Yard crab inna foreen writes: Big fish an likkle fish ting

Massa tenk yuh mr h fi mek wi noh wah deh gwaan bout di place it look like seh nut’n nuh change since mi lef yad. Big fish an likkle fish a gwaan same way. Wat a ting sah. The likkle fish dem wan betta fi demself but boi de system fuck dem up again to rass.

Da smaddy deh wah set up dah house ting deh fi get a medal cause a lang time battyman who inna dem shyt need someweh fi start again, sorry doh seh the smaddy resign an lef di ting but mi haffi wonda if a resign dem resign or a foce dem foce dem out and dem just give up. An nuh de fus time wi si dem deh smaddy deh get foce outta di ting …. A lie?

Mi waan know a wah a go happn to di ikkle fish dem inna de pond now and dat deh oda place deh nah do nuttin fi Battyman, as u did seh mr h why dem neva tek it inna de fus place? Mi glad seh de yute dem tek it dem still dem nuh fi give up dem fi stay wid it, if dem can start dat dat mean dem can start dem own fight outside tu. When mi did inna yad a de same struggle did a gwaan but dem time deh tings did more nicer and people did have some heart but it look like seh everyting crash now. Mr h mi noh seh u did inna dem oda tings deh tu like GLABCOM and soh an yuh undastand all the runnings so mi wi believe yuh to a point. One ting doh mr h try fi get more from de oda side too so we can see wah a gwaan, mi noh it nah go easy still cah dem nah go waan talk to yuh, fi close dung sumting like dat weh important inna dem yah time yah bad starrrr.

Wah we can do fi help do mr h mi noh seh u always a ask fi tings fi post pon yah so das y mi a write dis inna patios fi tek it to dem. De forena dem nah go get fi see it yet but u can translate it as mi si yuh do inna other tings pon yah. Di pocket short still but yuh noh she wi ova yah a watch wah a gwaan and mi vex to rass.

Look how long di big fish dem di deh and is like nuttin nuh betta to rass same ting a gwaan but different yute now, wah a happen wid de lesbian dem dem still a stay weh from wi to? New ting haffi go gwaan man, de yute dem need better ting yah man can have uptown fish and tek up fi likkle fish it nah go lebel as dem ole people woulda seh.

Tanks yah h fi dis blog yah a nuff yute ova yah a see it an a read to but put more patois man an mek it more yad man, mi noh seh nuff forena a look tu an just watch yuh head tu cah dem tricky an hypocrit dem, pussy dem laf wid yuh an tab yuh inna yuh back.

Big up yuself

Yard crab inna foreen

San Francisco

MSM employ Civil Disobedience to get JASL Board's Attention ....

More than 15 visibly upset MSM who were involved with and were former service users of the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life organization during the dispensation of the previous Executive Director arrived unannounced on the morning of January 26, 2010 to voice their concerns about the resignation of the Executive Director and associated matters, the former E. D. who in her stead had launched several new campaigns which saw a select group of MSM gaining skills and involved in HIV/AIDS intervention activities.

She was also responsible and credited for the launch of the well needed Homeless shelter for MSMs to which she was said to have suffered at the hand of the Board according to several of the men who were present who believe it wholeheartedly. They feel that she was wronged in some way and has demanded a meeting with the Board to present their concerns. The Board has been accused of snobbery and discrimination as they have been said to be concerned about the defacement of the organization by the behavior of some of the men and their friends who stay or visit the shelter. From my observation it was not a perfect set of circumstances given the limited resources and funds available in running the various initiatives and supervising troubled persons but it was a start and the men felt that the situation should have never been allowed to reach this stage of anger and chaos.

For my regular readers you know I was very concerned about the plight of the Homeless MSMs as indicated in previous posts and a label is devoted to that group where stories of their plight are shared.

The heated exchange ensued for the better part of 20 minutes between a member of the orgnaization and the men who refused to leave until they were satisfied of a meeting date, cool heads returned and a date set to discuss the matters in short order.

Out of respect for the sensitivity of the matter the date will not be mentioned and a post may follow as to the outcome of the meeting.

Many have hailed this disruptive move as a well needed and bold action that should have occurred long before as there are many old wounds and concerns that still resonate with some persons from the older generations of service users and the MSM community.

I do hope that the men however do not spoil this opportunity by raucous behavior but instead clearly and respectfully voice their concerns and opinions and listen as well to the Board’s side as the MSMs must not forget that Board has authority and oversight over the confines of the organization and its policies. They ought to try and arrive at some balance and fairness in this issue.

The deep level of mistrust however has been festering quietly for a very long time and even if the other numerous accusations and perceptions held and levied at the organization are not true those issues and perceptions should have been addressed and cleared up over time so that the vulnerable population doesn’t feel ostracized and discriminated against to the point that it called for such drastic action by this particular group. This shelter issue is being watched very closely not by just persons previously and currently involved in LGBT activism but refreshingly by ordinary gay men who have become so incensed by what they feel is injustice and unfairness in this matter as expressed by them during the exchange. The men in question never really showed a propensity to be so directly involved in agitation at such a level until now which indicates that we must never again underestimate the people power factor. They had come to respect the former Executive Director’s role and the bridge of cooperation which was indeed being mended thus in effect solving the ill of mistrust the organization had been suffering over the years. Her resignation took effect on January 25, 2010.

As mentioned in a previous posts the bad behavior of some of the MSMs in general over the years in truth has indeed cast a shadow over the whole thing and the sometimes negative perception of the organization to some extent but in this particular juncture things just don’t look as if they were done above board and persons are wondering what the motives of the organization are.

One wonders if the Board did not expect this snap resignation by the former E.D in question and maybe thought she would have caved in to pressure from them by closing the shelter as they had allegedly insisted and then continue with business as usual, now, the whole thing has left egg on their faces with many of their detractors literally laughing at the whole affair as was evidenced at a certain hang out on the same night.

Speaking of detractors, this blog has its own fair share of those, surprisingly within the GLBTQ community, there are a few who operate under a school of thought that issues like this must kept quiet and swept under the rug, probably to avoid the embarrassment caused by the series of events but it is the very freedoms of speech etc. that some of these hypocrites call for or champion under the sphere of lgbt activism in Jamaica and elsewhere that they seem to forget we MUST exercise and I will exercise the right to speak out, critique and make suggestions as long as those rights are available to us as a people. Funny how we easily complain about injustices meted out to members of the gay community here but cannot take constructive analysis from your own in order to resolve issues when they arise.

On one hand they are involved in so called activism and on another seek to support secrecy, bigotry and seemingly discriminatory practices on a group of disadvantaged folks because they are not of their ilk. The last time I checked the organization in question ought to have been a service organization developing strategies for and catering to the needs of the public including the all important vulnerable populations, it is not a Buena Vista membership boys and girls club with snobbery at its core of operations therefore the Board must also be thanked for giving an ear to the group despite the unofficial way the meeting was demanded.

The days of LGBT people hiding under some rock and pandering to other powerful folks are OVER! We already have our plates full having to stave off oppression and homophobia from the mainstream and now having to vigorously defend basic justice within a framework of service is just doubly marginal to say the least. This group of MSM have taken the courage to demand a hearing, teaching and indicating they are a no nonsense group, to them I say right on and stand up, speak out where you can. We can learn a thing or two from this simple act of courage.

It is refreshing to hear of vigilance at work by a younger generation.

Think on these things.

Peace & tolerance

H

Shopkeeper refuses to sell to HIV-infected person (Observer Letter)

Dear Eve,

I have seen the ads with Rosie Stone and Jason Richards trying to inform and explain to the public that support for people living with HIV is a good thing and that it is OK to eat and socialise with infected persons without harm to yourself. I was therefore shocked to hear that in a rural community in St James a shopkeeper refused to sell goods to someone who is infected. My question is, do you think the ads will help with this kind of behaviour?

I am,

Shocked from the West.

Dear Shocked from the West,

As someone who is infected with the virus and also involved in a public way in trying to do my part in helping others to lessen the stigma against those who are infected or affected by HIV I am not as shocked as you are. At public forums I am still asked: 'people really eat after you cook, Mrs Stone?'

I know there is still a lot of work to be done in this area as people get and accept the facts as they relate to HIV. Having knowledge does not always translate into behavioural change, but we still have to work towards the goal of change. As recently as last month, a friend of my sister had a piece of cake that I had baked and offered it to her co-worker. He refused because he knew that an HIV-positive person had baked it. Some of these fears that result in HIV stigmatising behaviour are probably rooted in our culture and we might not understand it as well as some sociologists who have done research in this area.

I also believe that quite a few people in their daily lives stigmatise others that are different from themselves. Sometimes we have to dehumanise others, make them feel less than human so that we can feel good about ourselves.

A couple of years ago, I was sharing portions of my book, No Stone Unturned, with some members of a church. A male member's question to me was, 'Mrs Stone, I am afraid of you, I'm really afraid of you, can you tell me why I should not be afraid of you?' He was expressing his personal fears of being associated with persons who are infected with the virus. I said then, and it is still true today, there is nothing to fear from socialising with me, from being in my company, from hugging me, from eating from me and, by extension, any other infected person.

The truth is that when it comes to HIV, people have more to fear from the persons that are their partners, persons who they have sexual relationships with than infected persons who are just trying to survive in a stigmatised environment.

One of the problems of stigmatising behaviour is that it can lead to discrimination; and the act of discrimination is against the law. What the shopkeeper did could probably be seen as unjust and unfair, which are all aspects of discrimination. But, he did not break the law.

Ainsley Reid, who was a part of the first anti-stigma media campaign using HIV-positive persons, tells me that the Jamaican and Caribbean environments have changed for the better. In the late '80s and early '90s stigmatising behaviours were everywhere, not clothed or closeted but exposed for everyone to see and experience, especially the community of persons that were infected.

If we believe that this is a reasonable assumption to come to, then we have to expect that there will be pockets of enacted stigma coupled with more sophisticated and subtle forms appearing in the Jamaican and Caribbean environments.

I believe that media campaigns do help the anti-stigma cause. It at least begins the conversation in households across the island. There are also several off-shoots from a campaign such as this that are not immediately apparent. And from where I sit, a very important one is that persons who are infected in Jamaica have four faces that they can relate to -- Ainsley, Annesha, Jason and Rosie. We have been where they are and we can offer a listening ear and some kind of informed empathy that only a person who is infected with HIV can do.

Yours sincerely,

Rosie Stone

Rosemarie Stone has been living with HIV for more than 15 years. You can send her your questions relating to HIV and AIDS issues to info@eveforlife.org or write to Dear Eve, C/O Jamaica Observer, 40 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5.

Former Homeless man attacked again ..............

Confirmed reports reaching Gay Jamaica Watch is that a former homeless MSM who has been mentioned before as a victim of attacks on the city streets was a victim yet again in late December 2009 on two separate occasions by two different groups of men.

He was reportedly walking in the business district one afternoon when he was identified as one of the gays on a dance hall party DVD that was made public in 2006/7 as his face was shown. He tried to beat a hasty retreat on both occasions but on the second attack he sustained multiple injuries from three men which included a slashed left leg and a battered left shoulder.

He sought treatment at the local hospital in Kingston after managing to elude his attackers and hiding from them overnight so as to avoid being seen. He was on his way home when the second attack occurred, he and a friend had secured housing and were settling in when this event took place. He has since decided to remain off the streets for a while to avoid being recognized despite his attempts to change his identity.

Thankfully help had come so he could find emergency accommodation but the matter of his safety is an issue it is not yet known if JFLAG has intervened in any way. I strongly suggest to any one involved with this group that he in particular be sent away via the asylum route as his unfortunate situations keep adding up.

Those who are in a position to advise or help please contact me directly on lgbtevent@gmail.com or glbtqjamaica@live.com.

Meanwhile there are reports of police harassment on some of the other men who are left to fend for themselves in some instances.

Peace & tolerance

H

Security Guard arrested for John Terry's Killing

POLICE on January 21, 2010 nabbed a suspect in the murder of British diplomat John Terry.

The suspect, a 23-year-old security guard, was picked up at his workplace in Montego Bay, St James, early yesterday morning.

He is expected to be interviewed by homicide investigators in the coming days.

Yesterday, the police expressed confidence that they were close to solving Terry's murder.

In a press release, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green said the arrest was the result of intensive work.

"Our detectives have worked long and exhaustive hours in putting together the evidence which led to the arrest today. We are extremely pleased with the progress we have made thus far but our work is not yet done. There are some matters still to investigate and other persons to interview, but we are well on our way," Green said.

Terry's nude body was found at his home in Mount Carey, St James, by his gardener in September last year.

He appeared to have been beaten with a blunt object and his body was wrapped in a sheet.

A post-mortem revealed that he was strangled to death.

Residents of Mount Carey said a man was seen running from Terry's home, the night before the body was found, who asked for directions to take a taxi to the nearby resort city of Montego Bay.

Two days after the discovery of the body, police released a composite sketch of a man they believed to be the prime suspect in the killing. Police described the suspect as being of slim build, brown complexion, and with a bleached face.

He was seen by Terry's neighbours wearing a brown shirt, brown pants, a brown cap with white on the peak and carrying a black and grey knapsack.

Gay rights advocates labelled the Terry murder a hate crime and called for Britain and the European Union to cut aid to Jamaica

The fear of DANCEHALL (Gleaner)

The divisive dancehall/gay issue just won't go away. In its latest edition, the weekly Metro Santa Cruz newspaper looks at the long-running dispute in a cover story titled 'One Hate,One Fear'.
Buju Banton, whose clashes with gay groups in North America and Europe have become legendary, adorns the cover of the California publication which interviewed gay advocates such as Peter Tatchell of British group Outrage!, and Jason MacFarlane, a director of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG).

Reggae historian Roger Steffens was also interviewed for the piece which examines the changing tone of Jamaican popular music - from the one love message of roots-reggae to dancehall's violent, anti-gay themes.
Banton gets the lion's share of attention in the story which was done by staff writer David Sason. It revisits his most recent clashes with gay groups, which marred his Rasta Got Soul tour of the United States last year and forced the cancellation of several shows.
Tatchell's organisation staged similar protests in Britain five years ago against Beenie Man and Sizzla. He said the anger of Outrage! and other groups is not aimed solely at Jamaican acts.
"Would these venues host a concert by a neo-Nazi singer who called for the murder of black and Jewish people?" asks Peter Tatchell. "We are not against reggae, just against these few artistes who incite homophobic violence and murder. Inciting violence and murder is a criminal offense everywhere."

Tough climb backfor Big Mountain
Remember Big Mountain, the easy-listening California reggae band that scored big in 1994 with Baby I Love Your Way? Well, they are planning a big come back in 2010 after a five-year absence.
"We've been planning a Big Mountain album, but what it's gonna be we are not sure," singer-guitarist Quino McWhinney recently toldthe San Diego Reader newspaper.
Big Mountain's last studio album was a compilation of cover songs released two years ago in Japan, where the band retains a loyal following.
McWhinney and his brother James are the only founding members still in Big Mountain. The band included Jamaican drummer Carlton 'Santa' Davis and guitarist Tony Chin when they hit it big with Baby I Love Your Way, which entered the Top 10 of American and British pop charts 16 years ago.
Their current line-up includes Jamaican drummer Paul Kastick.

Boom-Draw from reggae singer Julian Marley's Awake album is one of influential USA Today music critic Steve Jones' '10 Intriguing tracks nominated for Grammy Awards', which takes place January 31 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Boom-Draw came in at number eight on the list. According to Jones, "The easy-going roots-dancehall tune was just one of the gems from reggae album nominee Awake."
Awake goes up against his brother Steve's Mind Control (Acoustic version), Imperial Blaze (Sean Paul), Gregory Isaacs' Brand New Me and Rasta Got Soul by Buju Banton in the Best Reggae Album category.

The ballad, There Goes My Baby, by former Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson, was selected as number one. It was written by Babyface and Calvin Richardson.
The Top 10 is completed by It Kills Me (Melanie Fiona); Woman Gotta Have It (Calvin Richardson); All Matter (Robert Gasper); Casa Bey (Mos Def); Universal Mind Control (Common); Tide (Luciana Souza); Ms Garvey, Ms Garvey (Roy Hargrove); This Time (The Robert Cray Band); and Day 'N' Nite (Kid Cudi).
- Howard Campbell

Buju Banton’s Lawyer says Buju set up by evil people.

Comment | Copy This

ClICK HERE to hear the audio portion if the player above doesn't work.

In an interview on Jamaica’s Nationwide 90 FM radio’s “This Morning” program on January 8, 2010, Mr. David Oscar Marcus, Mr. Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton’s lead attorney said that persons were paid by the authorities to basically commit a crime by inducing Buju’s trusting mentality. He said he believed in Mr. Myrie’s innocence after speaking to Mr. Myrie in a face to face meeting and despite having the video footage of his client’s alleged transgressions sent to him by the Drug Enforcement Agency of which he hasn’t viewed at the time of this exchange.

He said Buju’s spirits were high although he was incarcerated in a low level security lock up in Florida, following yesterdays appearance in court they pled not guilty and a new trial date has been set for March by which time he may miss the Grammy Awards Ceremony as his album “Rasta Got Soul” is nominated in the Reggae category. Seeing he had his visa revoked by the authorities he has no legal status as a citizen so the immigration authorities may not allow him free movement although he can post bond on the criminal court the immigration application may not go through, it is possible he can take up bond and take residence at the Jamaican consulate or his home in Tamarack Florida under possible house arrest.

He says Buju is well known and cannot go anywhere or become a flight risk so they ought to consider granting him bond.
On the matter of the perception of “Evil People” setting Mr. Myrie up he, Mr. Marcus, was cautious as he didn’t want to disclose as he said the government was listening implying his phone may be bugged or they were listening the interview, he said persons were paid to catch Buju Banton basically. As to the video footage evidence he said not all the meetings were taped and that “they only taped what they liked “and that his defense would challenge the video evidence.

That was funny to me as I don’t know if an agency can just decide what is likeable or not before archiving it, one would have thought all the possible evidence gathered would make their case stronger, why leave out segments if the meetings were so designed to produce a trail?. What was also puzzling was the comments were made in the context of his office having received copies of the alleged footage but not examining them. He was asked if he thought video footage (s)was/were tampered with, he said it hard to tell, he said he was going to have them examined and would take a close look.

He skillfully dodged the question as to his own track record in cases by saying he believed in Buju Banton and he wants to win, he continued by saying he wouldn’t have take the case if he thought Buju Banton was going to cut a deal or rant on someone else charged, the question was posed again with precedence on persons getting off from charges levied by the DEA juxtaposition he answered by saying the federal government wins 90% of its cases and they were going to fight it to be the few that overcome. He again says he doesn’t take cases where he feels he is going to loose. This attorney seems like one of those who take on high profile cases to boost their own careers with very little track record and his inability to justify his own strengths in this interview is telling.

As to the interviewers Ms Naomi Campbell and her male counterpart they weren’t probing enough in my estimation, the “Evil people” comment should have been explored a little more, Mr. Marcus should have been asked to explain what he meant in more detail, was it the Gay community or what as is believed in some circles especially here in Jamaica’s media and entertainment circles not to mention some sections of the public. Fairness is what counts, I feel and the smoke created by this perception needs to be cleared so we can get a better view. This sounds to me like a daily routine of a defense lawyer just doing what he is paid to do, defend as best possible.

Some questions come to mind though for me:
What is meant by “Evil People” setting up Buju Banton?
Why would the DEA go through all that trouble to record footage etc if they weren’t sure of their case?
Do you believe that footage could have been so doctored by the DEA to make the court believe Buju Banton was actually there allegedly tasting the cocaine as is said in Sound bites and newscasts?
Do you feel he will be found guilty in this matter?
Are you satisfied with how the interview was conducted?
Do you think elements within the US gay community really set up Buju Banton?
Do you think Buju Banton was involved in illegal drug activities if ever?

All these questions and doubts have been left in my estimation after hearing this interview, my apologies if the sound quality isn’t all that clear as my streaming facility is not working just now.
Please read and listen carefully folks and form your opinions.

What you think?

Peace & Tolerance
H

US HIV travel ban lifted Jan 04, 2010

Jessica Green (Pink News)

The ban on HIV-positive people entering the US officially ends today.

The 22-year-old law was one of the most restrictive immigration policies in the world for people with HIV but was lifted by President Barack Obama in November.

He described it as a "decision rooted in fear rather than fact".

According to On Top magazine, the first HIV-positive person to enter the country since the lifting of the ban will be Clemens Ruland, 45, a youth worker from the Netherlands.

He and his partner Hugo Bausch, 50, will be welcomed by gay group Immigration Equality when they arrive in New York today.

The lifting of the ban was praised by UK-based HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust.

Lisa Power, head of policy at the organisation, said: "It's ridiculous that for over 20 years people living with HIV have been banned from entering the US simply because of a medical condition.

"Removing the ban is long overdue and we congratulate the US government on seeing economic and medical sense. Terrence Higgins Trust and many others have campaigned against the ban since it was introduced.

"Blanket entry bans have no justification on public health grounds and only increase stigma. We hope other countries with similar bans in place will now remove them too."

The ban had also barred long-term foreign residents from obtaining resident status, purely on the basis of having HIV.

Only a handful of other countries, such as Yemen and Qatar, have similar policies on barring entry to HIV-positive individuals.

HIV experts criticised the ban in the past for encouraging people not to get tested out of fear.

Obama said that lifting the ban is a "step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment. It's a step that will keep families together, and it's a step that will save lives".

2009, The Year that was .....

2009 is easily one of the most active years in our recent lgbt history, we saw many new developments mostly negative on our scene and an unprecedented public education campaign as it were by the media in both print and audio/visual formats on gay issues thus giving us very high visibility. Homophobic as well as gay on gay violence increased dramatically than previous years and deaths due to both also saw a shocking corresponding increase as well. Most of the more prominent cases that have come to light are still under investigation and as feared may never get solved despite the prominence of some of the victims involved, such is the nature of our police and justice investigatory arms.

The lesbian community specifically saw a continued onslaught of homophobic incidents with the so described and disturbing “Corrective Rape” cases continuing from 2008. We saw allegedly 5 cases in 2008 and a further 4 for 2009 with one couple who had relocated from another parish to restart their lives due to a previous homophobic attack of a different nature falling victims to this awful scourge.

Homophobic and related incidents
Gay persons murdered in 2009 rose to 7 from 4 in 2008 according to my information here with of course the three more prominent cases being that of British Ambassador Mr. John Terry, the founder of the adult entertainment website Rudejam who was found dead in his apartment in December 2009 with several stab wounds and the operator of Café Aubegine who was found with his throat slashed at his Mona address. Arrests have been made by the Police on the first and third cases aforementioned that of Mr. John Terry but the case stalled late in 2009 and should recommence in 2010. The alleged male tenant of the home of the restaurateur was arrested after evidence pointed to him having blood from the deceased on his hands, in his defense he has said he tried to stop the bleeding of the victim after hearing cries for help and arriving in the bedroom to find him on the floor with his throat slashed open, he used his hands to try to slow down the hemorrhaging.
The general public’s belief that the violence meted to gays are done by other gay persons has left an air of sinicism about the cases mentioned above so the interest in having them solved has waned greatly and they are overlooked in a sense by the relevant authorities or the pace has dramatically slowed as other societal issues take precedence.

Community based violence also increased in my estimation just by the reports with the two most prominent being the house attack in South Central Jamaica where a lovers quarrel ended up with a mob called in by one of the persons involved alleging that the other was gay and leaving the victim with bruises all over and the loss of personal items. The other very public gouging of the eye incident that has been followed closely by the mainstream media especially the Jamaica Observer, the accused has since been bailed and the trial continues despite the victim’s call the drop the charges and discontinuing the case which could not be done as the presiding judge explained that seeing a police report was filed and things set in motion that could not be undone. Other small skirmishes occurred but were not of major significance and the entertainment scene saw a leveling off of fights and incidents much to the delight of party goers.

Interventions/agitation
Social support and other similar activities from the sole formal GLTBQ organization JFLAG waned significantly, the usual press release followed major incidents and commentary in the respective print media however many persons specifically the homeless MSM problem which came to a head in 2008 – 9 left an ugly scar on the landscape with controversy surrounding the snap resignation of the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life’s Executive Director due to a housing project meltdown and the decision by the NGO’s board to discontinue the activities with this group which included a safe house of sorts operated on the property. (See post following this) It is not yet clear as to JFLAG’s position on this issue as they have been mum as expected on the matter.
There seems to be a fear that issues must be kept secret from the rest of the community on general matters of interest. The ED of JASL at the time of this post was said to be travelling and could not be reached for comment. The homeless MSM saga became a sticky issue due to the lack of funds as said by JFLAG to adequately address the persons who fall in this category, it was the ED’s involvement in this matter that saw an upturn in the HIV/AIDS, behavior change intervention within the community and the impact was felt island wide however many are doubtful now and upset at the turn of events with mistrust re-emerging in as far as accessing testing/treatment services. This sensitive matter is being watched closely by ordinary gays on the ground as well as others in international circles including funders and concerned Jamaicans living abroad. Questions are being raised as to why it took JASL to do that kind of activity and not JFLAG fully?

Jamaican dancehall artists came under intense pressure and scrutiny from overseas GLBTQ groups specifically in the EU and the United States with emphasis under the Stop Murder Music campaign and similar typed activism. Many artists were blocked from entering countries and cities like Canada, The US (San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles), Luxemburg, Grenada, Barbados, Trinidad, and Copenhagen to name a few. Mr. Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton of course made headlines from as early as June 2008 when his CD launch and subsequent tour dates were announced. He faced protests and a hazing incident at one of his concerts in Los Angeles over his lyrics in the song “Boom Bye Bye” (Inna Battyboi head) that advocated death by shooting etc on gay men. He eventually met with a group in San Francisco to work out a supposed compromise which turned out to be a public relations stunt to avoid further cancellations of his tour dates in the US which was bleeding millions of dollars. The lack of support from other dancehall acts openly was telling as it seems many were afraid of the impact it may have had on their careers and earnings from tours and CD sales if a backlash should occur.

The lack of support from the Jamaican GLTBQ community was also telling as the cancel Buju Banton website formed by a key player in the campaign has brought to bear that very few Jamaicans registered to be a part of the agitation from our supporters up north.

His subsequent arrest by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in December on alleged cocaine trafficking charges in Florida was linked by some as a “set up” by the powerful gay lobby who are using the issue to destroy his career. As it has now turned out both issues are unrelated and public support which was strong for him at first has down died down tremendously. JFLAG had tried to diffuse the rumour mill by publishing a letter to the Jamaica Observer and radio interviews on same.

Asylum seekers and professionals left in greater numbers in 2009 that probably any other time in our recent history as persons were distraught by the conditions they had to endure from bias to fear of violence in their communities. Others left because of economic reasons to pursue better opportunities in work and study. JFLAG and Women for Women lost its Co-chair and Chair respectively (one individual) in this grouping as well. Many took the opportunity to use the favourable asylum policies of some EU states in as far as homophobic threat was concerned and have been assimilating in the respective countries. It is hoped that links can be forged with those abroad to better agitate for rights based issues here at home and their financial support would be indeed welcomed. In trying to track the numbers it is estimated that more than 23 persons have taken the move some reluctantly as the possibility of return is not anytime soon, it is not yet known if JFLAG has a head count for this year or if they have been tracking it closely as some persons access them for information of the procedures necessary.

Legal Issues
As it relates to law we saw the passing of the revised Sexual Offences Bill with the deliberate exclusion of gender and sexual orientation discrimination clauses removed after vigorous debate and lobby from the anti gay establishment chief among them Lawyers Christian Fellowship/Council led by chief homophobe Atty-at-Law Ms Shirley Richards.
There were no submissions from the gay lobby during this crucial debate along with the Charter of Rights roster as well. The government capitulated to this move by the group in a bid to sure up political mileage and pushed the well timed “No to Gay Marriage” smoke screen launched by Prime Minister Golding just before the US President Obama signed their version of the Act to make it a federal offence for crimes against persons due to sexual orientation and gender discrimination playing with public sentiments on homosexuality in general. The gay community in Jamaica never asked for gay marriage rights during the Charter’s or SOB debates. It seemed to have worked as we have been overlooked in both pieces of legislation.

The Charter of Rights in the meantime was passed in the upper house and has been sent back to the lower house for ratification within some days time (normally 60 days or so) it should be debated there again possibly gazzetted and sent back to the upper house for final passage. Sadly very little was done in the community to sensitize persons on the importance of such a Charter and the possible implications it may have on the Buggery Act and specifically male homosexual sex in general. The government is intent it seems on a theocracy becoming moral dictators for private citizens’ decisions.

Media landscape
Nearly all mediums of media had a thing or two to say or publish in 2009 on GLBTQ issues but in fairness most of the publications were fair and some even went as far as to examine Jamaica’s homophobic problem, strong articles by commentators such as Ian Boyne, John Maxwell and Martin Henry were crucial in that examination.
The juxtaposing of religion, sexuality and gender issues were refreshingly good to see coming from the aforementioned as prior t recent times their writings were somewhat of a biased nature. What was clearly lacking was the standpoint of the gay community on a whole and this is where JFLAG has been faulted for not adequately having a pubic presence except for the occasional letter to the editor and second hand reporting by journalists on conversations held with persons within the group, they came for heavy criticism yet again by the community for the poor editorial condition of their website and seeming lack of engagement with the GLBTQ community. Although there were negative letters, articles and editorials as well in some print media and gossip tabloids (notably the Xnews and Observer Chat) the strong articles helped to bring balance to the scene and the editors of the respective papers and news rooms clearly are realizing that people can’t be led anymore and that the issues are being looked at with more scrutiny. There is still more interest that needs to come from the gay community.

JLFAG presence on radio was light in 2009 in discussing issues such as the Buju Banton arrest in December, the John Terry murder case and the San Francisco protest of Buju Banton’s album tour.

One ugly media moment was the now infamous Raggashanti interview of an alleged drag queen who was arrested by Police in Central Jamaica after herself and a man were caught in a compromising position in a car in a public place. The police soon realized he was a cross dresser and the story made headlines. The Observer Chat carried a full photo of the assumed cross dresser and insinuated that the members of the Police were allegedly courting her for sexual favours. The exchange was irritating for some and many were very upset at the Chat’s article which named JFLAG in an alleged telephone interview saying that she was OK and never suffered any harm following the media’s interest in the story and the television footage. The mother paper to the Chat, The Jamaica Observer was however irresponsible in it’s handling of this story and published full face photos of the cross dresser.
Transgenderism was highlighted in a piece in the Jamaica Observer and its impact from dancehall culture, media in general has been slowly playing catch up on this issue as the public’s understanding and that of the gay community’s tolerance is still far behind.

Outlook and possible hot beds for 2010
All in all 2010 is already a dramatic year generally for our nation with the present economic woes facing us and the fledgling IMF deal the administration is trying to pin down with a letter of intent. The john Terry, Rudejam Founder and Restaurateur murders are to be watched closely this year as the respective trials and investigations proceed.
The Homeless MSM situation at Jamaica AIDS Support for Life and its outcome are also of concern. It is hoped that there will be some compromise reached between the Board and the Executive Director who has tendered her resignation or maybe a new organization formed to deal with the issue of these men who clearly need all the support possible at this time. She is known to have powerful connections to funders having herself worked with major agencies in her tenure elsewhere, details of these possible new initiatives are being held close to the chests of those involved but if it comes to fruition let us hope that it may serve the men in the group for their development.
The intervention strategies by JFLAG, The Ministry of Health in as far as HIV/AIDS and social support are to be watched too as some funding should be available for this year for them.

Transgender interventions and initiatives are expected and more informative activities such as workshops and seminars are urgently required to bring into focus the widely misunderstood group.

If anything was left out let me know please and thanks.

Here is wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and thanks for your continued support, comments and suggestions. Please keep on supporting this blog and other similar typed initiatives.

Peace & Tolerance
H