Cruising community challenges continue ............

The last time we looked at challenges facing this part of the men who have sex with men community we saw some issues in a particular geographical zone probably caused by changes by the authorities to those areas.


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Some cruising challenges ..........

Once again the cruising community of Kingston proper has been hit by another series of issues within the last month or so, mostly of their own population members making leading to some unraveling. In one instance a new comer as described by one of the more elder statesmen of the lot that traverses a certain section of downtown is up in arms as his regular taunt has been exposed where this “newcomer” to that strip was spotted cruising another male who was urinating by a light post on the particular stretch, a popular way for Jamaican men to relieve themselves in public when nature calls is to urinate openly but carefully concealing their penises although some men do expose themselves in jest. Let us also bear in mind that earlier this year we had issues within that same geographical zone of old hunting spots and even a suspicious murder of a man in the area in February of this year who was found nude in the newly refurbished Coronation market and who was buggered still rests on the mind of many including the elder statesman of the bunch who I spoke to, we happened to have ran into each other at a bar in Kingston last evening. it is not yet known if the deceased was indeed a regular of the group or from the community at all but concerns have been raised as why would he have been left nude and buggered?

The questions still linger in my mind as to the incessant need for cruisers to revisit old stomping grounds though even when major overhaul or changes have been effected in those locations. Historically downtown has been a major cruising ground from the early days of the sixties and seventies as oral histories validate and with the erection of the new telecommunications giant Digicel fast rising headquarter towers, the beautification of the pier and the clearing of the rear of the craft market, the reopening of the train station (a more successful spot for meeting and making hookups with trade boys (heaviots) or hypermasculine types) the erection of the new rural bus terminus and taxi stand much to the dislike of commuters who have to use a shuttle service to get there with some safety concerns as that area has a stigma attached and the bulldozering and opening of a car park by the old standpipe where men once openly bathed nude some veteran cruisers and even exhibitionists (who masturbate openly) in the game still traverse these spots.

 Are these a sign of excessive compulsive behaviours ?

Are these signs of a type of paraphilia? -  a term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her. A paraphilia involves sexual arousal and gratification towards sexual behavior that is atypical or extreme. The term was coined by Wilhelm Stekel in the 1920s. Controversial sexologist John Money later popularized the term as a nonpejorative designation for unusual sexual interests. He described paraphilia as "a sexuoerotic embellishment of, or alternative to the official, ideological norm." In the current version of the DSM (DSM-IV-TR), a paraphilia is not diagnosable as a psychiatric disorder unless it causes distress to the individual or harm to others. The DSM-5 draft adds a terminology distinction between the two cases, stating that "paraphilias are not ipso facto psychiatric disorders", and defining paraphilic disorder as "a paraphilia that causes distress or impairment to the individual or harm to others". This will make a clear distinction between a healthy person with a non-normative sexual behavior and a person with a psychopathological non-normative sexual behavior.

Then again in discussing these matters openly our anti gay opponents might say yes, see that’s all gay men are just sex hungry freaks but one can understand in a sense the need to seek sex outdoor or that proverbial quickie as it may not be convenient to do so in one’s own abode or residency given the sensitivities involved in the Jamaican homophobic climate and the lack of safe spaces or money to seek accommodation in hotels. The old area nearing a certain fish market is still active according to the veteran but he is upset at the newcomer who spoiled it all, the newbie was chased by a group of men who were passing the new bus terminus as indicated above. The chase ended just by the old bookstore warehouse on Port Royal Street where the newbie managed to dart between oncoming traffic heading westwards to elude his pursuers who were visibly upset they never caught the battyboi. Another allegation has come forth as well of a teenager in uniform who was also caught with another man performing oral sex in that same vicinity, that has not been confirmed but has been corroborated however. One of the issues in my mind also is that this community is not exposed to the advocacy structure or even the more popular LGBT social scene as they tend to prefer remaining underground except the occasional appearances at freebie parties as they tend to lack the disposable income to meet the gate receipt requirements. What is also unique about this group is that they tend to be just in it for pure fun and sex and despite their financial challenges at times or as is evidenced they do not for the most part get involved in commercial sex work but seek that exhilarating release but in a public space. Aphrodisiac? 

One might ask or a that thrill of being close to danger but far from harm theory, that sometimes to hide something one can out the issue or item right under the noses of who one does not want to see. The more open stomping grounds are still active like in more public spaces for the initial hookup then deciding where to go afterwards but the more surgical and spontaneous cruiser activities seem to be getting more difficult or boxed in as uninhabited spaces and buildings becomes less available or populated thus causing the occasional exposure.  We have seen other issues before over the years in that part of town such as the murder of a once popular cruiser who was also a fixture on the LGBT party scene one of the few known brothers who dabbled in the main LGBT population social scenes while engaging in contact with the cult underground was stabbed several times and his body dumped wrapped with barbed wires on the controversial imaginary political lines of West Kingston, his death at that time sent shock waves and raised concerns about downlow activity in the controversial don political culture as the deceased was accused of blabbing on a figure who resided there at the time. Just recently who can forget a certain key gangster figure who also was charged for murder of a man whose body was dumped in a barrel and left on a handcart, testimony in that case also revealed that the deceased was performing oral sex on the said key gangster when he was killed as he had disobeyed ab edict laid down by the figure at the time and so he met his punishment. 

The links must be made when these matters are brought to the fore, downlow sex whether by cruisers or otherwise has to be brought in the mix of general LGBT agitations for rights as this invisible group is overlooked as they do not create the buzz needed as lightening rods for attention.

Some sort of intervention is needed I feel but if we can’t even get any honest moves to deal with issues directly infront of our eyes especially with the least amongst us that being the homeless msms then how are we going to deal with a population that is for the most part clandestine even to the rest of the LGBT community’s eyes. My few interactions with these men has also revealed that these aren’t the typically profiled brothers but are men who sometimes are bisexual or have the occasional female partner or that male from the lower economic strata who uses the Kingston proper region to earn a living near the market district but are same gender loving or willing to practice some sort of sexual contact with other men. Stealth is a crucial tool in this game as these brothers are mostly very masculine and it may not be known how they are in their natural state in a few instances. 

Certainly let us have this group of men also in our thoughts although at some point in our own comings and goings we have engaged in some sort of cruising if truth be told but maybe not to the extent to which our brothers in this cohort may want to go or have gone. Fortunately the newbie made good his escape and as the veteran said he hopes he has learnt from that episode.

Peace and tolerance

H