as a social identifier, as Western societies have done for the past century. Greek society did not distinguish sexual desire or behavior by the gender of the participants, but by the extent to which such desire or behavior conformed to social norms. These norms were based on gender, age and social status. "Lesbian" derives from the name of the island of Lesbos,which was famous for the poet Sappho, who wrote love poetry to female lovers. Homosexuality in the ancient Roman Empire is considered to have been widespread but was tempered by the complex social systems of the society.

During Medieval times all forms of sexuality began to be repressed by the church as the message of heaven and hell gained popularity. As technology fell behind, simple luxuries such as clean running water and proper sewage became a thing of the past. This caused horrible conditions and disease. People began to believe that they were suffering from the wrath of God, blaming immorality. Any and all forms of homosexuality became not only shameful but punishable by death.

see also:
Homosexuality in ancient Greece
and Homosexuality in ancient Rome
Symbols of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements
The Catholic Church and Homosexuality
Pride celebrated worldwide

In 390, the first law banning same-sex love was enacted in Rome, making it punishable by death.

Pride! but the problems on the ground still are real .......
In our most recent history though, it is disheartening that many activities that were once expected to occur during this period have died or discontinued, there were film festivals, art auctions, other forms of entertainment and forums/workshops as well that were helpful to the community to realise who we are with ordinary LGBTQ persons participating. Sad that the only advocacy group once again has failed and continue to fail us as a GLBTQ community in this regard to fuse our resolve in ourselves as proud people despite the problems we face literally on a daily basis. The closure of the MSM housing project in 2010 for example under the watch and deafening silence from JFLAG is a further indication that we are representationless as a community as only certain issues seem to be of priority while others are cast aside for whatever reasons at the risk of violence due to displacement and even reported deaths since 2011. Recent attacks on a camera crew from Sweden who were interviewing MSMs in a volatile community suggest we have a far way to go. Yes we may be proud as individuals as we assert ourselves as a natural survival instinct mechanism but it is sad we can't get the activities required on a larger scale to fuse the subgroups under the GLTBQ umbrella towards solving some of the inter-community issues that need urgent attention. Small cell groups however are doing what they can given their limited scope and resources available, many individuals would like to offer more but the present systems overlook or ignore such voices.

The important GLABCOM (Gay Lesbian Allsexual Community) meetings that were discontinued in Kingston in late 2008 has been meeting constant stalls in efforts by some to restart them. Frankly in my estimation there is nothing to be proud of in this vein presently given the set of circumstances that prevail. We have an advocacy system for the most part now being driven by funders who now basically dictate how those activities ought to operate as we have failed to properly carry out basic continuity of previous interventions, ideas and strategies that would have produced tangible results and a seemingly special club decides what happens on that level excluding dissenting voices like this one and others as was evidenced in the recent IDAHO event, the wider community was never made aware in a meaningful way of what IDAHO actually entails let alone a planned activity in Jamaica.

What is happening to our lesbian and bisexual women in terms of the corrective rape typed instances of violence meted out to them with very little assistance or concern from the advocacy quarters on these problem that has been on the increase since 2007 is worrying as well. Not even so much as public outcry on the matter to bring attention to it or some forumatic discourse on the issue at the community level.

The invisibility of the Transgender and bisexual communities are still a major concern for me, their issues need to be brought to the fore by main advocates and take a break from all this talk of repealing the buggery law.
Let us still celebrate PRIDE on an individual level non the less but we cannot and must not overlook these and other serious issues friends, I am sure there are many others you may know of as well in your own corners. See how best you can play however small a part in adding improvement of the lives of our brothers and sisters out there.

Peace, tolerance and PRIDE

H

"Nuh boi cyaan" (No Boy can't) song reinforces stigma of same gender loving men as rich predators

As we continue to watch the happenings all over this new dancehall track on the Belt Buckle Riddim released May 2011 by a DJ J-Yungg suggests in its lyrics among other things that rich men somehow are the ones pushing homosexuality unto poorer men who in turn fall or switch (sell out) and act in gay for pay circumstances which plays into the whole world of secrecy, clandestine homosexuality and or the down low phenomenon.

The line that speaks to the perception says:

"Nuff boi a deh wid rich man and a call dem honey (alot of boys are with rich men and calling them honey)

Buy dem out wid dem money" (buy them out or persuade them with their money)

Even after all these many years when the belief first took hold in the seventies or there about when international happenings at the time on gay advocacy through media especially in the United States showed mostly Caucasian gay men at the forefront of the struggle thus also reinforcing the belief that homosexuality is also an "import" The predatory aspersion has been stuck on us ever since and with tabloid papers carrying same sex paedophilia stories as gays raping boys going unchallenged for the most part it is cemented more with each edition where it is heralded.

We have not had a proper and sustained response to this stigma that is so stained on us now we wonder when and how we will be able to convince the cynical and truly anti gay sections of the populations and not just those who use public homophobia as a cover up for their own struggles with sexuality, urges or realised orientation.

He did begin the song by saying:

I NUH CARE HOW YUH LIVE YOUR LIFE (I DO NOT CARE HOW U LIVE YOUR LIFE)

Some more of the lyrics are as follows:

Chorus

Nuh Boi cyaan pull mi belt buckle

Nuh Boi cyaan feel up mi muscle

Nuh Boi cyaan tek off my underpants

Yuh mussi waan life unbalance

Rept

Verse 1

Loose talk dawgg no mi nuh run it (loose talk I am not into it)

Certain tings mu nuh find funny (certain things I don't find funny)

Nuff boi mek rich man a call dem honey (alot of boys let rich men call them honey)

Buy them out wid dem money (buy them out with money)

Fi mi fren dem stay by my side everytime (my friends stay by my side)

No dem nuh watch mi behin' (no they don't watch or admire my behind / ass)

Fi mi ladder nuh boi caan climb (my ladder they can't climb) [ladder suggesting penis]

Caan put dem lips pon mine (can't put their lips on mine)

Rept cho

Verse 2

Pull my belt no boi caan (pull my belt buckle no boy can't) [boy there used as a demeaning or lowering of power of the accused]

Pardi the line I draw (partner or friend the line I draw)

I nah mek no boi rub my jaw (I won't let a man rub my jaw) [suggesting romantic contact]

Fi buy mi tings I want (to buy things I want)

Some boi caan thump my fist (some boys can't thump my fist) [a greeting style of knocking fists together]

No way full a scale, dem a fish (they are full of scales they are fishes) [fish another term for gays]

All because a de money dem switch (all because of money they switch)

Pon de side man a digg dem pit (suggesting anal sex) [digging pit means anus]

Cho

till fade

It is not far from the reality in some sense as gay for pay does exist where mostly hyper masculine types who are interested in keeping up appearances in the latest shoes clothes (mostly high end brands) will get down if the price is right but will also deny to the ground and actually engage in public homophobia to stave off any suspicion of such activity as the stigma has captured the nation, they often stipulate that their effeminate partners (if they do associate with one) is not to be seen in public with them and all linkages are to be done privately. The problem with this arrangement is that when there is violence due to a disagreement over pay or roles in the arrangement the circumstances are hard to investigate by the authorities and piece together.

Peace and tolerance

H

UPDATE a response from the artist or a member of his team came today via email at 2:22pm Jamaica time.

to whom it may concern

i have seen u made a post on your blog about a recent song i did which in most aspect of what u wrote i think u are misinterpreting what i was trying to accomplish by singing this song....
first off i am utilizing my freedom of speech and my freedom of choice... at no point in my song did i say BURN,KILL,DEM FI DEAD...in all honesty i dont care what a next man does or who he loves or sleep with thats non of my business...

all i was doing is stating where i stand as in i am straight.... and i see u left out the part of the song in the intro where i said I NUH CARE HOW YUH LIVE YOUR LIFE (I DO NOT CARE HOW U LIVE YOUR LIFE),instead i see u write NUFF BOY DEH WID RICH MAN i said NUFF BOY MEK RICH MAN A CALL DEM HONEY.....

PLEASE NOTE i am not bashing gays because everybody is free to do as they please..i am just saying this is where i stand as in am straight.

peace!!

Homophobia A Big Problem (Gleaner Letter) ........................ but?

Like everybody doesn't know this already I guess that's why the anti gay letter writers have not had their letters published or haven't bothered to respond as the argument is worn out. These same letter writers in their professional capacities and so called insulated class wall structure turn their noses up at LGBTQI people at the lower socio economic levels and are only drawn for convenient presentations such as letters like this for statistics and appropriate call letters and descriptions to show off so to speak yet nothing is said in regards to the internal bigotry directed towards the same persons who are more likely to become homophobic victims.

How convenient?

This kind of one sided advocacy or agitation is so hypocritical when are we going to deal with those who really face the brunt of the problems?

The job and residential displacement, nothing appears in letters like this or stand alones to talk about how we are discriminatory to each other at varying levels to include to the advocates themselves whether they want to admit it or not, the recent case of a beating yet again in New Kingston when finally the biker boys have been arrested yet it took several heated phone calls to the JFLAG representatives to get them to respond yet no further movement so we may not even get to prosecute the perpetrators at all.

The fact that so many LGBTQI people are in positions of power especially the psychiatric and psychological expertise communities where are they on the grassroots changes that are needed? Where are they on gay on gay violence? Utter silence as it is convenient to do so, that's the answer I see now.

By the way Beenieman has since performed anti gay lyrics and sided with other murder music artists especially Buju Banton in the early days of his woes in Miami and San Francisco where fervent protests were held, please get the facts letter writer.

Have a read of the letter and see what you make of it but please think about the pointers made.

Homophobia a Big problem:

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Homophobia in Jamaica is much more prevalent than substance abuse, and the earlier we come to the realisation that it can isolate us internationally, the closer we will get to equality and justice.

In 2004, the self-proclaimed 'King of Dancehall', Beenie Man, came to his senses and apologised because gay-rights groups pressured MTV VMAs executives to dump him because of the hateful lyrics in his music.

The 'Doctor' apologised. Since then, he has ceased performing music which perpetuates homophobia.

One would think that others would become more sensitive, even to the point of desisting, but there seems to be very little change.

Embarrassing

Jamaica is out of step with other countries. This is not only problematic, it is embarrassing to those of us who provide counselling and other forms of support services to people in same-sex relationships or those outside non-traditional families.

It should come as no surprise that a significant number of Jamaicans in the process of being deported are seeking political asylum because they are concerned that their safety is not guaranteed in the Jamaican society, primarily caused by the prevailing violent homophobic atmosphere. There is also a small percentage of these people in same-sex relationships who worry that their partners might not be allowed to visit them if they are incarcerated.

I am, etc.,

G. GEORGE WILSON (Dr)

glengeorgewilson@aim.com

Springfield, St Elizabeth

Double jeopardy displacement

So after surviving a stoning incident, then a mobbing planned by his own ex-lover who took on another in the house they rented which almost sent him into a nervous breakdown, then another outing through a very public brawl from the mother and a relative of the ex-lover then houndings and threats from taxi drivers in the community with former clients of his defunct business establishment and the subsequent closure of his business it seems trouble doesn't stop following this trying young man.

Following from part 1 of this story excerpted here :

"A thirty year old man had to quickly resign from his restaurant business in deep rural St. Catherine earlier in February of this year following threats leveled directly at him but not his business partner but after a loud outing incident by a female relative of his business partner took place at the address before things took a dramatic turn for the worse. The man who also received word of the impending doom from concerned customers of his now closed establishment learned of the plot that persons in the area who declared they wanted no battyman around the community were about to strike.

He said he also noticed a significant drop in his clientele over the days following the nasty outing incident. Grateful for the heads up he quickly made arrangements to move on a rainy weekend under the cover of evening shadows as some curious neighbours looked on urging him to hurry. Fortunately he got the warning early and took evasive action however sometimes we as gay men are the cause of some of our own homophobic problems. His business partner according to the man who gave an exclusive interview said the hounding partner was the reason why events had reached to this stage"

he how finds himself securing a rented house in Kingston moving away from north central Jamaica where his troubles began and thinking he can now rebuild he walks into another set of drama. Relocated and settling in while on the job hunt he is now confronted with thugs from a bordering community who were upset on the onset with his present landlord who they accuse of "betraying the order" by renting the house to an outsider. The man in his late twenties was on his way to church when he was pounced upon by three thugs one of whom he subsequently found out was a bisexual who occasionally attends gay parties in Kingston who demanded he pay over extortion funds and support them whenever they needed it or face forced removal.

Now he finds himself on the move again having to make the tedious arrangements of removal and to have to do so in a quiet way as knowing how theses inner city communities are set up of the don hierarchy there are lookouts everywhere and they report any major movements within their territory to the higher ups who often times reside in uptown settings but give instructions as to what actions to take against persons they deem trouble makers.

Such are the perils honest same gender loving men encounter from within the community and without with public homophobia being the end result. Sadly JFLAG's limited intervention was a mere financial injection and very little encouragement that I usually find myself becoming an ear for all this and trying to give some comfort to those who face this kind of stoic response to issues presented for assistance. The other side of the problem in this case also is the discrimination from immediate family members and relatives including his former female companion who is the mother of his son, it was however sweet consolation according to the young man when his 10 year old son declared he loved him none the less which brought tears to his eyes even as he related his story, a story he said he wanted told to the world to show that gays are not as comfortable as thought by some.

He is presently seeking a flat to rent and has already started to slowly move the larger pieces out of the home so as to avoid run ins with the would be extortionists and avoid to much scrutiny.

His landlord has apologized and has said she wished she could change the circumstances as she liked the demeanor of the present victim. Some friends and I have tried to help as we could in overnight options and so on and are hoping that it all comes to an end soon.

Look out for your neighbour and friends yah.

Peace and tolerance

H

Sankofa Management: The Loft Remains Open despite Star News trope ......

We, the management of Jamaica’s premier LGBT entertainment space wish to thank our loyal patrons for their continued support of our brave business venture. Despite the many challenges we have faced in bringing this dream to fruition we remain determined never to allow the light of this community to go dim.

The movement that inspired the creation of The Loft is bigger than any one of us. It is bigger than any selfish motivation, envy, or iniquity. This is a powerful movement that cannot be hampered by evil deeds, careless tongues, or thoughtless actions.

It is time that we as a community embrace the idea of togetherness and stop the petty in-fighting that is tearing us apart.

We are not enemies, we are compatriots.

We share the same struggles with the wider society and we all have the same desire for happiness, love, and enjoyment in a safe environment. Since we cannot live this reality in the society we inhabit we must therefore do all we can to protect the few safe spaces that exist.

The Loft was created for all of us in the community and it is therefore our collective responsibility to protect it.

We wish God’s richest blessings on the authors of the article that appeared in The Star of Monday April 4, 2011 under the headline “Cross-dressers clash at club”, and we hope that they will put their God-given talents as fictional writers to good use and not continue to let their imaginations run wild.

We are the ones that will decide if the Loft will close its doors, not anyone else.

We enjoy a positive relationship with the leadership of the St. Andrew Central Police Division as well as our neighbours in

the business district in which we operate and will not allow the mischief of a few idle minds to sully our reputation, negatively affect our business, or most importantly disrupt the enjoyment of our valued supporters.

The Loft is part of a movement that cannot be stopped.

Let us continue marching on until victory is won!

Sincerely,

BP & D

Management

The Loft

ENDS

Some Notes:

Pity our in fighting has to once again make mainstream news

Following recent rivalry in the ever growing and competitive party pink party entertainment scene allegations have once again surfaced that it was another party promoter X who fed the information to the Star News that led to the headline as hinted to in the press release above, Sankofa Events thought it necessary to clear the air after the publication made the rounds in the community, the impact seems on the surface low but one should never underestimate the possibilities. The party promoter X in question has also created some bitter blood between themselves and the contracted staff for that event on April 2 which was in session on or around the same time as the Star News trope was set to have taken place, the staff has not been paid as he fled the scene after the event bombed with very little support.

Personally I am becoming fed up at the foolishness now with these unneeded squabbles and underhanded tactics being employed allegedly by rival party promoters, even after meetings between promoters to work out the timetable and marketing for events to avoid date clashes, as someone in the business for some fourteen years now and seeing the positive growth of our entertainment products THERE IS NO NEED for this kind of rivalry, THE MARKET IS EVER EXPANDING AND IS BIG ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE to relatively safely offer their packages in a timely and professional manner as more and more patrons are becoming very discriminating in tastes with everything being taken into consideration, from the host of the party to gate receipts affordability, music selections, DJ selections and personalities, timing with other mainstream events that get lgbt support such as Jamaica Carnival all these factors are to be taken into consideration when planning any event. The accused promoter(s) along with partners have not been having whole hearted support from the community due to controversial issues mostly created by their own actions and this latest one that is widely perceived to have been done by them has not gone down well with many. Their last event in question which was in progress outside of Kingston on the same night as the alleged car smashing incidents alluded to in the release did not get the expected support notwithstanding they having secured the services of three of the five biggest DJs in the business, a persistent campaigns and advertising, now taking out any vendetta against other successful promoters will only serve to isolate oneself even further from possible patrons and in the long run the community at large leaving one with a tarnished reputation that is not easily repaired in our setting.

The Star News story was inaccurate in a sense as I was present at the club named in the piece the police were called by the club owner/manager in question at around 4am to avert any negative violent action from rival queens who had previous altercations elsewhere NOT AT THE CLUB ON THE NIGHT OF April 2nd as hinted to. The event overall at the Loft went pretty well for the most part until the abrupt cut off to avoid the possible disturbance.

The Loft and ALL OTHER PARTY PROMOTERS AND CLUB OWNERS have my full support but as the Loft remains resolute in serving their patrons/supporters this release is a professional way to deal with it, the police I have since gathered are also mindful of the issues involved however underhanded tactics to prove a point are TOTALLY UNNECESSARY LET US WORK TOGETHER FOLKS including Promoter X. Mek we talk dis out proper.

Loft wi seh

Peace and tolerance

H

here is an audio recording by Pink Report and D

Interview with Management of the Loft by shane-mccarthy or go directly here as the track maybe listed as private.

Man flees business after firebomb threat

A thirty year old man had to quickly resign from his restaurant business in deep rural St. Catherine earlier in February of this year following threats leveled directly at him but not his business partner but after a loud outing incident by a female relative of his business partner took place at the address before things took a dramatic turn for the worse. The man who also received word of the impending doom from concerned customers of his now closed establishment learned of the plot that persons in the area who declared they wanted no battyman around the community were about to strike. He said he also noticed a significant drop in his clientele over the days following the nasty outing incident. Grateful for the heads up he quickly made arrangements to move on a rainy weekend under the cover of evening shadows as some curious neighbours looked on urging him to hurry. Fortunately he got the warning early and took evasive action however sometimes we as gay men are the cause of some of our own homophobic problems. His business partner according to the man who gave an exclusive interview said the hounding partner was the reason why events had reached to this stage.

The partner reportedly wanted more than just a business relationship and demanded the man commit to a long term romantic union with several conditions attached to which the man refused to comply to. Several other details that cannot be disclosed here were disturbing and the zealous partner allegedly complained to his own relatives that the man was cheating him of his share of profits from the partnership among other things. The partner's mother who lives outside of St. Catherine visited the establishment on a busy weekday afternoon with two other relatives and proceeded to accuse the man who was busy serving customers of being gay and that he lured her son into homosexual activity and that he was performing obeah or vodoo to keep her son in line which is not the case as the partner is already suspected by community members as being such, one resident afterwards was reported as suggesting that they knew he was a "fish" all along as he always had strange males at the shop, this was of course prior to the partnership agreement with the fleeing man, the few onlookers who witnessed the removal process by the frightened businessman verbally expressed their disappointment of the impromptu closure and that the residing partner who is a lifelong resident of the community was causing the fleeing man to suffer because of lies being told on him, the businessman had developed a loyal clientele and a good rapport with most persons who despite him being an outsider and the suspicions of the men's orientation patronized the business non the less as the eatery was a hit with taxis and passers-by alike who spread the word around to neighbouring communities. Knowing how tightly knit rural communities are the grapevine culture works very quickly.

Men were reportedly seen some days before milling around the facility and reportedly suggesting anti gay sentiments including lines of the the infamous Buju Banton music track Boom Bye Bye. Just some months before a woman in the same community who was accused of being a lesbian because of her style of dress (she wears mostly men clothes) and butch mystique had an ongoing argument with several men from in and around the community she still resides there and has said she does not intend to leave her family home because of foolishness. Her family in the meantime have been somewhat supportive of her in as far as her safety is concerned. The "born and grow" acceptance in communities may offer her some protection for now as well but we hope she doesn't overstay her welcome there as threats in whatever forms must not be taken lightly.

Thankfully this case was resolved quickly with proactive action by the man involved and also by the kindness of concerned citizens who didn't want to see anything bad happen to the businessman. If all other similar cases in small communities and villages had those variables at work then we could have avoided fire bombings, forced evictions at gunpoint in some instances or worse. The man is now contemplating how to recoup as he made large financial investments and burrowed loans to support the business now he has no address at this time from which to recommence, some of the other items were taken by the partner without his knowledge and it was at the time of the move that he realized what had taken place.

Some history

The last major firebombing incident on record in respect to this blog was in August 10, 2008 as seen in photo below and posted here under the original name of SCJ.

the story was also carried in the Star News then

also see

Photos from August 10th firebombing incident in Clarendon(1)

This is also a testimony that not all Jamaicans are vicious and some are becoming more tolerant though very slow is the spread of it.

I am hoping the businessman is able to rebuild fast or as we say sometime a man haffi build back or wheel and come again, thank God his life was speared.

Peace and tolerance.

H

UPDATE March 23rd

The man went to dispose of his garbage at a skip some yards away from his home where he was confronted by several males playing dominoes nearby who hurled insults and anti homosexual slangs also sang loudly Buju Banton's anti gay ode "Boom Bye Bye inna battyboi head" they proceeded to stone the man as well with one stone making contact on his back from which he has been feeling pain.

He has since temporarily relocated to a friend's house in another Parish but fear for his belongings left at the previous address is a concern as he attempts to rebuild his life. JFLAG has intervened as well upon his behest but the new funding arrangements restricts him from getting any serious assistance persons who now want any financial help through the J have to be already employed I was reliably informed, this is a far cry from what obtained before which makes one ask again so what are the social interventions for displaced and homeless persons who cannot gain meaningful employment ??

We will continue to track this situation as best as we can.

Be vigilant be safe