Should we care about dancehall acts & rumours of gaydom?

I say yes in a sense as effeminacy, hyper-masculinity and related aesthetics come fresh to mind for me on the back drop of public homophobia. 

With the tired ass homo-sensationalism that is spewed from mainstream print/electronic media these days one would at a glance want to ignore them just for some sanity but when one examines the fact that these dancehall acts inadvertently end up becoming "role models" for young ones especially we cannot ignore their alleged "back door" shenanigans coupled with our national psyche towards machismo, male homosexuality and especially effeminacy (the proof of you being a battyman). 

Rumours have always surrounded some acts in the business for years with Elephant Man in particular, this post was generated on his latest troubles as in recent days ZIP 103FM reported on April 24 that:

"Earlier today, a number of local websites have been reporting that Dancehall artiste Elephant Man was allegedly caught in his pool with 6 members of the gay community.

It has been alleged that the artiste was caught by his gardener at about 11pm last night after hearing some female voices coming from the pool house.

Reports are that when the gardener went to investigate to make sure there was no intruder on the premises, he saw what he claims to be a bit of blood on a white sheet before the door.

He claims to have entered through the door and saw men dressed in female clothing and a man fitting the description of the artiste.

However, there has been no official report of this incident and all efforts to contact the artiste have been unsuccessful.

So, keep it ziplocked as we seek to bring you more on the developments of this story."

ENDS

Now he plans to sue the station as reported by the Star News, funny too that the Star itself missed this one and was first by ZIP FM instead as they usually are the ones to break such suss as it were in the feverish bid to sell papers, we all know that once it's a gay themed story as a headline the papers fly off the shelves. They published this today:

Ele upset over gay post - Plans to sue local radio station

Following an article posted on the website of a popular local radio station, dancehall artiste Elephant Man says he intends to take legal action.

The article, headlined 'Elephant Man caught with gay men in his pool', alleges that Elephant Man's gardener walked in on the artiste who was at the time sharing the company of men dressed in female clothing.

News of the controversial post quickly began to spread to several websites, the post itself receiving over 2,000 hits in less than an hour on the local radio station's website.

When contacted by THE STAR for comment, Elephant Man in a clearly upset tone of voice said, "How can a radio station like that put that on a website? Elephant Man is suing for bad publicity. How can a man like me wey have 35 pickney, be involved in things like that? How dat drop een? Look how much real fish out deh wey dem fi guh talk bout," he said.

The artiste also refuted claims that the radio station made any attempt to contact him before posting the article.

tarnish mi image

"Nuhbody nuh contact mi from there (the radio station). Bout dem try get to me and it nuh work. How you (THE STAR) contact mi and get me? And mi nah contact dem because a dem violate mi so a dem fi contact mi. Somebody there don't like Elephant Man and a try tarnish mi image," he said.

According to Elephant Man, he has not been to his house on the hill for over a year and he does not have a gardener because the house is under renovation. He revealed that he was in the process of making preparations for his daughter's birthday celebration and was not even in the area.

"You cannot get up and put things like that pon a website bout a artiste when yu know inna yu heart sey nuttin nuh guh suh. Suh when me sue dem, nobody nuh sey me wicked because dem get up and a mislead mi fans, a big luuu ... how that come about?," Elephant Man said.

As for his fans, Elephant Man says, "jus gwaan hol' di faith cause nuttn nuh guh suh. Suh jus gwaan pray an God wi see mi tru."

ENDS

As dancehall acts maintain the status-quo of hyper-masculinity, gangsterism and related aesthetics in the public eye through their music behind closed doors is another matter and this case though not confirmed to be so should not be simply overlooked, the gentleman in question has several anti-homosexual songs in his repertoire and has faced some strong opposition via the stop murder music campaigns over the years. Lest we forget he was accused by another dancehall act in 2009 of being a "fish" a colloquial term for gay man and that created a fire storm between the two, whether it was designed to attract attention to themselves as a form of manufactured controversial to raise visibility is another matter, second tiered DJs tend to go after more established ones to get attention by raising controversial accusations as a part of marketing gimmickry.

See: Elephant Man called a "Fish" in dancehall rivalry

But to promote hate and deadly prescriptions for perceived homosexuals especially for those who are effeminate as that is the marker used to identify and out them is one thing but to practice the same behind closed doors is sheer hypocrisy. Can we now begin to deduce after all these years that even the producers, artistry repertoire agents and song writers only seek to play on the national homo-negative psyche to make millions at the expense of us relatively out gay and bisexual men via local standards who are secure in the knowledge of our own sexuality? then we are punished by homophobic violence and a tacitly supporting religious right movement.

"Gay" is just too girly, downlow is better to hide in.

This could be another arm of the cold war or struggle between the down low sections of the MSM populations who deny their own identity or at least refuse to label themselves gay as it comes with too much weight that challenges Jamaica's understanding of masculinity. In the Star article it proves thus where Elephant Man is reported to ask how he as man could have 35 children and be involved in homosexual acts? so the "stud factor" is to be the determinant marker for proof of heterosexuality, that one can impregnate women at a whim and that is enough to show one is not gay. Be fruitful and multiply I suppose.

Down-low as cool in media ............... 

Sadly the gay/bi and increasingly mainstream entertainment industries themselves have also helped to fuel this down-low phenomenon as OK by presenting it as normative in a sense and giving it credence while associating masculinity as the major qualifying agent to hit it and run, merging it with gangsterism and smoothing it over with music predominantly rap. Even so called gay rappers come with this over-hyped image of masculinity but with a same gender loving twist but it wouldn't be rap if it got all effeminate themes as its core as is seen in the house music or ballroom scenes.

Some questions to ponder:

1) Where will the double standards end?

2) How many more hints to dancehall acts must we continue to have similar to this?

3) Have we forgotten the allegations of major names in the business on the so called Ambassador Peter King tapes? ......... that today have remained hidden from the public's scrutiny

4) Is the public not phased by this allegation to Ele given that it is an open secret that hyper-masculine types are involved in homosexuality?

5) Do we have to wait until a video or photos turn up before we just get the truth and hence live it?

Then there is the business of psychological control associated with power differentials and masculinity or projected "strength" over another, dancehall acts amass to themselves plenty of adoration and are in awe by their followers and sometime large all male entourages separate and apart from the female groupies. It would not surprise me to learn that sexual contact also occurs between those male populated groups and any popular star. The unbridled power that these stars are awash with can lead to anything in my view just at a layman's glance when compared to how quickly some of these same hyper-masculine types also are ready to get down in a "gay for pay" transaction yet openly deny being gay when confronted or in a group setting so as not to look or deflect any perception of such in the slightest. 

Stories of persons hanging around at recording studios as well for that chance to be with certain stars or to even get an opportunity to voice a track are an open secret in the music world. These same gay for pay brothers (usually between other hyper-masculine types) also do so as payback for protection or access to the star in question, to be seen with a popular star brings prestige and some would do anything for that. 

The same sex contact in hyper-masculine terms however from my experience is not as romantic or subtle, a bit impersonal and not as cuddly as gay or bisexual men who do not have the pressure of living a lie to others everyday and are in the public's gaze or are innately attracted to each other. They tend to also act out the aura of hetero normative dominance in sexual roles and even positions, certain parts of the body must not be touched when it comes to the dominant partner as any act that seems to even allude to a passive hint is resisted and can lead to a violent reaction which can explain or slightly confirm the gay on gay violence with disastrous consequences that sometimes play out in the public domain. Some men will literally dictate how the act will be conducted and insist on no anal touching, fondling or caresses. He is not a woman. Questions of orientation come in here versus control, desire and adaptation following same sex experimentation hence using it to make money as well or gain material wealth.

Effeminate allure

As to Ele's supposed romp with drag queens this can be a representative hint to those hyper-masculine brothers who prefer a kind of behavioural bisexual element where feminized aesthetics in a man is the aphrodisiac that is derived from the otherwise hidden same sex attraction. We may never know the truth of this or the other allegations of other acts that turn up every now and again but it certainly has brought the discourse about thugs on the downlow.

It was only in February of this year we saw a prominent area leader finding his alleged same sex activities landing him in trouble and the down low matters coming to light as would be gang members had to "give up the booty" to qualify for membership.

CLICK HERE for more from GLBTQJA

Gay/bi celebs locally all got to come out one day sooner or later or else exploitation or victimization will continue as this latest episode seems to allude to.

Peace and tolerance

H

May 7th for UNIBAM Supreme Court Challenge in Belize

The United Belize Advocacy Movement development was inspired by the implementation of the Multi-Centric Study in 2005 for sex workers and men who have sex with men. Paul Edwards, then, epidemiologists for the Ministry of Health brought down Dr. Chad Martin from the CDC to explain the concept of an (MSM) or men who have sex with men organization. As a result, discussions started between persons like Alex Avalos and Fernando Novelo to develop concepts of names, but it was Alex Avalos who developed and strengthen the letterhead and other many nameless persons that led the development of name UNIDAD 96 as a group in Orange Walk. 

With analysis, work proceeded to develop objectives of the group, an MSM HIV/AIDS Analysis, along with community conversations to add substance to the ideas that were brainstormed informally. During this time, current president, Caleb Orozco was working for PASMO as a health educator with support from UNFPA OPEC project and he use to do group sessions at Fernando Novelo and Alex Avalos house in Orange Walk. It was Arnulfo Kantun, though, who helped facilitate the space with Caleb Orozco to cement the present day name UniBAM. A meeting on 16th February, 2006 with 10 other persons from Belize City and Orange Walk was held at the Channel Five building on Coney Drive that was the National Development Foundation of Belize building. The group present wanted a national name reflective of Belize's cultural diversity. They actually borrowed Alliance Against AIDS activity to get the name change. . .........

Fast forward to the challenge:

The stage is set for one of the biggest Supreme Court Cases in memory, that’s UNIBAM’s constitutional challenge to section 53 of Belize’s criminal which outlaws sex between men. The actual court hearing is set for May 7 to 10th, but today, the case was called up before Justice Michelle Arana for case management.

Caleb Orozco, the president of UNIBAM, who’s spearheading the challenge, was at court today along with his attorney Lisa Shoman, and attorneys for the Council of Churches and the Government of Belize. They held an audience with Justice Arana in her chambers, in which technical legal issues were ironed out on both sides.

The news coming out of that meeting is that the case has been moved over to the CJ’s Court – and it will be full of the highest flying legal eagles were likely to ever see packed into one courtroom. Shoman told us about the international attorneys added to their side of the case.

Lisa Shoman - Attorney for Caleb Orosco

 

"It's what it is now. The case is going to trial. We've been notified that the Chief Justice will be hearing the case on May 7th to 10th and we were just finalizing because the churches wanted some more time to put in their written submission. The claimant, Caleb Orosco, has filed written submissions. The human rights interested party have filed written submissions. The attorney general asked for more time and they will have to file by the 30th and the churches will be given until May 3rd. Trial days are set - it is May 7th to 10th."

Daniel Ortiz
"Ma'm, I also just got some information that the International interested parties have retained the services of an attorney from Trinidad and Lord Peter Goldsmith from the UK, can you confirm for us?"

Lisa Shoman
"I can tell you that the claimant has a team of attorneys which has one attorney from the UWI, Mr. Christopher Hamel-Smith, Queen's Council from Trinidad is also appearing along with myself, along with Simeon Sampson. So we are all Caribbean people and I understand that the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Human Dignity Trust and the International Society of Jurists who are the human rights interested parties have asked Godfrey Smith and Lord Peter Goldsmith to appear on their behalf."

We also spoke to Orozco, who told us that the public and media are confusing to issues, human rights, and human rights enforcement.

He told us that everyone in Belize should enjoy the same rights and freedoms. According to him, the problem is that the LGBT community is often victimized, and their rights are not enforced at an institutional level.

Caleb Orosco - Challenging Belize's Constitution

 

"The issue for LGBT citizens is an issue of rights enforcement. It's not an issue of recognition of human rights. It’s not about special rights and it’s not about adding rights. The issue for us is recognizing that Belize has very strong human rights framework in terms of all the international treaties insights and Belize fundamental rights and freedom have very strong principles in reference to the fundamental rights and freedom within it's own constitution and national laws. The problem at the moment right now is the domestication of some of these international treaties applications. The other problem is the recognition. Not just as a matter of paper but as a matter of practice but the fundamental rights and freedom of our LGBT citizens are the same as our Belizeans. So what we are working on is to address the rights enforcement issue as it pertains to systematic responses to the concerns to the specific needs of the population."

And if Lord Peter Goldsmith sounds familiar to you he should. He’s the Queen’s Counsel from the UK who the Ashcroft Alliance has retained twice for representation in relation to hearings in the Appeal Court.

also see previous entries from sister blog GLBTQJA

UNIBAM Gay Rights Case Slated for May 7-10, 2013

THE UNIBAM CASE explained

IRS Revokes NARTH tax exempt status ................

A recent homosexuality seminar (see ad below) that was hosted by theologian and talk show host Reverend Clinton Chisholm and which also had as guest speaker Counseling Psychologist Mrs Joan Pinkney used among other sources flawed US noted National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality conclusions to suggest all kinds of anti homosexual posturings. Bearing in mind that the group has run into serious challenges in recent times with some of its own researchers who took them to court regarding alleged misuse of studies done on reparative therapy etc.

For example the age old narrative that lesbians become so due to a lack of a male father figure was used or neglect even if the father is present in the home

Now comes news that the once powerful NARTH has lost its tax exempt status and will now have to pay up on any donation it gets.

One wonders eh?

Ex-Gay watch reported recently:

The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) has lost their tax-exempt status, for failing to file form 990 three years in a row. Dr. Warren Throckmorton confirmed this with the Internal Revenue Service and reported it on his site on March 12.

“Even though the full name of the organization is not listed, the Employee Identification Number and address match up with the 2009 990 form. A call to the IRS also confirmed it.

NARTH’s website advises prospective donors that their donations will be tax deductible but it appears such deductions after September 15, 2012 may not be allowed.”

This means that donations to NARTH will no longer be tax-deductible. The IRS says their status was revoked in September of 2012; it can take a little time before the information becomes available to the public, which is why this is only making news now. NARTH has not responded to request for comment from Throckmorton, and there is no evidence that NARTH has tried to get their status reinstated.  To do so would require starting the application process over from scratch.

Some commenters on Warren’s blog observed that NARTH has continued to claim on its website that donations are tax-deductible, despite IRS assurances to Throckmorton that they are not.  One commenter, Roy Peterson, received the following response to an inquiry via email:

“We’re working on that. The information provided from the IRS does not match our own records. We believe it to be a misscommunication [sic] and have no reason to suspect that we won’t continue to operate under the 501 non profit tax deduction.”

However, a follow-up with the IRS by Warren confirmed that the organization had indeed lost its status as a nonprofit.

NARTH has existed for decades as virtually the only secular reparative therapy organization in an industry made up largely of conservative Christian denominations. On the surface, they seemed to offer a “scientific” approach that contrasted with religious efforts to become “ex-gay” through prayer and other rituals. However, NARTH’s underpinnings have always been religious. Joseph Nicolosi, who has been a prominent NARTH figure for decades, is a devout Catholic. He helped popularize the phrase “The opposite of homosexuality isn’t heterosexuality – it’s holiness.” NARTH’s “research” has always been lacking, using such dated and disproved hypotheses as the “absent father/overbearing mother” explanation for homosexuality. They have also consistently and deliberately misused the results of important, scientifically valid studies to justify bigotry and civil inequality against the queer community.

Shoddy scholarship and thinly-veiled religious antipathy for gays have been benchmarks of NARTH from the beginning. Although they’ve been the go-to group for all ex-gay organizations that want to claim that science is on their side, NARTH is little more than a cottage industry – a conference they held in Philadelphia a couple years ago yielded about 40 attendees.

At this point one can only speculate about why they failed to file for three years in a row, but this incident bears a striking resemblance to what happened to Peter LaBarbera’s organization, American for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH). He too failed to file form 990 for three consecutive years, and AFTAH’s tax-exempt status was also revoked by the IRS. At the time, blogger Timothy Kincaid commented that for nonprofits, every expense and donation must be listed. This means that donor names must be disclosed, and all of this information becomes available to the public. A copy of a nonprofit’s tax return is made available simply upon request, with all of this information.

“990′s provide a good deal of information: major donors, expenditures, grants, officers, compensation, programs, etc. And, most likely, Peter had something which he simply could not publicly reveal.

I’m guessing it was ‘major donor’ info. We would, of course, leap on disclosures from ‘legitimate’ organizations and Peter may have had no choice.

Going forward, AFTAH will have to decide on their corporate structure. They will have to file assomething. I wouldn’t be surprised if some new entity is created.”

NARTH will have to make these decisions as well, if they are to remain “in business,” so to speak. Who knows if the things they wanted to keep hidden (if that is indeed the case here) for the past three years will come to light some day soon.

Overall, this is a major blow to the ex-gay industry in America. If they become a defunct organization, the “studies” and “research” attributed to them will become that much more worthless, even to those most vehemently opposed to equality.

ENDS

Below is a video of Dr Lisa Diamond who claimed NARTH distorted her research - 

Lisa M. Diamond, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah. She has won a number of awards for her work.
In 2000, Dr. Diamond published a study, "Sexual identity, attractions, and behavior among young sexual minority women over a 2 year period."

This study was distorted by the so-called ex-gay therapy group NARTH. They claimed that Dr. Diamond's work shows that sexual orientation is "amenable to change."

Dr. Diamond also produced a second study, "Female Bisexuality From Adolescence to Adulthood: Results From a 10-Year Longitudinal Study" in Developmental Psychology (2008, Vol. 44, No 1., 5-14).

NARTH recently cited this study to support its anti-scientific belief that homosexuality is a mental disorder that should be treated.

Some religious right lies about the lgbt community ...................

Subject to periodical adjustments as they increase 

1. Homosexuality is a lifestyle more harmful than cigarette smoking.

2. Gay men have a short life span.

3. The gay and lesbian community have a high rate of domestic violence.

4. Unhealthy behaviours i.e. substance abuse, promiscuous sexual behaviour  are indicative of the gay or lesbian orientation.

5. Gay men molest children at a high rate.

6. Gays and lesbians want to silence Christians.

7. Gays and lesbians recruit people, particularly children, to their "lifestyle."

8. Gays and lesbians are following a six-point plan to take over America.

9. Any judge who rules in favour of the gay and lesbian community in a case is an "activist judge."

10. Anal sex is "homosexual behaviour."

11. Robert Spitzer’s study confirms that gays and lesbians can change their orientation.

12. Gays and lesbians want to force acceptance.

13. Gay bowel syndrome is a legitimate medical term.

14. A man who molests a boy or a woman who molests a girl is automatically homosexual.

15. A convenience sample or out-of-date study can be used to generalize about an entire community.

16. The average gay man has many sexual partners.

17. Laws created to protect transgender from discrimination will make it easier for sexual predators to come into women's' bathrooms and locker rooms.

18. Tolerance means acceptance by LGBT lobby standards

19. The LGBT lobby is on an anti-Christ world view and gay Christians do not matter

20. Gay men want to plug every butt in town owned by a man

21. Gay men will apart from anal sex ultimately practice fisting, fishing and felching (a favourite set of blog posts from anti gay activist Dr Wayne West of the JCHS)

22. Homosexual orientation does not exist and is a misnomer used by gay friendly psycho social experts

23. Put children in a same sex school and they may become gay

24. Gay parents will automatically cause the children they adopt to be gay too

25. God hates fags

26. Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed because of homosexuality

27. Women who become lesbians are so due to the lack of a father figure in their lives (repeated recently at a religious sponsored seminar by a Counseling Psychologist Mrs  Joan Pinkney on April 5, 2013)

28. HIV/AIDS is a gay disease and is punishment from God to stop men from having anal sex

29. Jamaica will be destroyed if we decriminalise buggery

30. More homo-paedophile cases will occur if the buggery law is removed

31. Murders that involve a member of the LGBT community as a victim for the most part are romantically or jealousy related or caused and not homophobic

also see: Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS continued confusion of paedophilia & consenting homosexuality.

Former US 'Ex-Gay' Superstar John Paulk Finally Renounces His 'Ex-Gay' Past

A quick look up north and more proof that this Ex Gay business just does not work.

Paulk Must Now Begin The Hard Work Of Atoning For The Damage He Has Done To LGBT People, And Anne Paulk And The Religious Right Must Stop Peddling The Lie Of The Paulks' "Fairy-Tale 'Ex-Gay' Marriage" Immediately, Says Truth Wins Out. This was the same man who was outed several times before after he supposedly sided with the Ex-Gay movement in the United States, now comes this press release from TWO. Here was one of the last videos exposing his error. (WARNING strong language)

Burlington, Vt. - Truth Wins Out commended former "ex-gay" poster-boy John Paulk for taking an important first step in being honest about who he is, but stated that Paulk must do much more to make up for the damage he, his estranged wife and the Religious Right have done to the LGBT community over the last twenty years.

In a piece in PQ Monthly, Paulk, who has perhaps done more to hurt LGBT families than any other single person in the "ex-gay" industry, states for the record that he no longer endorses efforts to change people's sexuality:

"Until recently, I have struggled all my life in feeling unloved and unaccepted," Paulk said. "I have been on a journey during the last few years in trying to understand God, myself, and how I can best relate to others. During this journey I have made many mistakes and I have hurt many people including people who are close to me. I have also found a large number of people who accept me for who I am regardless of my past, any labels, or what I do."

Paulk continued, "I no longer support the ex-gay movement or efforts to attempt to change individuals - especially teens who already feel insecure and alienated. I feel great sorrow over the pain that has been caused when my words were misconstrued. I have worked at giving generously to the gay community in Portland where I work and live. I am working hard to be authentic and genuine in all of my relationships."

While John Paulk is to be commended, after so many years, for finally being honest, Truth Wins Out believes much more needs to be done. According to Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen, "It is not enough to simply send an e-mail that says, 'I'm sorry.' John Paulk must work to atone for the damage he has done to LGBT families by taking a public role in renouncing and working against the harmful 'ex-gay' industry by embarking on a speaking tour to show that he truly has changed. Further, he should advocate for a bill in Oregon that would ban so-called 'reparative therapy' for minors. Only then can he start to repair the damage he has done to countless LGBT people and their families."

John Paulk was at one time the most well known and influential person in the "ex-gay" industry, appearing on the cover of Newsweek with his wife Anne in 1998 under the headline, "Gay For Life?" He was instrumental in forming the Love Won Out "ex-gay" roadshow, which subjected countless LGBT youth and their families to misinformation, indoctrination and lies, and which destroyed many families in the process. In 2000, Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, photographed John Paulk coming out of a Washington, DC, gay bar, and the lies began to unravel. Though John resigned from the board of Exodus International following this incident, the Religious Right continued to use the Paulks' story as evidence that the "ex-gay" life was a fairy tale rather than a nightmare, and many LGBT people and their families have been damaged or destroyed over the years as a result.

John and his wife moved to Portland, Oregon, shortly thereafter and lived relatively quiet lives as John built a catering company called Mezzaluna, staffed by curiously attractive gay men. John and Anne didn't really disappear from the "ex-gay" scene, though. John spoke in 2010 at the Evergreen "ex-gay" conference, and in 2012, Anne was a co-founder of the Restored Hope Network, a group of "ex-gay" ministries that defected from Exodus International when Alan Chambers began to tell the truth, that reparative therapy and "ex-gay" ministries do not change anyone's sexuality. Indeed, Anne seemed to double down on the lie at the group's inaugural meeting, telling the crowd:

"I never thought I would be married and the mother of three sons," she told the eager crowd mixed with anti-gay extremists and the hurting parents of gay children.

Anne Paulk continues to propagate a false narrative of her own "ex-gay" life in order to stay in the spotlight and make money off of suffering LGBT people and their families.

During this same time period, Truth Wins Out had been receiving reports that John and Anne Paulk had split up, and that John was living as an out gay man in Portland, frequenting gay bars and propositioning men for sex. In 2012, Truth Wins Out attempted to give Paulk an opportunity to set the record straight and come out with dignity, instead of continuing the lie that his family was an "ex-gay" success story, a narrative that the Religious Right uses to this day. When that offer was ultimately refused, Truth Wins Out released the results of an investigation that showed that ongoing narrative of "ex-gay" healing in the Paulk family was fraudulent, as John had been pursuing relationships with men who worked for him, buying them things and asking them for sexual favors.

Focus On The Family and others on the Religious Right have had ample opportunity to remove the Paulks from their literature and to stop using them as poster children for the lie that "ex-gay" programs work. While John expressed in the recent investigation that he no longer wanted to be associated with his "ex-gay" past, he was unwilling to publicly correct the record, and his estranged wife has continued to peddle their false story to any "ex-gay" charlatans who will listen.

In light of John Paulk's announcement, Truth Wins Out also calls upon Anne Paulk and the rest of the Religious Right to immediately cease using the Paulks' story to sell harmful "ex-gay" therapy to vulnerable people. "Anne Paulk and her Religious Right cohort must immediately cease lying to people about the false 'ex-gay Paulk fairy-tale,'" said Truth Wins Out Associate Director Evan Hurst. "Indeed, both Paulks should become poster children for the very real nightmare that has been the 'ex-gay' experience for so many LGBT people."

Truth Wins Out is a nonprofit organization that fights anti-LGBT extremism. TWO specializes in turning information into action by organizing, advocating and fighting for LGBT equality.

###

Cuba Looking to Become Gay Travel Hotspot

In light of a suggestion by a radio talkshow host on Newstalk 93FM some weeks ago during the Mind Doctor show on making Jamaica a kind of transgender tourist destination as well given our proximity to Cuba and their own forward thinking approach on sex and sexuality and with sex reassignment surgery also offered there I was not surprised to see this story cropping up.

The trans-tourism idea was discussed with none other than Dr. Karen Carpenter our own board certified Clinical Sexologist when a whole hour and a half was used on the radio channel to re-introduce transgenderism, Dr Carpenter had done so some years before where she also interviewed our own leading transgender voice Laura Garcia. 

also see: Radio program "Love & Sex" on Sexual Identities & Transgenderism (Were you born in the wrong body?)

Now to the post's gist:

Ryan Dixon of South Florida Gay News shared this.

Even with the US State Department travel restrictions and a checkered past of treating the gay community, Cuba is looking to attract LGBT travelers and bring them – and their money – to what was once a forbidden country to Americans.

From April 14 to 21, Insight Cuba, along with gay travel agency Coda International Tours, has put together a travel package to give LGBT people an exclusive seven-night trip to Havana and Cienfuegos full of one-of-a-kind art and cultural experiences.

Coda International Tours founder Jim Smith said gay travelers are “on the cutting edge” and the “first to establish trends.”

“[Gays] are going to places before they’re flooded with the average tourists,” Smith said in a statement. “Cuba is a very warm and friendly destination and a big draw right now, especially for the gay market.”

Tom Popper, president of Insight Cuba, agrees with Smith saying he and his company have crafted a custom itinerary and is thrilled to offer this particular program for the LGBT market.

“In addition to our signature people-to-people activities fostering touching exchanges with locals, participants will also be able to experience the thriving gay community in Cuba as the country propels towards more democratic ideals,” said Popper.

At $3,995 per person, that custom itinerary, which includes accommodations, all meals, guided activities, entrance fees to scheduled activities and in-country ground transportation, starts with five nights in Havana, then two nights in Cienfuegos and wrapped up with a day trip to colonial Trinidad. Highlights of the trip include:

• Walking through Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Engaging with resident musicians and artists at Callejon de Hamel, a street rife with art displays and public music performances.
• Attending a dance session of Ballet Folklorico de Trinidad.
• Visiting the artist Jose Fustar, dubbed the “Picasso of the Caribbean.”

For more details about this trip, visit Coda International Tours.

ENDS

I have always admired from afar Cuba's movement forward in a sense despite their communist regime but when it comes to sexuality they are aeons ahead of the rest of us in the Caribbean with their public television providing a vital stream of information that has helped to raise the profile of particular issues chief among them transgenderism.

There have been criticisms however over the years in terms of pre and post operative treatment with reports of botched surgeries and so on but Thailand of course is the center of it all with state assistance in some instances for persons who desire and qualify for major life changing experience.

Jamaica could do well with some pink dollars in an article/post in 2008 entitled Jamaica missing out on gay billions as published in the Jamaica Observer it delved into the possibility of earning more foreign exchange and given our recent rocky road via austerity to some fiscal stability we could do well with it. Here is an excerpt;

"Can Jamaica afford not to market itself to lucrative gay travel in an increasingly competitive global tourism market?" Chambers, a lecturer in Tourism at the University of Surrey, asked in a speech at the 2008 ACS Crossroads seminar last week at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

She said that Jamaica could earn a sizeable percentage of the market based on its comparative advantage in tourism. But she cautioned that first a "sanctioned gay space", must be established, otherwise "it cannot happen".
Two years ago, a transsexual porn star berated a risque hotel chain for cancelling its planned party in Jamaica.

Meanwhile fast forward to November 2012 where another article this time in the Gleaner looked at LGBT travel

LGBT Leisure travel market set to spike 

Tolerant industry

"Our hotels have always welcomed. We don't necessarily place ads advertising that we accept the LGBT, but we would never turn back persons because of their sexual preferences," said a Negril hotelier, who added that there is really no difference from how the LGBT market was treated by the average hotel 20 years ago.

"The industry has always been more tolerant than the rest of the society," said the hotelier, adding that there are many gays working in the tourism sector, so it's no big news.

Another hotelier says Jamaica is not ready for this market, which is a big mistake. "I have tried to target them in the past, but I have given up, because it's a hard sell, particularly because of our homophobic reputation," said the hotelier.

She said if members of the LGBT community were to turn up at her property they wouldn't be turned back. She admits that the market has huge potential of pumping foreign exchange into the island's coffers.

More on the carnival & gays ........... A country of hypocrites!

also see my entry on GLBTQJA

Every so often when there is another gay-related incident in this country, invariably people start to quote the Bible, chapter and verse about sodomy and all that, and someone always comes up with the line "Jamaica is a Christian country, blah, blah, blah."

I have never heard such rubbish in my entire life; Jamaica is a Christian country. Yeah, and I am the next Pope. The only claim that Jamaica can really claim when it comes to religion or Christianity is that we have a lot of churches, a whole lot of churches. Churches are our beard, the one we use to conceal how vile, vicious and hypocritical we really are.

Christian countries don't sit by and allow more than a thousand people to be murdered in each of the last 15 years or so, nor do they allow the police to murder their citizens without any fear of being held accountable. Christian countries don't allow the rape and murder of babies and women. The people in Christian countries don't accept corruption as part of the national fabric and allow their politicians to plunder the public purse. No, Christian countries don't allow their citizens to live behind burglar bars and allow for vulgar music and loose moral standards to indoctrinate the young.

I understand that we don't like homosexuals, and we are repulsed by the idea of two men having sexual intercourse even while we are secretly aroused by two women being engaged in coitus. I get that. I also get that we use Christian beliefs to justify our hatred of homosexuals. But why are we so selective when it comes to what portions of the Bible we choose to embrace.

Why don't we kill farmers that sow different crops together as the Bible suggests we do? Bible thumpers can look it up. Why don't we stone adulterers to death, like the Bible suggests that we also do? If I do remember, there is a commandment that says "Thou shalt not kill" and "Thou shalt not have any gods before me". The latter commandment is very applicable as we have come to worship all things material - money, cars, big houses, you name it. If it is expensive, we worship it.

Every day, we post Bible verses on Facebook before we go out and sin like hell, only to attend church on Sundays and pretend like we're saints. We ruin people's lives as a matter of course on a daily basis and then zip into church for an hour or so on a Saturday or Sunday and figure that doing so means all is forgiven.

It's time we cut the crap and the hypocrisy. Homosexuality is not a lifestyle, it is a way of life for some people and some animals, too. We can accept it or continue to live in ignorance. I suspect the latter is what most of us tend to choose, because it justifies the ignorant things that come out of our mouths on a daily basis. But let me tell you something; if there is a God, there will be hell to pay for all the gay people we have subjected to lives of fear and misery.

I never 'jump' in Carnival. I don't like it, it's noisy and it's pointless. But it presents the platform for the biggest hypocrisy of all. All these so-called God-fearing Christians are out scantily clad on the holiest of Christian holidays, wining up on each other and drinking recklessly, and our big problem is that the gays are doing it, too?

Send comments to levyl1@hotmail.com

Additional video for viewing:

On homelessness, evictions, hypocrisy & now JFLAG's own displacement ...............

So a war of words has occurred between some advocates post the eviction notice of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, Jamaica Forum for Lesbian Allsexuals and Gays JFLAG and the other tenants of the property which they had held for over ten years plus by the previous owner as the property has been sold but we can easily deduce that the problematic homeless MSM issue is a major contributing factor for the sale, I had mentioned the eviction notice in my February 23, 2013 podcast on homelessness issues, the war of words has come over a simple use of a word "Eviction" as placed in a Facebook post by controversial lawyer Mr Maurice Tomlinson where he expressed the following but embedded in all of this are far more underlying points:

"HOW IRONIC...

That J-FLAG has been evicted and is now homeless, just like the homeless gays in New Kingston. That gays were abused for daring to express themselves like everyone else during Carnival, and the Jamaican TV stations refused to air two “uptown” tolerance themed ads calling for respect for gay Jamaicans?

If nothing else, these events should confirm that the difference between the "Rich Queens" and the "Scary Queens" is just a myth. To Jamaicans, we are ALL the same thing: undesirable. We can only change their minds and achieve our liberation if we act TOGETHER!"

It is ironic in a sense as JFLAG have now found themselves displaced, the very thing that the homeless men in New Kingston have been made to suffer twice through their own episodes of family rejection from their homes and communities and then by the dubious closure of the Safe House Pilot project in 2009 where the rowdy behaviour of the men was used as a justified reason to end the only coordinated response to homelessness that took years in the making. Ironic too that Mr Tomlinson never really took such interest in matters of homeless welfare and fiduciary responsibility. Let us also bear in mind that new members join the group over the years hence the large numbers of them.

Payback is a bitch eh? 

.............. remembering that the very office space the J is now being asked to vacate was the very Safe House space that housed some 7 persons, they had no qualms taking up residence less than two months after it became vacant, any self respecting entity devoid of conflict of interest and seeing a section of its representative population about to be made homeless by process would have stepped in and agitated on their behalf instead they turned their heads away and watched the men leave to their fates, let us not forget the deaths and umpteen skirmishes that made mainstream news to present day with the carnival fiasco the latest in a long line of them.

If the project was tweaked instead of shut down all together maybe we would not be here today and to think the men are still hanging around on the property as they were led to believe they could stay and use the water supply and gain shelter outside the J's office, now confirmed reports have brought to bear that the previous owner has told the men personally that they have to leave and they were also paid a visit by a very abrasive police team who it is alleged have threatened the men with beatings if they do not vacate the premises. I am in no way condoning the antisocial behaviour of the fellas but improper or inadequate responses to this long-standing population in particular for the past four plus years has led us to this moment. The security detail also that is contracted to offer protection services to JFLAG also had to be called in as there was an alleged break in said to be organized by some of the men who are living vicariously on the property.

Some of us at varying levels from the GLABCOM steering cmt to the peer educator group had great hopes that the project would have at least put a dent in the growing numbers of displaced and homeless men especially since 2007 but instead we saw an indifferent JFLAG, JASL et al especially at the board level in trying to pass the buck suggesting government should provide shelter for the men whilst echoing the poor excuse of not being able to find a space to rent for the now termed phantom shelter they had announced on television in April of last year on TVJ's All Angles and again at a town hall meeting (first held in years) in November 2012.

Now to see the J meeting the fate of the men in a sense is troubling yet it conjures up a serve them right feeling as well, the argument between Mr Tomlinson and the former Programs' Manager of the J, Gareth Henry is interesting as the former accuses the latter of being more interested in protecting JFLAG's image more so than finding a solution while the latter points to lack of fiduciary responsibility on the former's part (referring to when he was a board member of JASL etc), here is Mr Henry's first response:

".....my thoughts on the matter is your choice of word “evicted”. J-FLAG was NOT EVICTED, Please Please... let us stick with the facts, any variation from what is factual we all know is a LIE. The owner of the premises have been contemplating selling the property for some time now.. for years I must say. When JASL first rented from Ms. ********* we were informed that she will be selling the property sometime soon, even though 10 years past. When JFLAG rented sometime in 2010 they signed a lease knowing that the property was going to go up for sale.

There is so much that can be inferred by your post and I want to haste to state that Ms. *********** and her Husband are strong supporter and advocate for our cause. They rented JFLAG knowing all about our work and the risks involved in having JFLAG as a tenant both from the community itself and the wider society."

Please, let stick with the FACTS and I am encouraging you to retract your statement and the use of the word EVICTED; the same person you are alleging that EVICTED JFLAG is currently actively helping JFLAG and JASL to find a new home... did you know that? Dane Christian, Ian McKnight , Jae Nelson, Ivan shanky Cruickshank... please correct me if I am wrong here please....... you guys will have the FACTS."

(********* name withheld)
Mr Tomlinson responded:

"Hmmm...Gareth Henry, I have been accused of many things, but I think I know a thing or two about the term "evicted" (having been a real estate lawyer for awhile). Being asked to surrender title to property, legally or otherwise, is an eviction. I hasten to point out that my post was about the irony involved in thinking ANY of us is safe. As I understand it, finding a new space was not as easy for J-FLAG as for any other commercial tenant (security issues were raised, no doubt). 

What I find challenging is the desire (at least to me) to preserve J-FLAG's reputation and that of the landlord, instead on focusing on what this experience should teach us about the realities facing our fellow LGBT citizens who we are not different from at all. I urge you to re-read the post."

Interesting that Mr Tomlinson should raise the matter of ethics indirectly when some of his own actions and comments elsewhere in particular in as far as being a spokesperson for the LGBT community has left some baffled and question his own motives as being one on a narcissistic quest at the expense of the least amongst us and a gullible LGBT community. He has been accused of resorting to half truths deliberately to push his arguments. He later raised a point though whether it is a genuine position it is left up to the reader to interpret, he said:

"I reject that J-FLAG's situation is dissimilar to that of other evicted gays (I have stated why above, including the lack of ease in finding new accommodation . However, this exchange by privileged voices has made it clear to me that it is easier to expend energy debating my use of a (correct) word, rather than actually seeking viable solutions for the class divide within the LGBT community. My post was a call to see our SIMILARITIES. Instead, much ink is spilt emphasizing our perceived dissimilar treatment."

Frankly this business of MSM homelessness long pre-dates any public agitation for LGBT rights and freedoms from as early as 1974 when Gay Freedom Movement came to be then JFLAG in 1998 after developed from JASL(1991) yet we have seen so many of that group of persons fall through the cracks from dying of AIDS related illnesses to living in abject poverty to lifelong struggles yet with no serious thrust for a rehabilitation response for such persons that is until the Safe House Pilot, forgive me if I seem to ramble on about it but we cannot as a community (if we really are one) continue to just pretend this section are a mere nuisance or embarrassment for us whilst demanding tolerance and acceptance from the mainstream, as far as I am concerned we have to show it then ask of it in return and we are aeons away from ever displaying at best any unity and overall acceptance of those who are the least amongst us when descriptions such as "Rowdy" or "Maladjusted miscreants" are used by persons who ought to know better to put down the men while not addressing the antecedences to their anti-social behaviours.

Some questions come to mind as well:

Where were all these persons when the Safe House project was originally closed?

Was there really an expectation that after the closure of the project the men would have simply disappeared so out of sight out of mind?

Can we realise the two Jamaicas classism showing up here over this vexed issue of MSM homelessness?

Is JFLAG trying to save face by this latest round of embarrassments?

What is to be done with men after they leave the premises as the new owners take over?

Where will the J operate from in the meantime pending a suitable office is found and during that period will they be offering full services?

Mr Tomlinson was a board member of JASL when the ultimatum was given for the Safe House closure, why didn't he express his concerns then instead of supporting such a final action to a well needed project?

Why was the project allowed to start in the first place if there were doubts about it?

What was the real reason for discontinuing that pilot?

What a shame that this is where all this has had to come and even as the men and their safety should be pondered persons are worried about the use of a word here? frankly they were given an eviction notice now what next? All of this from 2009 to present could have been avoided but with the trail of events in full thrust I am not hopeful anytime soon. Rumblings from within the J's walls suggest there is unease with the management style as well of the ED and the overall lack of a grasp of the issues at the Management committee level as well. Others including the former Safe House Project initiator have become so jaded by all the squabbling and disingenuous public relations on the issue over the years.

I have been asking and still am asking where are the programs specifically to do with the homeless impasse?

Maybe we may get an answer but in the meantime I leave you with a parting shot by Mr Tomlinson that has some element of truth in it, whether he is genuine I leave up to you to decide:

"I have enjoyed this exchange, as it has revealed something quite interesting: we appear more interested in how J-FLAG was perceived to be treated, than how the homeless (evicted) youth have been. Curious."

Peace and tolerance

H

Gel Safe and Acceptable as Approach to Preventing HIV from Anal Sex in Early Phase Clinical Trial

April 3, 2013 – A reformulated version of an anti-HIV gel developed for vaginal use was found safe and acceptable by HIV-negative men and women who used it rectally, according to a Phase I clinical trial published today in PLOS ONE. The study, led by researchers with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), tested a reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel, and has spurred the development of an expanded safety study of the gel, expected to launch later this year.

Rectal microbicides, gel-based antiretroviral products applied into the rectum with the use of an applicator, are being developed as an approach for preventing or reducing the sexual transmission of HIV from unprotected anal sex. Researchers are working on developing rectal-specific products as well as reformulations of vaginal products, specifically, tenofovir gel.

The study, known as MTN-007, was the first to evaluate tenofovir gel reformulated with less glycerin, a common additive found in many gel-like products, in the hopes of making it better suited for use in the rectum. It began in October 2010 and enrolled 65 men and women at three sites – the University of Pittsburgh, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Fenway Health in Boston.

In MTN-007, study participants were randomly assigned to one of four study groups. Three of these groups were assigned to use one of the following products for a one-week period: a reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel; a placebo gel containing no active ingredient; or a gel containing the spermicide nonoxynol-9. A fourth group did not use any gel but took part in all of the study-related procedures and tests, including physical and rectal exams.

Study results, preliminarily presented at a scientific meeting in 2012, indicated no significant differences in side effects among the three gel groups. Eighty percent of participants reported minor side effects related to the use of study products, and 18 percent reported moderate side effects. (Two study participants reported severe adverse events, but they were not related to use of the study products.) Participants’ adherence to the use of their assigned study products was high, with 94 percent using the products daily as directed. When asked about the likelihood that they would use the gel in the future, 87 percent of the participants who used the reformulated gel indicated they would likely use the gel again, compared to 93 percent of the placebo gel group, and 63 percent of the nonoxynol-9 gel group. In addition to assessing safety and acceptability, researchers also conducted gene expression testing, and noted changes in the activation of some genes in the reduced glycerin tenofovir gel group, which they will continue to assess in future rectal microbicide studies.

“We are very encouraged that the reformulated gel was quite safe, and that most people who used it said they would be willing to use it in the future,” said Ian McGowan, M.D., Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the MTN and professor of medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “These results have formed the basis for a follow-up study that should provide us with even more detailed information about the safety and acceptability of the gel.”

Researchers are now in the final planning stages of a Phase II, multi-site trial of the reformulated gel called MTN-017 that will involve186 men who have sex with men and transgender women at clinical sites in Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S., including Puerto Rico. Participants will cycle through three study regimens: reformulated tenofovir gel used daily, reformulated tenofovir gel used before and after anal sex, and daily use of the antiretroviral tablet Truvada®. MTN-017 will allow researchers to collect additional information about the gel’s safety and acceptability in the rectum, and compare it to the use of Truvada.

In addition to Dr. McGowan, other authors of the study include Craig Hoesley, M.D., University of Alabama; Ross Cranston, M.D., University of Pittsburgh; Philip Andrew, FHI 360; Laura Janocko, Ph.D., MTN and Magee-Womens Research Institute; James Dai, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Alex Carballo-Dieguez, Ph.D., Columbia University; Ratiya Kunjara Na Ayudhya, BSMT, MTN; Jeanna Piper, M.D., Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Florian Hladik, M.D., Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and Ken Mayer, M.D., Fenway Health.

MTN-007 was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute of Mental Health, both components of the NIH. Tenofovir gel was developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc., of Foster City, Calif., which assigned the rights for tenofovir gel to CONRAD, of Arlington, Va ., and the International Partnership for Microbicides of Silver Spring, Md., in December 2006.

CONRAD developed the reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel evaluated in MTN-007 and it differs from the formulation originally developed for vaginal use. Although the vaginal gel produced a significant antiviral effect when used in the rectum, it was found to cause gastrointestinal side effects in some study participants in an earlier study called RMP-02/MTN-006.

The vaginal formulation of tenofovir gel continues to be evaluated for preventing the transmission of HIV through vaginal sex in women. Ongoing is a Phase III trial called FACTS 001 that is testing its use before and after sex among women in South Africa. FACTS 001 hopes to replicate the results of CAPRISA 004, which found this regimen reduced the risk of HIV by 39 percent compared to placebo gel. The VOICE Study (Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic), however, found daily use of the gel not effective among its study participants; most of the women did not use the product daily as recommended.

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