The Public’s separation of homo-negativity and homeless LGBT welfare issues

In recent days and indeed years to be precise the repeated public evictions of Kingston’s homeless MSM and transgender young persons that have made mainstream news the public’s concern and discourse on the matter has produced a surprising ability by some to separate the issues that attend to homosexuality in general including homo-negativity and homophobia versus the glaring welfare issues and indeed hypocrisy that abound from the LGBT lobby regarding the same populations. The selectivity of the issues being looked at JFLAG namely the organization that has become the brunt of heightened cynicism as their public agitation is stepped up on the buggery law, the contrast between the call for tolerance, the public acceptance of free will, privacy and consent between adults and the current Supreme Court legal challenges to force some amendment to the buggery law versus the strongly perceived view that the homeless groups have been rejected by JFLAG and others more affluent gay persons is blatantly clear so much so that the public is becoming very dismissive of calls of any kind from JFLAG as the common man is interpreting the contrast as sheer hypocrisy and classism at work. Comments such as those on Newstalk 93FM (July 8, 2013) say it loud and clear for e.g. “a de rich gay boi dem a look bout demself while the poor one dem a suffer, a fool dem tek people fah no change no law roun’ ere,” (It is the rich gay powerful men that are looking about their rights or feathering their nests while the poor ones suffer, no change in the law then)

Since the last eviction from the upscale neighbourhood of Barbican namely the Millsborough Avenue area as carried on both television stations with faces visible and all and the subsequent demolition of the house the public discourse has been vociferous about the welfare of the men and the shock even by homophobes per say who are repeatedly asking where is the concern by JFLAG and the others for these men? Is it because they are poor or considered “buttus” so they are unworthy of any recognition? Talk show hosts have joined the fray in casting the hypocrisy image on the organization and I agree in some sense, here are some considerations:

How can a tolerance message resonate with an already cynical public about homophobia, homo-negativity and violence where it is believed that the lobby has lied, is lying or twisting truth?

Have the relevant agencies come to terms that the previously introverted nature of homeless MSM is now a dead phenomenon?

If such ideal virtues as espoused are not demonstrably clear to the public that they want to convince how the campaigns can reap results that will lead to a change in the national psyche towards homosexuality?

Doesn’t JFLAG et al realise that they are now being seen as hypocrites and liars by the public more so than ever before?

Is JFLAG more interested in preserving its image especially in the international arena that it feels it must separate itself from this “rowdy” group?

Where are the interventions that we were told of in a November 7, 2012 town hall meeting that were coming including a residential facility that was to open on December 1, 2012?

Why does JFLAG only seek to act after when things get really bad in a knee-jerk reaction? We always knew of homelessness long before now

How does JFLAG and advocates find millions for Supreme Court challenges but are silent and paralysed when it comes to the homeless MSM/Transgender persons?

How can agencies such as JFLAG gain any moral authority in engaging these men (if they realise that they need to) with the requisite programs?

Where is the ethical depth here or ideological base for any agitation for rights and recognition for LGBT rights here when a prominent sub group under the LGBT umbrella is perceived as abandoned by JFLAG?

Is the public being lied to about JFLAG’s ability to find a space to start their idea of a shelter?

Will the former Safe House residents (some of whom are in the Millsborough evictees) and older populations be included in JFLAG’s shelter idea?

I agree with Mrs Barbara Gloudon to a certain extent on her position she took on her radio show on July 4, 2013 the day after the eviction was carried on her radio station’s sister television station TVJ where she asked why the church that was quick to launch anti gay and anti buggery demonstrations are silent on this issue and why are the relevant LGBT agencies not openly addressing this group? She went on to suggest the hypocrisy between well to do homosexuals who are well known in Jamaican society but are comfortable in their homes and status and who clamour for rights but what about the rights for this set of men. She went on the express some concerns as well similar to mine about the relocation of this group and their engrained anger that won’t remain as such but will present itself elsewhere. Simply removing the men from this location is only going to relocate the problem probably more concentrated elsewhere and this has been so for years. This thing started in New Kingston and downtown to some extent for years long before this group as homelessness in the MSM and possibly transgender community predates any LGBT lobby formation and struggle. The amount of persons who have fallen through the cracks is astounding if one were to really start counting and no serious answers came save and except a residency pilot project, The Safe House Project 2009 but it was closed as the anti social behaviours showed up and the planned psycho social interventions that were to kick in were not allowed to hence the men were thrown back onto the streets as the easier way was chosen to address the problem thinking the men would have disappeared in the underground relegated to service users of these same organizations that ditched them and when an extra ordinary incident occurs with one of their own it is waved to the world as proof of homophobia in Jamaica. So it is convenient to use them for international image positioning but leave them untended to for to find finality to the long standing issues of lives interrupted.

Naomi Francis of Nationwide radio alongside her co-host Emily Crooks also were scaving in their charge as well without calling the names of the agencies but implied they lamented on the hypocrisy of well to do homosexuals in the lobby who also parade themselves for rights waxing in eloquence but leave out the least amongst themselves to suffer as martyrs so as to push an agenda. The credibility of the lobby is taking a massive hammering since this series of public spectacles regarding the homeless MSM in Kingston in particular while the other populations elsewhere for the better part are ignored. Press releases after press releases have come and the spin doctors in the set up put out their columns in the papers as usual in typical knee jerk reaction all in a bid to fix their image more so than really finding solutions for these men and transgender individuals. Members of the public have been echoing such sentiments; the temporary host of Newstalk 93FM’s Straight Up program also had such aforementioned perceptions as a major theme in the show for the last couple days and callers on all platforms just from a cursory scan express similar sentiments. A typical call for example would open by declaring their opposition to supposed homosexuality but then there is a hypothetical scenario placed of the moral grounds is presented and the original perception that since the men are gay then naturally the lobby would seek to protect them or see to their welfare instead they are ditched and rights seem only a call for rich powerful gays versus poorer classes who suffer the abuse. We must bear in mind the already held belief that more affluent homosexuals are recruiting persons into homosexuality now the belief of class stratification only serves to harden that belief that poorer men are just bait for sex and abandonment.

I wonder sometimes who are the strategists inside the agencies are these days as the seeming aimless direction they are heading and on a frolic of their own leaving out the rest of the community is frightening. There are early worrying signs in the newer populations of displacees and homeless men who socialize separately from the Millsborough/Dewsbury groups signs that were seen in the latter populations, are those signs a prediction of things to come when we see the fallout the former Safe House residents and Millsborough evictees as a benchmark of anti social behaviours in similar groups. Have these same strategists and leadership realise that the damning castigation by the two major newspapers of abandonment by the agencies via editorials respectively has resonated with the public hence the scrutiny and cynicism by readers and ordinary folk? Let us not forget the men have said repeatedly that they have been abandoned and their voices have been allowed to carry via television and in print; the exclusion of the homeless men for example the May 17th International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia symposium at that Larry Chang Inaugural event has left JFLAG with a black eye in some circles and more proof that the true welfare of the men is not on the agenda of the advocacy group with a social interventions arm via its crisis interventions department yet publicly the Executive Director paints a picture that the welfare issues is outside of JFLAG’s core activity; but we know that the agency was formed to take away some of the immediate issues from its parent organization Jamaica AIDS Support as they did not want to be perceived as a gay organization seeing that so many LGBT people were going there for varying reasons. JFLAG’s formation was not only about the challenge to the buggery law yet to fix their image they present such a premise as its cause of origin.

It is going to be far more rocky to convince the public than it already is some of who are reaching so many conclusions and it seems nobody is measuring the points of views in the public domain, then again if bloggers who are not ivy leaguers and part of academia are not listened to then how do we expect such intellectual snobbery to disappear when it comes to the vast majority of ordinary citizenry? Jamaicans have a funny way of seeing through issues when we least expect and powers that be in general tend to under estimate the common sense of the common man while dismissing their simple yet direct comments as not worthy enough for consideration. Homeless persons in general were and are expected to be invisible as was reiterated by long time advocate Yvonne McCallah Sobers of Families against State Terrorism, FAST some of the measures used to rid the streets of homeless persons include:

1. Arrest and imprisonment. Today’s Larceny Act contains a clause prohibiting “loitering”, a by-product of vagrancy. Police have arrested homeless gay men on charges of “loitering”.

2. Police eviction. Squatters are forcibly removed, often without the offer of alternative shelter. The homeless gays in New Kingston have so far been evicted about four times. (in fact nine times)

3. Arbitrary removal. There has long been suspicion that homeless persons (in particular the mentally ill) are carted away in clean-up exercises in locations with an image to preserve. The 1999 removal of street people from the tourist resort city of Montego Bay, St James, provided an example of forced relocation of the homeless. Almost 40 persons were rounded up and driven to a site close to a red mud lake in St Elizabeth. State agencies were involved in the kidnap, and a commission of enquiry was held. No public officer faced any court charge as a result of the incident.

4. Offer of shelter. For homeless males, Kingston has one night shelter and one residential shelter (mainly for the mentally ill homeless person). Both shelters have limited space and resources.

Reports indicate that the homeless are routinely abused: raped, burnt, beaten, and sodomized. That too reinforces the belief that once male homosexuality is brought into the mix the some predatory behavior or abuse will automatically obtain. Homeless gay men in New Kingston therefore face complex problems because they are:

1. Visibly homeless in an upscale community.

2. Homeless in a society seemingly without compassion or political will to address the shelter needs of the homeless and evidently unmoved by the shelter and security needs of the homeless.

3. Openly gay in a society that is anti-gay, and where influential gays feel compelled to conceal their sexual orientation.

4. Sufficiently aggressive and organized to draw attention to their existence by creating mayhem

The agencies ignore those ordinary voices to their own peril. The Urgency of relieving New Kingston businesses and residents of the problem of homeless gays and by extension Barbican has led to mainstream human rights groups taking a hypocritical stance as well where in they publicly endorse arrest of law-breakers without apparently giving at least equal attention to addressing the causes of the problem. While the media continue stereotype the LGBT community, based on behaviour of homeless gays (in particular the Observer). They do not publish pieces promoting tolerance of differences, decriminalizing or repealing the buggery law, ending stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation but instead carry items promoting intolerance of differences based on sexual orientation, retaining and buggery law, and perpetuating stigma and discrimination (in particular Clovis cartoons in the Observer).

Q: What is likely to happen if the problems are not solved?

A: Increasing formation of a parallel society by homeless gays, and increased frustration of government and non-government agencies as the homeless gays retreat more and more into their parallel society. Jamaica has already had examples of garrison communities that become virtually independent of the State. The escalation in numbers of homeless gays is noteworthy as far as my numbers are concerned: from 30 (2009) to 55 (2010) to 70 (2011) to 80 (2012) to an estimated 100+ (start of 2013) which does not include the migratory pattern on out of towners from other metro poles such as Spanish Town, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Mandeville and even eastwards as Portland and St Thomas. The initial talks and consultation exercises way back in 2008 under the defunct Safe House Project 2009 had 9 such sessions that looked at the needs at some of the challenges we saw then when I was a part of JFLAG and JASL’s targeted interventions programs, the first session at the time we had 13 folks coming in while the other street based work modeled from the PLACE methodology had us coming across more than 120 persons in Kingston alone over a four month period as displacees. The size and scope of the problem has been grossly underestimated and hence today the leadership in many of these NGOs are now faced with the challenge even in the face of any serious interest from them.

The men again were removed from another site on Dewsbury Avenue where they had gone to seek shelter albeit illegally so our homeless are nomads in their own land with a hypocritical JFLAG more interested in preserving their image and absolving themselves of blame as made more visibly obvious by the Sunday July 7, 2013 headline story of the Gleaner The Hunt for a Home – “JFLAG chides state for its treatment of homeless as gay men search for somewhere to rest” The Executive Director of the J was quoted in the article alongside someone said to be a representative of the agency who sought to describe the injuries of one of the men with the following disturbing response when pressed on it they reportedly said “I don’t know the circumstances of the attack you would have to speak to him” a most strange response of a crisis intervention case from a so described representative in my eyes and if correct speaks to the hands off approach of the frontline staff. Let us not forget that this is the same JFLAG that distanced itself from the men in the height of the challenges from Trafalgar Park, New Kingston and even Millsborough Avenue when their presence there first broke as news but JFLAG suddenly had no qualms trying to paint the police as aggressive to the men in the removal exercise when the four video presentations of the action showed no such thing or hinted to as the cops were familiar with the men and only sought to have them removed so the demolition crew could carry out the task. Dane Lewis was quoted as saying “The police operation to remove individuals from a property on Millsborough Avenue is another example of the unnecessarily brutish treatment of the poor and vulnerable who have no place to sleep.”

So now the same men who JFLAG turned its back on are now suddenly poor and vulnerable to suit the grandstanding and deception yet a few lines later he is quoted again “the organization condemns unlawful actions of any person including homosexuals ........... Repeatedly removing people from abandoned properties does not solve the fundamental problem it merely tells them to find somewhere else to sleep at nights.” I find it remarkable that JFLAG’s statements change with the complexion of this longstanding issue of displacements and homelessness yet they were deafeningly silent when the safe house was ordered closed by the Jamaica AIDS Support board in 2009 finally shutting down February 26, 2010 but not until August 21 – 24 2011 when the second insurrection took place at JASL/JFLAG’s former office from they were evicted where the story was picked up by the Jamaica Observer the J has been on an image repair drive at every turn aided and abetted by prominent activists, they claim they tried but those attempts were too little too late (April 2012); who really cares about the least amongst us? The men are only being used as it is plain to see by those who are objectively looking at this mess but the public is also slowly catching up on the deception just listen to the talk shows and the type of analysis by ordinary folk; people are thinking and observing. Also take note the officers who did the removal exercise were the same ones who have been addressing the issues in New Kingston and the particular Superintendent who led the operation seen HERE was on a television program discussing homelessness with JFLAG on October 3, 2012 see more HERE  who has been very patient with the issue albeit JFLAG's permission of sorts to act yet now  that they have acted JFLAG falsely accuses them of being brutish when the men in fairness left the property unimpeded.

Then we turn around and wonder why the public is so cynical and the crisis communication over the years has been so paltry?

Think on these things

ANOTHER HYPO UPDATE: July 9, 2013
Want more hypocrisy check out the letter from one of the most powerful German Jamaicans in the hotel industry who was so silent on homelessness all these years all of a sudden now pens a letter to the Gleaner entitled of all things: "Turn Off Gaydar And Rescue The Homeless" we cannot go suddenly now speak out on homelessness and use this group when THEY WERE ALWAYS AROUND yet you were SILENT; is this how we are to get freedom in this country by hypocrisies, half truths, lies and dishonest posturings? HYPOCRITES ON ALL SIDES IT SEEMS as the church continues it selectivity and nitpicking as well. it is most disgusting to watch this all play out like this, where is the moral compass, where is the ethical depth, where is ideological base in all this and from all sides involved?

Peace and tolerance

UPDATE JFLAG supposedly hits out: 

JFLAG hits out at gay thieves

H

Kingston’s Homeless MSM challenges scream for proper attention

Are the homeless young gay/bi men and transgender individuals in Kingston being deliberately ignored by the relevant LGBT advocacies to be used as bait to highlight their issues in a kind of involuntary martyrdom to a cause they may not necessarily subscribe to?

The last time I looked at this was the first anniversary of the double murder of two of the homeless brothers on June 13th 2013 via an audio entry where I looked at the defunct Safe House residency 2009; I feel so helpless in some sense watching this all unfold before me for so many years knowing that there are ways to address this and such avenues were attempted but the interest is just not there as hypocritical advocates and leaders in the LGBT lobby in particular are more interested in fulfilling their narcissistic quests to be in the spotlight via buggery law fights more so than working with the least amongst us or have their social issues on an equal plain as well so as to really make demonstrably clear the evidence of true tolerance and unity in our so called community; then there is a call to the public for them to be tolerant towards us!?

Really!?

Today’s Gleaner headline on a day as today the anniversary when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was entered into by several states as drafted by Thomas Jefferson and others and is also the United States’ Independence Day, I would presume Jamaica subscribes to the UDHR’s principle that all men are created equal but with sadness I have to say all that is sheer hypocrisy especially in the realm of LGBT advocacy when clearly this latest episode reflects the continued abandonment of a section of the displaced and homeless communities in terms of lack of real interest, proper psycho social programming to address the antecedence to anti social behaviours and lack of continuity of previously launched actions to address them, case in point the dubiously closed Safe House pilot residency in 2009; consequences of which the relevant agencies are still reaping namely their own eviction from their previous offices. Let us not forget this is ninth or tenth such eviction and subsequent demolition of squatted on property two of which received major attention the Cargill Avenue mess and the Trafalgar Park debacle how many more like these are to come in lieu of some proper answers and how many more choppings, chasings, beatings and internal conflicts must we witness, do we have to wait until more deaths come (albeit they be deceptively waved a homophobic killings as was attempted after the June 13 2012 double killings) before something is done? 

This is also bearing in mind that in May 17th of this year on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, IDAHOT, at a symposium done by JFLAG for to discuss homelessness the very men were not even invited to attend so that their voices could carry and to think that only six days prior to that a lengthy television interview spoke to homeless zooming in on teens and new displacements more so on the older populations on CVM TV where all kinds of spins were brought to deflect full responsibility yet no mention was made of the aforementioned symposium that was to come. The explain away statement that was issued by the Executive Director of JFLAG only sought to make more problems than it solved with a fallout between straight allied supporters, older activists including a former Programs Manager of JFLAG and other community members concerned about the growing problem.

The story reads as follows:

Gay Raid Police Evict Homeless Men

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

Members of a gay clan wept with despair late yesterday, after a large contingent of police booted them from a previously abandoned house in upscale Millsborough Avenue, St Andrew, in which they lived after fleeing from the Golden Triangle.

"If mi go back home, mi dead," wailed one young man, whose face was bleached white, not unlike other members of his group.

The team of lawmen, wearing dust masks and armed with high-powered weapons, encircled the men in spectacular fashion and herded them out into the yard as they attempted to make their escape.

"Mi a beg you a week to find somewhere else," pleaded another. "Why the picture (photographs)?" he protested, as a team of journalists and photographers accompanied the police party on the premises.

The police told The Gleaner the building would be demolished today, after residents complained that the men have been wreaking havoc in the usually quiet neighbourhood.

"This location will no longer be habitable because things will change," said Island Special Constabulary Force commander for the New Kingston Police Post, Christopher Murdoch.

But even as the talkative young men beseeched the police for a chance to remain on the premises for a while longer, they also vociferously sought to distance themselves from rampant perpetrators of a range of crimes, who lurked within their midst.

"Mi willing to push out who a cause the problem," declared one young man, aged 20, who said he was kicked out of his home in Spanish Town, St Catherine. "Mi nah rob and mi nah tief and mi nah go no jail for nobody."

Another man, who said he lived with his family in Spanish Town, confessed that he had to flee from his community after a tape was shown of his admitted sexual escapades in the community.

"Some man shoot after mi and mi have to jump into bush," he said, as he sought to explain why he sought refuge in Millsborough.

The man, who appeared older than others in the group, said he was overpowered by other men after he sought to put an end to the criminality.

'Dem overthrow me," he declared.

Another young man told The Gleaner he was from central Kingston.

"Mi can't go back a Spanglers," he complained. "If mi go back, mi a go dead."

Yet another declared he was booted from Allman Town, and another claimed he lived at Maxfield and as far as Montego Bay, before they were forced out of their communities.

One of the men listed 'Batman', 'Tito', 'Pebbles', 'Goodas Andrew', 'Nicholas' and 'Blue' as some of the perpetrators of robberies and assault in the community.

"Dem causing di violence and when mi talk to dem about it, dem buy cutlass to chop mi up," the young man complained.

Murdoch confirmed the men named were persons of interest.

Batman, described by the police as one of the most notorious of the hoodlums, has been accused of holding up and robbing a Caucasian male of an undetermined sum of US dollars in New Kingston recently.

As they sat beside a white Nissan Tiida motor car, which was parked in the yard, the men said they were cooking when the lawmen arrived.

As they pleaded their case, they referenced a man who had been chopped by his crony and was released from hospital yesterday.

"Mi witness di chopping case," another young man declared. "And mi willing fi tell yuh who mash out di bank glass."

The men were also accused of vandalising and robbing business places.

"Mi never rob yet and mi nah go jail fi nobody … . Yuh have good cop and yuh have bad cop, is the same way yuh have good gays and bad gays," he argued.

When Murdoch asked for the location of the men who were accused of wreaking havoc in the community, he was told that they would return to the house after dark.

"Dem not coming until yuh gone. Dem only sleep here a night."

But even as they pleaded their case, they were ordered by Murdoch, under the watchful gaze of other policemen, to pack their bags and leave the premises.

The Gleaner was told that the group had first ventured to 9 Ruthven Road before drifting to Cargill Avenue, then Waterloo Road, into the vicinity of Seymour Avenue, then on to Hopefield Avenue and into Millsborough.

gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com

ENDS

The other issues surrounding homeless and displaced MSM in other parts of the island are of concern as well those were never brought to bear in that TV appearance either as there have been some major challenges especially on Montego Bay and St Ann within the last few months. The classism and elitism is another matter as well and clearly shows themselves here, more affluent gays as it were turn their noses when this matter is mentioned but quickly take centre stage and spotlights when supposedly agitation for gay rights where even staff of the group JFLAG describe the men as “maladjusted miscreants.” The story of the police roundup and demolition of the house in Millsborough was carried on nearly all media outlets but the Gleaner chose to add some sensationalism to it with the use of the word “herded” in describing the security forces actions in accosting the men from the illegally occupied property. To think that only days before at a gay men’s workshop in St Ann we were discussing this very group, the challenges, forced evictions, their behaviour, the other populations and now this where there was a chopping incident with one of them in New Kingston. The house was demolished and carried in The Gleaner as well:

"They were notified two months ago, as we have been instructed by the owner to construct apartment complexes on the property."

Really? How can can property owner construct apartment complexes in a residential area? If I was one of the owners of a single family residential unit that abuts that property, I would want a multi-family units beside my property. Isn't that area zone for single family dwelling? I wonder if they got a demolition permit before demolishing that building? The things people get away with in Jamaica.

More HERE

I agree with Naomi Francis in her tersely worded comments this morning on her show on nationwide radio where she pointed out the hypocrisy about all this where so called “monied homosexuals” are silent on this issue yet easily speak about rights and paraded themselves as if all is unified in the gay community. When these young homosexuals (perceived or real) are chased out from this house, are forced to relocate yet again (previously in the Golden Triangle) and their anger levels rise even higher than already is what do we think is going to happen? If not more violence and abuse of more privileged persons, I have been warning that this thing is a powder cake from as early as the ultimatum given on the original safe house answer and their eviction in 2009, from then to today some of those men who were resident have been on the frontline yet agencies tell us they have no money and use public relations stunts to bypass their responsibility by claiming they are advocacies and not social work groups forgetting that embedded in their core are crisis interventions departments that have intervened in homo-negative abuses over the many years, who do they think they are fooling?

Evicting the men now is only serving to have the problem relocate to somewhere else only to increase in size and scope as well not to mention the new displacees that have joined the ranks. Just yesterday I posted an entry on fresh evictions that were brought to my attention; not to mention the umpteen others that I and others do not hear about. It is heartbreaking to know that some of us tried for years to develop a solution at the time even as the problem exploded before our eyes and a temporary one was found and operationalized but the easy way out was chosen to close it thinking the men would go underground yet here we are four years plus later with an expanding mess.

Some community influentials have given up as they too have become frustrated by the antisocial behaviours from the men and the lack of proper interest, interventions and sustained programs to address this problem that in fact existed way before my time and even the formation of any advocacy structure, why we have to wait until almost on a monthly basis there is some news of the homeless groups to make headlines is disturbing? The personal attempts in trying to reach the few we can is certainly not enough, I cannot offer any shelter anymore at my home due to escalating costs while others are afraid to open their doors due to marked incidents experienced by some who do. Remote assistance via food purchases or gift packages have dwindled and the so called feeding program as allegedly done by JFLAG was folded according to them due to lack of funds and no space at the time to logistically operate such. The interventions has to be more than just food in a Styrofoam box and involving ignorant insensitive agencies

Are we seeing classism playing itself out at the LGBT advocacy levels?

Will there ever be the proper programs by GAY operated entities to begin to address this?

What’s next after this?

May 31 Clovis Cartoon on the matter prior to the eviction, this toon was pulled from the paper's online edition so I took the liberty of scanning this for reference.

More here in these videos

As Mrs Barbara Gloudon host of the RJR’s Hotline talk show said in her opening remarks today she pointed to the hypocrisy of the churches marching yet will they take in some of these homeless men (I presume not to offer reparative therapy) to address some of the welfare concerns? Kind of hypocritical on her part too but a question worth asking dependent on who is voicing it; certainly such a critique would be most hypocritical if not downright dishonest if it came from any in the lobby who do not care or are opposed to the existence of the men in the first place; that would be the clearest form of bigotry from within. Other talk shows by a cursory scan had the issue as a main topic with many persons surprisingly questioning the whereabouts of JFLAG and why are they pleading the fifth on this matter?

Pardon my frustration readers but it is sad having posted nearly 60 entries in total about this problem with this group of men in particular I am left stunned yet again as to the happenings, frankly there is no credibility for the lobby to demand or ask for tolerance and unity as it were when it is not demonstrably clear to those we wish to convince that we are treating those on the fringes with any care.

Think on these things.

Peace and tolerance

H

also see:

Gays evicted again! Removed from second home

2013 Commitment Ceremonies despite no legal marriage rights yet

Jamaican LGBT people have been making use of the avenues available to them to publicly as possible celebrate their love lives with friends and supportive family members and this year in June passed the month of wedding was no exception although the activities seem a little low keyed as years gone by or maybe I have not been as out and about as before hence I may have missed some unions being made or news of such; economic challenges too may be a reason for what seem lesser numbers while others who can afford to have been making use of the rights recognition available in other countries namely the United States. Several persons flew to New York when they made gay marriage rights legal and afforded federal benefits as well and there are reports of persons doing so in recent times since the DOMA strike down by the US Supreme Court. Last year I learnt of at least four such commitment ceremonies locally as performed by a clergy man for a small fee of course at open spaces or suitable locations having been asked in my capacity as a community disc jock to provide music or to be witness to them; other persons may simply only keep their ceremonies ultra private with just a witness or two. This year only three has been brought to my attention even as pride month, wedding month and family month draw to an end. The fear expressed by some anti gay and homo-negative groups is that gay marriage is next on the agenda for the LGBT lobby and we must be denied such state recognition and benefits such as healthcare, housing, death and life insurance coverage. Unfortunately for those voices they are blindly unaware of the realities out there and that despite no state recognition persons are making as good a quality their romantic lives none the less.

A lesbian couple made such a commitment June 28 in St Ann and although I was invited I was unable to attend (babysitting my cousin, shucks) but the photos sent were fabulous as the picturesque gardens, floral arrangements, white themed dress code brought to bear and surprisingly complete with a broom as the jumping the broom theme played a part. Jumping the broom of course is a burrowed practice from African American culture made more popular by Noah’s Arc Jumping The Broom the movie where slaves could not marry during slavery but afterwards were able to do so and in symbolic gesture the act of jumping the broom used to clean the former slave master’s home implied freedom from enslavement and ability to have family life as well which was and to some extent a mark of stability and achievement.

Bearing in mind that many gay single parents also exist contrary to popular belief raising children who are not damaged as some anti gay homo-negative religious voices would like to believe and profess that children are being groomed into “nastiness.” Those single gay or bisexual parents based on what I have seen over the years tend to want some stability in their lives especially when having to raise a child the product of a previous heterosexual union to regularize themselves at times and in some instances move on embracing their homosexual identity and striving towards living their truths. Those children caught in that conundrum at times tend to be far more tolerant in the end as they understand the nuisances involved and having living experience with a gay or bisexual persons realises that the noise and fuss on the outside is nothing near the realities they know firsthand. It does not sound simple as outlined though as external forces to that unique family unit can be impactful if the child or children in that union are not prepared properly, buffered or insulated from them. Teasing from other children, neighbours prying eyes and gossip are some of those issues that can cause a strain on the relationship and everyday living for a same sexed families (single parented or not) navigating life in Jamaica. Having been close to and involved in a sense in one such adjusted family set up I have seen the issues play out right before my eyes for the better part of four years, rebellion from the children is another issue especially during the teenage years when they are searching for identity and forming their own sexuality only to realise when it hits home that the household they are a part of is not the typical family unit. To wrestle with that reality versus their own desire going into adulthood and the fear of asking gay parents about traditional family life questions is a challenge which may not yield the answers they seek.

Two years ago for example I attended an anniversary ceremony of a gay couple who used the opportunity to renew their commitment vows while other unions I was privy to see become one have fizzled due to compatibility issues, gay couples too have interpersonal issues to contend with and it is not just about sex as many think homosexuals are about. Many young lovers do seek out ways to try and exist despite the hostile climate that is Jamaica; lesbians tend to have it easier from what I have seen over the years and in fact are the ones who tend to make their relationships more permanent as evidenced in the numbers of commitment ceremonies entered into by them. Most of the ceremonies I have seen over the years are same gender loving women who often plan longitudinally their lives well in advance. Gay and bisexual men tend to me more utilitarian in their unions; I guess it is a masculine thing despite effeminacy also making an appearance in some unions where the attraction is based on such. Personally I am not into unions or long term relationships at this time in my life but God’s speed to those who do having been burnt so many times before, so I am at least cautious at best sceptical.

With the DOMA strike down in recent days by the United States Supreme Court, SCOTUS 14 states thus far had already allowed same sex marriage with some state benefits and several states gearing up for state legislator battles whilst banning reparative therapy we are in for some interesting scenes ahead. I am sure many Jamaicans are going to seize the opportunity to have their ceremonies there to capitalize on the stability and federal benefits that come with marriage for those who qualify. Bi-national coupling is heavily being discussed in some states and persons have already entered into such arrangements post the SCOTUS ruling. Will that lead to a marked decrease in local commitment unions is left to be seen but I suspect it will as the aforementioned reasons in the introduction also suggest so. Same sex marriage rights/benefits may not get here just yet but it is going to come despite the resistance from the church and others; the dishonest attempt to try to put on homosexuals the reason for denying us such rights is that the family as we know it will be destroyed is such an illogical conclusion, who had gay children in the first place were it not heterosexual married couples and why are so many heterosexual couples filing for divorce in Jamaica? If any damage is being done legal straight married couples (some Christians) are already doing a fine job not to mention those in the church and pulpits struggling with their own sexuality and hiding. At least with same sex marriage it provides some stability and maybe some same sexed married couples when the time comes can adopt other unwanted children made so by heterosexual couples. But with the conflation of same gender sex and abuse (paedophilia) by some anti gay voices adoption may be a far cry in their eyes as they reside in the dark ages. The other mistake often made by those voices is the age old procreation argument that has become so tired when it is possible to produce and egg (and even split it in two or three) via the stem cells under the skin of any two persons despite their gender, the issue is to identify who will play the “mother” or “father” role in the procedure owing to the fact that YY chromosomes may have to be removed after the sperm of the “father” is introduced to the egg for fertilization in a situation where two men are involved. Sperm can also be created from the two women scenario after the reprogramming of Fibroblast cells taken from the “mother” to create iPSCs then that sperm is mixed with the eggs to produce the embryos. Where two men are involved sperm would be taken from the “father” in the arrangement mixed with the same eggs from the iPSCs to create the embryos.

So the technology is far advanced in helping same gender couples adjust in family life, the psychological communities also have shown that stability is possible for same sexed couples, nature has shown us in no less than 450 species that homosexuality is natural, scientific evidence at the cellular level is close to dispelling the false dichotomy of homosexuality’s unnaturalness, Jamaican LGBT people thrust towards stability in their lives and living their truth despite the challenges then it’s full steam ahead for love I say.

Peace and tolerance

H