LGBT History Month: The Loft's First Anniversary ............

As the month draws to a close for 2011 here is a brief look at the first anniversary celebrations recently at the centrally located LGBT club in the heart of Kingston's business and lifestyle metro-pole. The Loft which was founded by a two man team who are also life partners finally came into being on October 30, 2010 officially with its kick off party in the halloween period creating a seismic shift for gay entertainment in Kingston and Jamaica, they have been blamed unfortunately for the fast decline of interest in the long running life of Club Heavens which lasted for some 7 years whilst changing management and was located in North Central Jamaica whose only other competition apart the occasional party block buster in Kingston was the now defunct Calabash Club in Montego Bay which folded after an awful police invasion occurred due to rivalry from other party promoters at the time. Despite the challenges of patron behavioural problems, settling with the neighbouring business owners, the police situations at the commencement of its life, a seemingly opposing vibrant spirit filled church congregation located on the ground floor, the battyman entitlement phenomenon and the concern in the minds of many though not expressed too loudly in its location in the centre of that side of town they, the Loft's team have survived whilst making the name a household brand in the community offering varying products. They have some competition however from up and coming astute party promoters with growing fan bases but as the LGBT community itself expands there is room for more than one major player. Let us also not forget the launch of the Couture Elements bar open five days a week but with much smaller space. Other more serious challenges presented themselves earlier this year when a rival party promoter said to be linked to aforementioned police raid who resorted to unethical and deviant tactics to include informing the tabloid enemy of the gay community, The Star News of the where abouts of the spot and supposed activities which almost put the club out of business. The management team however quickly sprung in action with damage control to the community via a press release while maintaining its offerings after a brief closure. Also of note was or is some of the outreach work done to the homeless community to include some feeding programs and the recent interventions as influentials at the homeless msm civil disobedience action at a particular non governmental organization. several former and presently displaced and homeless were in attendance at the recent party but noticeably missing were Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays, JFLAG representatives and other advocacy personalities which was not surprising

flyer for the first event

They at the time issued a resolute press statement which was published on this blog in April of this year:

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

In part they said:

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

Interview with Management of the Loft by shane-mccarthy of the Pink Report

My response then was:

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. 

this year's flyer

The celebrations briefly

October 28th 2011 was the date set for the last in the month long series of celebrations with respective themed events and rotating DJs to meet ever changing musical tastes, the admission free event which had a bumper crowd support. A team from the Red Cross were present carrying out some light HIV intervention work. DJ Dr. Buck had the crowd whipped in frenzy quite early as his trademark chants and hardcore selections usually do while wearing my DJ hat my first set of dance beats was welcomed as the kids served  after a smooth transition with the goodly doctor. It was clear that the evening was going to be a major success, hardly any space was left foe shaking a leg in the newly redecorated white walled dancefloor complete with strobe and lazer lights stoking the high energy. Denis(e) could be seen darting about the floor and frolicking with the children albeit on his golf club which has become his trademark item as he monitors his sometimes hurting right foot while BP manned the busy bar as it was shelled down to no inventory left for consumption. The queens served and gyrated with resorted to some head-top antics while others profiled with drinks in hand but clearly were enjoying the festivities with the occasional head bopping in approval to a tune selected. Not to be outdone were members of the thug community who seemed ofe in mixing with more effeminate patrons. Apart from beating the odds and becoming the sixth major gay club in recent known history they also stepped outside of their brand marketing and single handedly revived the Pride Event celebration during the Gaycipation period (Emancipation and Independence in August 1st and 6th) they successful launched an outdoor beach front event once carried by a previous advocate, promoter and brainchild Gareth Henry who had said events at a small beach front property in St. Ann. The event dubbed Sea Queens took off in fine fashion despite a mainstream event that also attracts LGBT persons was in session in another parish, persons took the trek to St. Mary on July 31, 2011 and had a "whale" of a time . Let us also not forget the infamous Santa's List event for the Christmas season which they have also developed under the brand. Sea Queens will certainly go up against Naughty Glam High Seas Couture as the best events for 2011 when that time comes for selection, I'll let you know which one is in my book then in the year in review. 


Please see:  The Loft/Sankofa's Sea Queens: Di Fish(es) DID swim .........

Happy first anniversary to the Loft's team and we hope they remain for a while longer although unconfirmed reports suggest there maybe a hiatus by the team as they collect their thoughts on new offerings. 


Peace and tolerance


H

LGBT History Month: The Queen of Comedy Harmonica Sunbeam graced our stage

December 2004 would never be the same in Jamaica after the queen of comedy herself Harmonica Sunbeam graced our stage in cool cool St. Ann one faithful Saturday night. Literally over a thousand patrons turned out that night which was far more than the numbers for average parties at that time locally to see this international diva. Overcoming all the logistical and security concerns she landed safely as her united States fans wished her a safe travel due to the awful reputation we had gotten over the years as being the most homophobic country and so on.


Her visit was one of the premiere visits that would break the mold of fear that besetting other big queens who also expressed an interest after hearing how successful the show was including the legendary diva herself Miss Rupaul. Since then other major international divas have also appeared to include Nina Flowers a winner from Rupaul's drag race and Stasha Sanchez winner of Miss Gay USA 2009


Here are some previously lost photos from that faithful evening.

The last photo is of particular importance as this was the skit that made the crowd gagante with the infamous "frying pan" drama and this image remains in the minds of many to this day who saw that historic performance and entry into Jamaica, she was pleased that the audience responded as she had said in an old blog post on her now defunct page how warm she felt while being on the island and how responsive the audience was which by all indications she did not expect such a rousing welcome.

She has returned once and is slated to be on the island again sometime in 2012 this time possible in Kingston, plans are afoot in that regard.

Meanwhile here is transgender goddess and Miss Gay USA 2009 winner Stasha Sanchez as she performed at Heavens Nightclub in 2010, many persons were in awe as she defrocked and revealed her perfect tataas to the crowd sans surgery scars I might add.

Feminine impersonations have certainly been around for a while as local entertainment for the LGBT community but with the new obsession of swagger and other masculine, stereo butch or metrosexual offerings ebbing away at this part of gay culture it is left to be seen if it will just become a once in a while phenomenon.

Peace and tolerance

H

Elephant Man's "A Nuh Fi Wi Fault" lyrics (flashback)

Artist: Elephant Man
Song: A Nuh Fi Wi Fault
Album: Reggae Hits Vol.24 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (30 November, 1998)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Jet Star
ASIN: B0000253YX
Catalogue Number: JECD1024

Excerpt

Intro:
Badman nuh inna nuh explanation no more
Anyway we hold dem bwoy dem get
A yo, all yuh hear me
Tivali jungle
Rise all da ting dem yah man?

A nuh fi wi fault
If a battybwoy run inna we gun
A nuh fi wi fault
The pussy dem get shot down
A nuh fi wi fault
When fadda get boom down Sodom
A nuh fi wi fault?

Dem find battyman we don't play
A nuh fi wi fault
Along time deh fassy dem a dead?

When yuh hear a Sodomite get raped
But a fi wi fault?

Long time we ah warn dem anna obverse
Battyman fi dead!
Please mark we word
Gimme tha tech-nine
Shoot dem like bird
Dis a wha ????? man heard
A nuh fi wi fault
Jamaican don't like gay
A nuh fi wi fault
Ah same way Miami man stay
A nuh fi wi fault?.

We nah keep battman friend
????????
Badman nah par wid men
????????
Shotta just rise your Mack Ten
????????
????????
A!
A nuh fi wi fault
When two men ???????
A nuh fi wi fault
Big nife a cut off dem ??
A nuh fi wi fault
Den me throw away deh head in deh boat
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi
A nuh fi wi fault
Jamaican don't like gay
A nuh fi wi fault?.

Its wrong
Two woman gonna hock up inna bed
Thats two Sodomites dat fi dead
A nuh fi wi fault
Battybwoy run inna me gun
A nuh fi wi fault
Coz tha fassy dem get shot down
A nuh fi wi fault
When Father got boom down Sodom
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi
A nuh fi wi fault

Dem find battyman we don't play
A nuh fi wi fault
A long time that fassy dem ah dead
A nuh fi wi fault
Ah dem make de syphilis a spread
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A! den

Long time we ah warn dem anna observe
Battyman fi dead!
Please mark we word
Gimme the Tech Nine
Shoot dem like bird
Dis ah Harry Toddler heard
But ah fi wi fault
When yuh hear ah Sodomite get raped
But ah fi wi fault
When we ah ???? ah gal inna place
But ah fi wi fault?..

Stereotyping from the police ...............

Senior Superintendent Fitz Bailey asserts that 80 - 90% of white collar crimes and murders are committed by gays with a deep stigma attached that being identified as "how they dress" supposedly in expensive clothing and having materialistic wealth more than normal in enjoying the perks from the illicit trades.

He was speaking at a handing over ceremony of the newly refurbished Organised crime investigations office. Just when the community was in a way settled or settling from problems with the security forces and a seeming cordial relations now reached, sadly the reality is there are some in the LGBT community who may be involved in illegal activities and that may put an ugly face to the community in the eyes of the police and by extension the public but to simply label generally gays as criminals I am not so sure the other non gay underworld bosses are going to take kindly to this assertion.

I am not surprised as it was said before in a subtle way by then Member of Parliament and attorney at law Ernest Smith, one wonders if he will jump on this one to gain political mileage? given all the trouble and stumbling the Jamaica Labour Party Administration has been facing, after all the Prime Minister did use the issue to prop up support in the early days of his entering the hoouse with that "Not in my Cabinet" rant on the BBC.

Public official however need to be mindful of the stuff they put out in the public domain this also reminds of the Public Defender Earl Witter when he said gays should keep it to themselves some years ago and hold their corners, his intentions may have been good but it was interpreted for some to mean profiling and deliberately look out for the stereotypical hints then launch an attack.

My hope is that now the police won't see this as license to be abusive and send the gains made down the drain back to the late nineties when all hell broke loose sometimes when it came to LGBT people and encounters with elements of the security forces.

See more: Witter warns gays - 'Flaunting sexual preference may incite violence'

go to about 2:59 to see the comments by Superintendent Bailey

Ernest Smith on his feet in Parliament making the original statement that gays are in crime etc, the PNP did respond but one wonders if that was to just appease the large LGBT following they had at the time?

see: PNP lashes Ernie Smith on stance against gays

Update July 13, 2011

also see:

J-FLAG Responds To Police’s Assertion About Gays & Organised Crimes

and my two cents attached plus ...........

Observer cartoonist Clovis weighed in with this some what damning piece, I am not aware that the JFJ Jamaicans for Justice were opposed or expressed any such opposition to the issues as expressed by SSP Bailey. Sadly this is what many maybe thinking now as well as profiling and stereotyping has always been an issue with associated the vilified effeminacy in males which is also not only a part of Jamaica's homophobia but also a stinging effemophobia within the LGBT body politic.

also this letter appeared on their mobile site:

Dear Editor,

The Civil Society Forum of Jamaica notes with horror the statement made by Senior Superintendent Fitz Bailey on TVJ's Prime Time News on July 11, 2011, that homosexual men are responsible for 80-90 per cent of organised crimes. This statement could be misused to fuel prejudice against a community that is already faced with the impact of hate crimes.

Such a statement coming from SSP Bailey, a senior police officer, will do more harm than good in our society. This is irresponsible, given the high levels of stigma and discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community which makes it difficult to address HIV and AIDS in Jamaica.

It is also very disconcerting, given that in the western region, the HIV infection rate is climbing. SSP Bailey should show us the facts about the perpetrators of organised crimes that his division is investigating. We encourage SSP Bailey not to use broad brush statements in such a thoughtless way to add to the burden of an already marginalised and stigmatised community. We also encourage SSP Bailey to restate his position and set the record straight and protect the lives of citizens of Jamaica as he signed on to do.

Carla Bingham-Ledgister

Interim Chair - Civil Society Forum of Jamaica

blessedcl@live.com

UPDATE July 14th

JCF apologises for 'gay crime' statement

COMMISSIONER of Police, Owen Ellington, says that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) withdraws the statement by Senior Superintendent of Police Fitz Bailey, head of the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), which identified homosexuals as being prominently involved in the ‘Lottery Scam’ and highly lucrative criminal enterprise.

In a statement this morning, Ellington said that he had spoken to Bailey and that the JCF regretted any prejudice that might have arisen from the remarks.

"He shared information with me supporting his assertion and cited discussions he has had with representatives of J-FLAG (the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays) about the problem. He fully understands the basis of concern for the safety and well-being of members of the gay community who may be targeted by misguided individuals simply because of the statement's under reference," said the commissioner.

He assured the public that the JCF has no policy of singling out individual social groups for special attention.

"Our focus is on enforcing the laws without fear, favour, prejudice or ill-will. The JCF stands willing to receive and deal dispassionately with feedback from our publics. Our mission remains to serve, protect and re-assure all," said Ellington.

He reasoned that the matter demonstrated that the JCF was willing to listen and review its positions accordingly.

Also see another take I came to after talking to persons on the issue:

Apology Accepted JCF but some questions on several fronts still linger ...

An audio response I tried, I hope to restart audio commentary soon

More on the SSP statement by glbtqja1

This video also sheds some new light on the issue as the person named is said to be gay, maybe this is where SSP took his cue to arrive at his conclusion.

Peace and tolerance

H

Remembering Donahue Jimmy Bulgin: April 11, 1966 - April 14, 2005

Donahue Jimmy Bulgin: April 11, 1966-April 14, 2005

Thanks to a fellow DJ/Queen from Toronto DJ Relentless I was reminded of this awful event in 2oo5 and like me Relentless also made a decision to desist playing certain dancehall tunes in protest against murder music, here is one of many poems that were dedicated to Bulgy as he was also known at the time of his murder in western Jamaica.

Thanks Relentless for this.

The poem:

Jamaican Birthday

By Monday the missing person flyer I designed was unnecessary The dogs had already found you

Everyone said you looked stunning at Grandma’s funeral wearing the blue Yves Saint Laurent suit I gave you compliments of the Salvation Army thrift store

Breathtaking it would be to see you now in moonlit rain styled with the passion of
machete fire and hate adorned in a plain bed sheet a gift of the police

For your 39th birthday your mother roasted breadfruit (although you preferred it boiled)

I reopened a credit card that flew me to you with birthday presents undeclared at the Jamaican Customs house I returned to New York with my complexion no darker from the sun’s fire

No anti-gay fire burned we chi chi men even as the new CD player I carried down
blasted Carl Bean’s disco declaration I’m happy I’m carefree and I’m gay I was born this way 1

The dogs found you in your own yard in a fatal reversal of your 39th birthday to nine night in three days with an offering of flesh to tear from bones for guard dogs that never barked at strangers dogs whose tails wagged with the satisfaction of a full belly

A boy half your age half your size drives your missing car What music does a killer listen to in his victim’s car? He wears your clothes
clothes twice his size clothes carefully removed from their hangers in the bedroom closet while your body was burning behind your house in the bushes underneath the birds of paradise

The blue Yves Saint Laurent suit remains in the closet You won’t be wearing it at your own funeral Breathtaking it is to see you now skeletal organs exposed through browned bones
ashy skin no lotion can soothe nor hand will touch after the dance of flames rode your body
to the twilight rhythm of crickets and frogs

Quiet is fire Loud was your voice balling out to neighbors down the hill who did not call the police
because your yelling stopped before the last cutlass chop drew blood that rain washed away
away away away

Four nights of rain cleared the stains of eight cervical lacerations but did not wash away our love
my tears the assassin’s intent your ashes You are ashes and memories of your smile never before so painful to see You skinned your teeth permanently but I can’t hear your bellowing laugh only the gasps of your name exclaimed in horror that four nights of rain can never carry away from your death night to your earth day

Amnesty International (Caribbean) removes paper documenting Jamaican anti-gay violence in early 2000

Humboldt Against Hate has made a startling revelation via a post on June 20, 2011 - "The Caribbean Office" of Amnesty International had a straightforward answer when it was asked why a document about homophobia in Jamaica was removed from its website:

The document you made reference was not an Amnesty International public

document but an internal document for action from AI membership. It is the reason why you cannot access it anymore (it should not have been on Internet for public).

Here's a link to the "Wayback Machine" archive of the document. It is reproduced in full below:

http://web.archive.org/web/20090624202721/http:/www.amnestyusa.org/lgbt-human-rights/country-information/jamaica/page.do?id=1106567
"Battybwoys affi dead:" Action against homophobia in Jamaica

In January 2004, around 30,000 people attended a huge stage show and Rastafarian celebration, Rebel Salute, in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Some of Jamaica's most celebrated artists were present. Throughout the night, Capleton, Sizzla and others sang almost exclusively about gay men. Using the derogatory terms for gay men - "chi chi men" or "battybwoys" they urged the audience to "kill dem, battybwoys haffi dead, gun shots pon dem... who want to see dem dead put up his hand" (kill them, gay men have got to die, gun shots in their head, whoever wants to see them dead, put up your hand).
Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, TOK, and Capleton are amongst the stars who have written lyrics variously urging the shooting, burning, rape, stoning and drowning of gay people.

From Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye, which threatened "batty boys" with "ah gunshot in ah head", to Beenie Man's "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays" to Babycham & Bounty Killer's "Bun a fire pon a kuh pon mister fagoty, Ears ah ben up and a wince under agony, Poop man fi drown a dat a yawd man philosophy" (Burn gay men, til they wince under agony, gay men should drown, that's the yard man's philosophy), the exhortations to kill and maim seem to know no bounds.
DEADLY LYRICS
"When yuh hear a Sodomite get raped...
But a fi wi fault...
It's wrong
Two women gonna hock up inna bed
That's two Sodomites dat fi dead."

(Sodomites -- A derogatory term for lesbians)

– Elephant Man"When you hear of a lesbian getting raped
It's not our fault
It's wrong
Two women in bed
That's two Sodomites who should be dead."

Although the singers are Jamaican, their records are widely distributed abroad. Recently organisations in Jamaica such as J-FLAG, Jamaica's only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group, have been joined by others around the world targeting the artists themselves, as well as radio stations, record labels and music stores that have distributed and promoted the songs.
The groups have sought to bring the lyrics to the attention of the public and the authorities. In December 2003, campaigners from the British gay rights group OutRage called on the British police to arrest Bounty Killer for incitement and conspiracy to commit murder, amongst other offences, during a UK tour. As the group stated in a letter to the Metropolitan Police, "in a democratic society people have a right to criticise homosexuality, but they do not have the right to encourage queer-bashing violence and murder."

The problem of homophobia in Jamaica goes far beyond any single artist however. Here, reports of violence regularly meted out to members of the LGBT community have reached such an extent that they have started to attract international headlines. Action is needed on a much wider scale to systematically tackle the prejudice that inspires the attacks and the laws which facilitate them.

"My experience as a gay man living in Jamaica is one which is marked by periodic incidences of abuse, both verbal and physical. I have lost count of the number of times I have been verbally abused, called ‘battyman', ‘chi-chi', ‘sodomite', ‘dirty battybwoy' (all derogatory terms for homosexual men)."

-- Gay man, talking to J-Flag, 2003.

The reports that AI has received range from vigilante action by members of the community to ill-treatment or torture by the police. Gay men and women have been beaten, cut, burned, raped and shot on account of their sexuality. In the past two years at least 5 Jamaicans have been granted asylum in the UK because their lives had been threatened as a result of their sexual identity; others have been granted asylum in the USA and Canada. AI believes that these reports are just the tip of the iceberg however. Many gay men and women in Jamaica are too afraid to speak of their experiences to human rights organizations or to the authorities.
One man described to J-FLAG how six men from an infamous "garrison community" (poor, inner-city communities controlled by either of Jamaica's two main political parties) blocked a road to beat a local gay man.
"The crowd stood around watching, chanting "battyman, battyman, battyman" before gathering around him as he lay on the sidewalk. The crowd beat, punched and kicked him. They threw water from the gutter and garbage on him, all the while shouting "battyman, battyman." Then they dragged him down the road for half a kilometre. They shouted "battyman fi' dead." As I stood across the street I realised there was nothing I could do to help him. Some mothers were actually in tears at what they were witnessing but there was nothing that they could do either. ... The crowd was saying "Give him to us! Let us kill him! He's a battyman!"
When police arrived they had to call for back-up. Three police jeeps arrived and fired shots into the air to clear the crowd.
The story is typical. Once a person's sexuality becomes known to family or community, they are at risk. Amnesty International has interviewed many people who have been forced to leave their areas after being publicly vilified, threatened or attacked on suspicion of being gay. They face homelessness, isolation or worse.
In a particularly egregious recent example, a national newspaper reported in February 2004 that a father had encouraged students to attack his son after he discovered a picture of a nude man in his rucksack. One student described the attack on the 16-year old on 18th February 2004 by other students: "him get nuff lick, kick, box and thump from other boy and girl." School authorities were forced to call police to escort the boy off the compound. Police were also attacked. Students received a "stern warning" but, at the time of writing, no-one had been charged in connection with the assaults.

One man was forced to leave his community in 2003 after his friend was murdered and he was threatened by local gunmen. He is still homeless and living a hand-to-mouth existence.
"One morning, at about 2 a.m., my friend was at a dance in the community. He was enjoying himself and dancing and suddenly there was a gunshot and a bullet hit my friend in the back of his head. He turned around after realising he was shot and they shot him in his face again three more times. He fell, but they continued to shoot him as he lay on the ground. Then they announced that I was next and "battyman fi' dead."
Protection is often denied by the police, who in many cases appear to tacitly or actively support such violence. Amnesty International has received many reports of police failing to investigate homophobic-hate crimes. In some cases they fail even to take written or verbal reports of incidents. One man called the police after running into a supermarket to escape from an attack in Half Way Tree, Kingston:

"We waited more than half an hour and still the police did not come. The police station is less than five minutes away. We eventually realised that the police were not in fact on their way and decided to see if we could leave safely. We were shaken by this incident, but doubly upset because the police had not responded to this homophobic attack."

In many instances, the police have tortured or ill-treated LGBT victims of crime seeking assistance from the police. AI has received numerous reports of police arresting and detaining

men overnight whom they suspect of being gay, or charging them with offences such as loitering. In some cases individuals have appeared in court several times before charges were dropped. In other cases known to the organisation, police have stopped passers-by or placed gay men in the holding-area of police station, informing those present of the "batty-men" and encouraging further verbal or physical abuse.

An example of the kind of treatment LGBT individuals can expect from the police occurred in 2003 when a group of gay men were attacked, beaten, ill-treated and detained by plain clothes police officers as they socialized together in a bar frequented by the gay community in Kingston. One of the victims described what happened to J-FLAG:

"All of a sudden, a white van pulled through the gate and men armed with firea

rms jumped out of the vehicle and starting to fire shots into the crowd. We scattered in all directions, jumping fences and dividing for cover. A group of three of my friends and I began to run. They could jump the fence, but I had difficulty so they had to drag me over the fence with men chasing us and firing at us. This happened three times and each time I was dragged over the fence I fell on my head. Finally, we got to a residence and I hid behind a tree. My friend was not fast enough to find a hiding place and the two men who had been chasing us caught him and began to beat him with their fists and their weapons, kicked him as he lay on the ground, calling him a battyman. They took him away.
I met up with some of the guys from the crowd on my way home, and found out that my friend had been taken to the police station, and that the men who had attacked us were plain-clothes policemen. When I saw my friend later, he told me that they verbally abused him at the station and had told their co-workers that he was a battyman and they began to verbally abuse him as well. They held him overnight and released him. He was not charged with any offence."

Police appear to also target healthcare providers working with LGBT individuals and there have been several reports of nurses, community workers or others being unlawfully detained and ill-treated by the police. In 2003, three men were detained and searched by the police in Half-Way Tree. When asked by the police why they had condoms on them, they reportedly stated that they were promoting safe sex to both men and women. Police told the men that they were to be locked up for promoting "battybusiness". The men were crowded into the back of a police car as none of the officers wanted to sit next to them. They were not allowed to let their bodies touch

the policeman who was also sitting in the back of the vehicle. At the police station, other officers told them that they should be dead and that policemen should have killed them rather than bringing them into the station. Police pointed them out as "battymen" to everyone who came into the station. The men were released after three hours.

"We did not report this to the police because my friend felt, based on past experience, that the police would be unsympathetic and possibly abusive too." -- Man attacked with rocks by three armed men in 2003.

This kind of behavior from police officers means that an accurate picture of the number of victims of homophobic violence in Jamaica is impossible. Since so much shame and disbelief surrounds violence against the gay community – and since victims can not expect to receive the protection of the law - the number of men and women who report abuse is assumed to be many times fewer that the number of actual incidents.
The police are not the only authority to actively discriminate against non-heterosexual individuals. Reports of individuals losing their jobs once their sexuality has become known to their employer are common. Sometimes medical staff have reportedly joined in abusing gay or lesbian patients. When a group of gay men accompanied their friend to hospital after he was attacked, stabbed and robbed, they were verbally abused by staff in the accident and emergency department. One told J-FLAG that:

"The porters, janitors, and even some of the nurses laughed at us. They took a much longer time than usual to attend to us; we got to the hospital at about 10 p.m. and they did not attend to us until the next morning."Although lesbianism is not a criminal offence under Jamaican law, gay men are not the only targets of this kind of violence in Jamaica. Amnesty has assisted in several cases of lesbian women from Jamaica who have sought asylum abroad following persecution at home. Amnesty International has received reports of acts of violence against lesbians, including rape and other forms of sexual violence. There are reports of lesbians being singled out for attack on the grounds of "mannish" physical appearance or other visible manifestations of sexuality. Some reports of abduction and rape emanate from inner-city garrison communities where local NGOs have already expressed concerns about very high incidences of the prevalence of violence against women. There are some reports that lesbian women have been forced to carry drugs by community gangs, on threat of, or after having been abducted, beaten or otherwise degraded or

assaulted.

Perhaps fuelling such acts is the widespread public misconception that lesbianism is illegal. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the public is largely unaware that this is not in fact the case. This perception is reinforced by comments made by authority figures, such as politicians, the media, religious leaders and dancehall musicians. A Gleaner/Don Anderson poll of September 2001 posed the question "do you think that homosexuality should be legalised?" – drawing no distinction between male or female same-sex relations. According to the Jamaican NGO J-FLAG, the derogatory Jamaican word for lesbian, "sodomite", further underlines this misconception, as the word derives from an imputation against males.
Against this backdrop of high levels of violent crime - including murder - against gay and lesbian people in Jamaica, tacitly accepted by the police, are the laws that continue to criminalise consensual gay sex between males. Article 76 of the Jamaican Offences against the Person Act punishes the "abominable crime of buggery" by up to ten years' imprisonment with hard labour. Article 79 of the same act punishes any act of physical intimacy between men in public or private by a term of imprisonment of up to two years and the possibility of hard labour.

Jamaica is not the only country within the region that retains laws criminalising consensual sex between adults of the same sex. Only two English-speaking Caribbean countries do not criminalise this at all: the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Here, reports of discrimination and ill-treatment are still common. In July 2003, a Bahamian Bishop threatened to become the first "live Guy Fawkes" if the Government passed legislation legalizing same sex marriage. "The devil and every demon in hell can expect the church to react because God has done too much for us,"

he reportedly said. Jamaican and Guyanese laws are silent on lesbianism, whilst in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Saint Lucia, all acts of homosexuality are illegal.

Such acts of violence are set against a public which appears to strongly endorse the idea of differential treatment. A recent poll showed that 96% of Jamaicans were opposed to any move that would seek to legalise homosexual relations. Many churches have released statements indicating their support for the retention of current laws. In December 2001, Roman Catholic bishops in the Caribbean stated that they would be against decriminalising consensual sex between consenting adults. In 2001, the Jamaican Prime Minister reiterated his support for the exclusion of gay men from the Boy Scouts movement.
The risks facing LGBT people in Jamaica are increased because of the lack of effective governmental programmes catering to the needs of the gay and lesbian community. From the lack of effective victim support or witness protection schemes, to ineffective and oftentimes brutal policing, to an absence of refuges, the authorities are, in the organisation's view, unable to protect LGBT people in need.

In such a climate, the activities of J-FLAG are crucial. At the forefront of lobbying and campaigning on the issue in Jamaica, their work supporting LGBT people and promoting an agenda of inclusion and equality in extremely hostile conditions is essential. Their activities include running a telephone helpline, workshops and training of authorities, including health care workers, media and students . However the NGO has very limited funds and their activities can not and should not replace actions by the state to fulfil its international legal obligations to

protect citizens from violence (the "due diligence" concept).

The way forward?
Is there an impetus for reform from within Jamaica? The Prime Minister of Jamaica has publicly confirmed his intention to retain legislation which discriminates against homosexuals on many occasions.

In 2000 the Jamaican parliament discussed J-FLAG proposals to amend the current bill of rights to the Constitution to include prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexuality. Section 24(3) of the Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed. The proposals were rejected in June 2001 by a Parliamentary

Special Select Committee. The Committee reportedly feared that the provision would force reform of other laws, such as those on marriage and taxation.

In December 2001, a parliamentary Select Committee recommended that Parliament review laws criminalising consensual gay sex. The proposals were rejected by Parliament in January 2002.

ENDS

What has also irked myself and others as that JFLAG itself since its revamping of the old website many of the older accounts of violence and historical data has been lost or not replaced, stories such as the Parliamentary submissions on Buggery, the Male netball founder and activist,

Michael Johnson's account of his work with MSMs, the accounts of homophobic abuse by the agents of the state plus many more items. We seem to have a total disregard for archiving and preserving history.

Thankfully the GFM, Gay Freedom Movement archives that myself and others were concerned about were finally reposited (sadly overseas) at an online archiving facility this June 21 in the United States where Larry Chang (GFM Co-Founder now resides.

http://dloc.com/icirngfm

"I Was Born This Way" (flashback Gleaner article 25.07.01) .... so someone else declared b4 Lady GaGa

I was born this way'

By Garwin Davis,

Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

PAUL MILLER (name changed to protect identity) is finally at peace with himself. After years of self-denial and "living a lie," Miller has been able to come to grips with the fact that he is attracted to men.

"I can't help being the person I am," he declared, his defiant voice sounding somewhat relieved that he could say this openly. "I didn't just wake up one morning and decide that I wanted to be gay, I was born this way and so are a lot of other Jamaican men and women. We are no different from anybody else -- God made us this way and no, I am not ashamed of who I am."
Now 29 and at the stage of his life where he freely admits wanting to settle down with that "special someone," Miller recalls the first time it dawned on him that he was attracted to someone of the same sex.

"It was the funniest thing ever, are you sure you want to hear this?" he said, his eyes barely making contact from across the table but enough to tell that he was a little unsure about the bluntness of the interview. "I was 14 at the time and there was this guy at school that I felt this urge for which I just couldn't explain. I mean, there were girls that I thought I liked too but with him the feelings were different."
Miller remembers going home from school one Friday afternoon with "his special friend" when suddenly, "maybe by design," he chuckles, they found themselves alone. "We just wandered off and realising there was no one around we started kissing. It didn't go further than that but it was an experience that, at the time, simply blew my mind."

He claims not to have had another experience of the sort with his friend, noting that they drifted apart over the years. "I still see him every now and then but to be honest I don't know if he is gay or if he is straight. We occasionally say hello to each other but we have never discussed that incident of 14 years ago." Miller, who went to one of the traditional high schools in Kingston, an all boys school was all he would reveal, despite the prompting, said that as the years went on he used as "face cards" athletics and the company of several girlfriends to conceal his great big secret.

He even tried to convince himself that what he was going through was just a phase and that eventually he would find the right woman and the yearning for male companionship would disappear. Miller, "to appear normal," he explained, would also engage himself in gay bashing and came across to his peers as the ideal poster boy, "the man with all the girls," they would say.
"None of my friends had the slightest idea that I was gay," he recalls, his eyes now fully focused and for the first time during the interview, seems very relaxed. "I wore nice clothes, wasn't from a bad neighbourhood and had no problem attracting girls. It was deception of the highest order but looking back, I can't see where I had a choice. I mean, I probably would have been lynched from the nearest tree if people had found out."

In 1994, Miller met a young woman whom he felt would have turned his life around. He is not certain if it was because they started out as "very good friends" before they decided to get intimate why they got on so well together. "I cared deeply for her," he admitted. "I don't know if that is different from saying that I loved her but yes she was very special."
The relationship, or facade, as he puts it, lasted for a couple of years before it came to its inevitable conclusion. "She hinted at wanting to break it off and though I really liked her I did nothing to stop her," Miller said. Perhaps, looking back, it was good that it ended when it did because I know it wouldn't have gone anywhere. I was living a lie and it was killing me." And did he cheat on her while they were together? "Yes," he muttered. "I cheated on her with a man."

Gay defends sexuality, chastises society's 'hypocrisy'

Miller has not been involved in another relationship, neither with a man or woman, since but admits that he dates occasionally. "There is this mistaken belief in the wider society that all we do is go around having sex," he added. "This is not true. I am not saying that you don't have a lot of promiscuity going on in the gay community but there is a lot more to our lifestyle than just sex. We have meaningful relationships too like heterosexuals -- we share the same joys, sorrows and heartaches that comes with everyday life -- we even shed tears too you know. We could be your friend and closest confidante and you don't even know it -- we are all over society."

Miller, who has recently gone back to school where he is doing a course in business at one of the island's universities, said he is trying to find some way to tell his parents about his lifestyle but hasn't yet summoned up the courage. "Sometimes I believe my mother, who is a very perceptive woman, knows," he added. "Moms always know everything and I just have this feeling that she is on to something. My dad, I don't think he would take such news too well."

Miller feels that the time is not too far off when gays will finally be able to come "out of the closet" in Jamaica and can openly show their affection to each other without the fear of persecution. He sees society's attitude towards homosexuals as very hypocritical, noting that a lot of it has to do with people who are not so sure of their own sexuality. "The day of full acceptance by society is not too far off," Miller notes. "Look at the strides we have made over the years. The fact that we can be sitting here doing this interview is a testament to that."

2010 The Year that was .... Entertainment Perspective part 1

Hello readers and a Happy New Year to you and thanks for waiting for the review, I must apologise for the lateness in preparing it as it was a surprisingly tedious task going through all the happenings some of which I had totally forgot (thank goodness for record keeping and the posts remaining up) and the unusually busy party scene at the end of the year where I wore my hats as DJ and party promoter as well kept me busy. Please remember to donate via the PAYPAL buttons. I do wish all of you the best for 2011 and stay on track with me as I make some changes as we go along. I decided to split the review into parts (don't know how many yet) which will appear on all three blogs so look out for them dealing with aspects of the happenings interspersed with any new stuff.

Entertainment Perspective part 1 - Dancehall etc

If we thought 2009 was anything to go by then think again 2010 was busy from only days into the year, the first infraction came from the entertainment arena through dancehall act Bounty Killa at superstar's Shaggy's fundraiser for children in Kingston. Carrying over from 2009 was the Buju Banton saga and the subsequent arrest and trial that ended up with the case scheduled for a new trial in February 2011. The Stop Murder Music campaigns each in their respective regions were more than active with very good results in particular in France where reigning dancehall prince and bleaching king Vybz Kartel signed the Reggae Compassionate Act albeit for political reasons as speculated in local entertainment circles.

Please bear in mind all the posts will remain for you to view at anytime. Other acts who came under pressure were Sizzla who has now relocated some of his base to Africa, Capleton whose shows were picketed and cancelled where enough stink was brought to bear on his recordings about his anti homosexual stance, see more cancellation news HERE, see also the Tjenbre Red Protest in pics HERE. Beenieman shows were also cancelled in parts of Europe and other dancehall acts faced mounting pressure in the Caribbean due to the concerns about the lyrical content of some of their materials.

A gay German MP also joined the movement to campaign against homophobic lyrics but many including myself thought that innocent Reggae and not dancehall acts were made to suffer unfairly at this move though welcomed. Meanwhile at the Reggae Conference at the University of the West Indies in February a German magazine asked advocates to answer several allegations among which were that Jamaican LGBT people were not really suffering from abuse as is put out there and that advocates were trying to score cheap shots. Not to be outdone were the tabloids take on the pressure on the music industry see HERE for more from the Xnews.

See also Capleton's Dichtomy - perceptions vs reality in lyrics

The airwaves no doubt was far more accommodating last year in allowing more discussion on LGBTQI issues thankfully allowing for some more balanced exchanges on the murder music campaigns, lifestyle issues and transgenderism but as always there are the sensationalized moments such as the TVJ interview on gay lobbyists and dancehall which was biased as it could get and the relocation of Dr. Kingsley Raggashanti Stewart to his original home on Nationwide FM where he has been on a steady campaign if you will of homo negativity and lesbophobic tinged topics in the name of entertainment or ratings at any cost. He attempted to defend his position HERE

On the opposite side of the coin popular roots play personality Shebada made in roads in his own right in combating the stereotype of effeminate men be they gay or not, remaining very popular in 2010 with sold out performances of his plays and his image on the Jamaican psyche more entrenched than ever, it may be argued that he has helped to soften the public's perception towards effeminacy thus dealing with effemophia in a cute way, his now infamous birthday bash is a calendar event and he makes no bones about being himself in full view of everyone much to the patrons delight. He has since launched successful tours of his plays in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom where large Jamaican populations exist.

The flip side of the coin to effeminacy that of masculinity, bleaching and associated stigmas was also a highlight at intervals during the year with the unapologetic king of bleaching Vybz Kartel bringing the subjects right in our faces with his own bleaching exercise tied in with the cake soap marketing ploy. He too some have argued has helped to challenge a homo negative perception that only gays bleach their skin. In fact so hot was this topic it ended up being the most read post on this blog clocking over 1400 hits and counting from its original post date of November 16, 2010.

The fire storm is ongoing as many other dancehall acts, radio and entertainment personalities have weighed in on the gay male bleaching perception. Vybz also found himself in another controversy as well with FAG T-shirt he was said to have worn to an event where he performed. Was it deliberate ???

Another dancehall powerhouse who got into some hot water for a song he penned and performed was Busy Signal whose "I Love Girls Who Love Girls" track earned the anger of many DJs, sections of the public and critics who suggest homosexuality is being snuck in through the back door. Mr Busy Signal by the way is not new to Gay typed controversy as many may recall he had recovered from the whole mix up with the line in a song he recorded called "One More Night" it was a spin off from Phil Collins' eighties smash hit of the same name. The line that caused the brouhaha then was 'BABY GIRL GIVE ME ONE MORE NIGHT” while some persons said they heard "“GARY GIVE ME ONE MORE NIGHT” in the recording some questioned if it was a gliche during the post production and mixing process while others have suggested it was deliberate to create controversy and attention to the song which incidentally went to the number one spot here in Jamaica and reggae charts overseas and is a staple now on some radio formats. The song has since been remixed and re-released.

History of sorts was made around October when a song promoting tolerance from a veteran not so known Reggae Act Major/Majah P released a track and subsequent video entitled "Rights" Mista Majah P was born in Kingston Jamaica, but migrated to Canada at an early age. He was the recipient of the Canadian Reggae music award on several occasions. P now resides in the United States.
Majah P is the first ever Reggae artist to make a song that promotes love for gays. The song “Rights” might create some controversy in the Reggae community, but Majah is an artist on a mission to change the face of reggae music, according to his manager Tony T. Tony also added, “The motivation behind this song is Mista Majah P believes that these artist who are talking so strongly and discriminating against gays are hypocrites, they say one thing in Jamaica and do another thing when they are out of Jamaica, when they come and perform in Canada or the state, especially in California ninety per cent of their audience is gay, or the club they are performing in is own by the gay community, they close their eye and collect the money and go back to Jamaica or where they come from and pretend and to me that is a double standard. Don’t spew hate and death on gays and close your eye and take there money. That is not right”

More to come.

Peace and tolerance

H

John Maxwell's "The Abomination of Cowardice" (Flashback 2004)

MAXWELL... was a fearless and passionate defender of land reform and environmental causes. He also was one of the few Jamaican journalists who spoke openly to tolerance and looking at homosexuality squarely on the table in the hay days of journalism in the seventies through to now.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Jamaicans-in-US-hail-John-Maxwell#ixzz180LdpuG6

John Maxwell passed on December 10th, Human Rights Day ironically he championed environmental rights with such vigor it got folks to wake up, probably the most memorable stint was the housing project slated to replace a major section of Hope Gardens which by his public protest and influence got it moved to Long Mountain yet still under controversial circumstances while attracting unprecedented media attention to this kind of issue as we knew then politics was more the order of the day for talk radio. In fact he is responsible for current talk radio formats as he was the first to host "The Public Eye" on JBC AM then now known as radio 2, a move resisted by other stations at the time as music formats were more popular and uptown downtown culture clash kept certain things quiet. He was vilified for carrying issues of rights for household helpers as they and other marginalized groups never had a voice on the public airwaves.

Here is a piece published in Jamaica Observer (now unlinked) but republished on his personal blog Maxwell House. Rest in peace John Maxwell he certainly taught us how to vent and tackle issues well.

Abomination of Cowardice
A decade ago, when Buju Banton electrified the dancehall community with his paean to murder - Boom! Bye-Bye - I was the replacement for Trevor Monroe at the Annual Awards of the Public Relations Society of Jamaica.
In my short address to them I questioned whether in tolerating 'songs' such as Banton's, we were not aligning ourselves on the side of violence and outlawry and on the way to creating classes of people entirely without human rights.
My message appeared to be well received; some people came up afterwards to thank me for speaking out and the television cameramen and reporters even asked for copies of my speech.
Nothing was reported anywhere, as far as I can remember.
And nobody, anywhere else, made any comment about this barbarous piece of incitement to the murder of homosexuals and police informers.
Since then, the prime minister and his then minister of national security both set themselves against any reform of the laws against "sodomy". According to Mr Patterson, a Queen's Counsel, he was not going to "legalise homosexuality".
Mr Seaga, the leader of the Opposition, has an even more squalid history. It was he who implied in a public speech that the prime minister was homosexual, which, as I have said before, is in this country, the most obvious incitement to murder that can be imagined. It was also a guarantee that our brave PM would do nothing to suggest that Mr Seaga could possibly be right.
Now, in answer to a report by Human Rights Watch, the Government has told them to mind their own business, stop bullying Jamaica and, effectively, not pay too much attention to our propensity for killing each other. Especially not if the murdered are homosexuals or suspected to be.

Which is why I am troubled by my friend Burchell Whiteman's agreeing to be the official spokesman for the Government's response to the Human Rights Watch report. "We find the approach of the organisation unacceptably insensitive," he said.
Meanwhile vigilante posses of gardeners are busy hunting down suspected gays in upscale Norbrook, no doubt with the approval of their employers.

Several years ago, various media outlets carried a rumour that homosexuals were planning a march on Jamaica House. I don't remember anyone believing the story, but the media ran with it anyway.
On the day appointed, dozens of idiots armed with cutlasses descended on Half-Way-Tree Square prepared to teach the homosexuals a lesson.
None, of course, appeared. As I have said in an earlier column, it was a uniquely Jamaican occasion, because I don't believe that anywhere else in the world would the press have been so willing to spread such a plainly ridiculous and dangerous story, given the homophobic environment; nor would there be, anywhere else in the world, people idle enough to assemble for a sporting massacre, as it were.

It was a low point in Jamaican civilisation and none of our leaders said a word.

Unfortunately, on the question of homophobia and homosexuality, the press is at least as backward as the majority of fundamentalist Jamaica. Reading the advice columns demonstrates just how ignorant and illiterate people - including some counsellors - are about anything concerning sex.
Betty Ann Blaine, a very nice lady who is also a well-known social worker, delivered herself of the dictum that homosexuality is 'learned behaviour', and my colleague Mark Wignall is as terrified of homosexuals as some Jamaicans are of lizards.

To deal with Ms Blaine first: there is no authority anywhere for anyone to say that homosexual behaviour is learned. On the contrary, controlled experiments with rats under environmental stress produced 'homosexual' intercourse - which surprised the investigators because that was not what they were looking for. And homosexual pairing is well established among certain birds.
There is also some evidence that there may be genetic predispositions which may or may not be reinforced by nurture. The fact is that no one really knows, which, I suppose, is as good a reason as any for murder.

Mark Wignall has never been shy to expose his super-macho side in his columns, and last week's column was vintage stuff. In it, Mark described how alarmed he became when some men he suspected were homosexuals began to take notice of him in a bank.

"It was very obvious from their style of dress and their effeminate gesticulations that they were homosexual. I could not help but be amazed at how open they were with their 'antics'.

"Other males in the line were either unconcerned or smiling, while a few of the women were staring at them open-mouthed. In my mind I named the talkative two Daisy and Buttercup."
[Strange that men were unconcerned! There must be something wrong here.]

"At one stage Daisy playfully slapped Buttercup on a forearm then did a quick pirouette. Buttercup responded by saying, 'Lorks, yu gwan yah, mind yu pap yu line'. They were touching each other but the body contacts were just short of being considered intimate."
Holy Cats! Dalliance in a BANK !!! This is depravity of the first order.
"As I watched them keenly, searching for a column (sic!), Buttercup grabbed Daisy's hand. Oh, my God, I thought, they are going to kiss. [Ever the dispassionate reporter] But it was even worse. Buttercup was staring at me and pointing."
Luckily, not panting.
At that stage, Mark did what any red-blooded Jamaican stud would do: he drew his cellphone and dialled his girlfriend, who was sitting a few yards away. Poor 'Chupski'! She was no help at all, laughing at Mark's embarrassment and teasing him: "'It's you he likes, baby,' she said in jest as I saw him alternating between staring at me and playfully touching his friend. Then horror of horrors, he locked his eyes on me, broke out of the line then came towards me smiling. 'Is you name Mark Wignall?' he asked.

"I was still on the phone and Chupski was straining to keep from exploding in uncontrolled laughter. I hung up the phone and half-turned to him. 'Yes,' I said. He turned away from me and said, 'Ah him, Sidney, ah him.'"
The idea of Mark hiding behind a cellphone is worthy of Groucho Marx imitating "September Morn".

" Everyone was now staring at us and my girlfriend was on the verge of hysterics. She was certainly enjoying herself."
[In a serious crisis like this, women are utterly undependable]
"Under my breath I was saying, make him go away, make him go away."
[When threatened by wasps, Jamaicans repeat at top speed 'Our Father, Our Father']
"Then, in a surprising language transformation he said, 'Mr Wignall, I buy the Observer just to read you.'"
[If you're looking for an anti-climax, look elsewhere.]
"Someone needed to have written a book titled 'How heterosexuals should respond kindly to homosexuals without making it seem that heterosexuals like them."
The horror! THE ABSOLUTE HORROR!!!

I obviously have a problem. Several of my friends are homosexual - or at least I believe they are - but none of them has ever made even the slightest pass at me. Or perhaps I wasn't looking hard enough.
What Mark really needs is the sexual equivalent of mosquito repellent.
He is obviously convinced that homosexuality is contagious. It is easy to laugh, but homophobia in Jamaica, and elsewhere, carries death in its wake.
Long, long ago, I was in a bar when somehow the topic of oral sex came up. One particular fossil, an otherwise likeable fellow, declared at the top of his voice that if he knew that anyone in the bar had ever engaged in such an 'act' he would cease to speak to or drink with him, forever. When one of my more adventurous friends confessed to this abomination, our fossil raised his glass on high, smashed it to the ground and stalked out.
Religion has become THE growth industry in Jamaica. Thirty years ago, returning from Montego Bay with David Coore in his car, one of us ventured the opinion that Jamaica seemed to have as many churches as bars; the other suggested that we submit an estimate to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Today, structural adjustment has drastically reduced the number of bars, but there has been an exponential growth in the number of churches. If you can't sell hairpins and shoe polish on the sidewalk it seems the next most popular enterprises are driving a taxi or renting a tent to start a church and sell damnation.
None of these takes any particular skill. And you need no licence to preach. The result has been a flood, some would say a plethora, of preachers, all up to speed with the Ten Commandments and the rest of the book of Leviticus. For these characters the Bible is - they say - the literal word of God.
Which makes me wonder how so many of them appear to survive sexual adventures with their parishioners when it says in Leviticus 22.22 that if a man be caught in bed with another's wife, both shall be put to death.

Death, usually by stoning, is decreed for all sorts of abominations, including homosexual behaviour, and for fornication when the woman is engaged to be married to someone else. A woman lacking a provable maidenhead should be stoned to death, regardless of the fact that even then it must have been known that maidenheads can be absent for any number of non-sexual reasons.
Some are born without. Bastards shall not be allowed into the priesthood, even unto the 10th generation, although some preachers clearly defy that rule. Re Wignall, it seems particularly hard that Chupski was obviously obeying the Biblical injunction that she should not aid her man in a fight by grabbing the testicles of his opponent. To do that would merit her losing her hand. And of course, "every one that curseth a father or mother shall surely be put to death" Lev. 20 v 9.

The problem with the Bible is that it was written by men and transcribed and translated by men and the language of King James is not the same as we use today, nor are our prejudices. Besides which, Leviticus is obviously a survival manual for nomads living off the land on which they were trespassers and subject to attack by the owners of that land.

A fierce and brutal discipline was necessary and an overwhelming esprit de corps, to persuade the people to ignore their own hardships and continue to travel for what must have seemed like eternity in pursuit of milk and honey. No one knows if its strictures were actually obeyed.

We are not faced with quite the same problems today. Instead, through the triumph of the free market, the disappearance of what used to be called the Public Interest and a general reversion to Survival of the Greediest, we will seek any authority to behave badly toward our neighbours. As Antonio, the Merchant of Venice said: the Devil can quote scripture to his purpose, obviously aware that in his temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, the Devil quoted the Psalms.
If Jamaicans were really serious, we would listen to the messengers before stoning them, just in case they made sense, and/or, as in this case, they spoke the truth. We know that. But most of us are too intimidated by the hooligans to say so.
And the hooligans have on their side the media, sections of the church and people like the prime minister, the leader of the opposition and the former minister of national security who have done nothing to lead their people out of the darkness into which they have latterly fallen. Norman Manley should be alive at this hour!

ENDS

Thanks again Mr. Maxwell

Peace and tolerance

H