Bug Chasers in Jamaica

Bugchasing is a slang term for the practice of pursuing sexual intercourse with HIV infected individuals in order to contract HIV. Individuals engaged in this activity are referred to as Bugchasers. Bugchasers may seek HIV infection for a variety of reasons.
Bugchasers seek sexual partners who are HIV positive for the purpose of having unprotected sex and becoming HIV positive; giftgivers are HIV positive individuals who comply with the bugchaser's efforts to become infected with HIV.

Bugchasers indicate various reasons for this activity. Some bugchasers engage in the activity for the excitement inherent in pursuing such a dangerous activity, but do not implicitly desire to contract HIV. Some researchers suggest that the behavior may stem from a "resistance to dominant heterosexual norms and mores" due to a defensive response by gay men to repudiate stigmatization and rejection by society.
Some people consider bugchasing "intensely erotic" and the act of being infected as the "ultimate taboo, the most extreme sex act left." A number of people who are HIV negative and in a relationship with someone who is HIV positive seek infection as a way to remain in the relationship, particularly when the HIV positive partner may wish to break up to avoid infecting the HIV negative partner.

Some workers in the US HIV community report that a number of younger people seek infection as a way to receive benefits, a "free ride," because they would qualify to receive Section 8, Social Security and other benefits from getting infected with HIV.Some contend that this behaviour stems from feelings of inevitability towards HIV among the gay community and the empowerment of choosing when to contract the virus.

Others have suggested that some people who feel lonely desire the nurturing community that supports persons with AIDS.
By design, bug chasing involves bareback sex, but members of the bareback subculture are not necessarily bugchasers. The difference is intent:

“In reviewing the scarce unpublished and published materials on bugchasing, as well as general healthcare speculations, a common theme appears- the lumping of bug chasers with barebackers...Although these two groups share some of the same practices, namely unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), there are distinctions that differentiate bug chasing...even though all bug chasers are indeed barebackers, not all barebackers are bugchasers.

Imagine my shock in here in Jamaica where we are more conservative to a point terms of sexuality even in same gender loving terms to hear or see someone express only they wish to be penetrated by a HIV+ man bare backed with sperm left in his rectum, this is the face of persistent social marketing both from the national level through the ministry of health and other private institutions and non governmental agencies.
The young man in a recent online group chat and subsequent one on one exchange was clear in his desire. He said he likes bareback sex and wished he could be in an orgy typed scenario with several HIV+ but healthy looking men as he feels he can survive the infection non the less, this is even after my trying to explain that there are different strains of HIV and that getting multiple infections can lead to a faster deterioration in health.

According to Wikipedia in the media there have been some references to this practice:
HIV positive man Ricky Dyer, who investigated the apparent bug chasing phenomenon for a 2006 BBC programme, I love being HIV+, said that an air of complacency about the realities of living with the virus may be one reason why infection rates have been rising.[18] However, the BBC also described bugchasing as more internet fantasy than reality, saying that, "Dyer finds that the overwhelming majority of the talk is pure fantasy." The article also quotes Will Nutland, head of health promotion at Terrence Higgins Trust, as saying, "The concepts of 'gift giving' and 'bug chasers' are definitely based more in fantasy than reality" as well as Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National AIDS Trust saying, "There is very little evidence of people trying to get infected with HIV."

In the Showtime series Queer as Folk a former student of Professor Ben Bruckner, asked Ben to infect him with HIV, wanting to experience "the gift." Ben refuses and writes a novel about the incident.
In the NBC series ER, season 7 episode 13 Dr Malucci treats a gay man who wants to contract HIV from his positive partner. Malucci asked they HIV- patient if he is 'bug chasing'

A character named Billy in a book by Dakota Chase called Changing Jamie is a bug chaser and attends a bug party in order to get "the gift" believing the man he has fallen in love with will accept him. He does test positive later in the novel, only to discover at the end of the book what a mistake it was.

This behaviour has been associated with some in the Caucasian bear MSM communities usually or even in some hobosexual groups as well now we see the tastes showing up here, maybe due to the fact HIV positive persons can now live almost ill free from opportunistic infections creating havoc running alongside HIV and decreasing one immune system.

Safer sex is still key but how do we meet this issue when it presents itself when would be participants insist on deriving "the gift" while enjoying themselves and thinking they are alright?

More is obviously needed to arrive at some workable solutions.

Peace and tolerance

H

Remembering Brian Williamson (September 4 1945 - June 9, 2004)

a special post outside of the October History month but relevant non the less

the good days with his dog Tessa at home

Brian Williamson (September 4 1945 - June 9, 2004) was a Jamaican Gay rights activist and co-founder of the Jamaican Forum for Lesbians and Gays, J-Flag. He was known for personally housing and looking after gay people in Jamaica. A pleasant smile was what one would get upon entering his complex up until his death and he sought to it that homeless persons were assisted in what ever way he could, which may explain my push in this regard as my early exposure to that side of on the ground advocacy and his own struggle to convince others to include that part of crisis interventions into the mix.

He was murdered with a machete, suffering multiple stab wounds to neck and face.Williamson's confessed murderer, Dwight Hayden, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after fifteen years.

Other posts and articles on Brian:

Remembering Brian Williamson

Gleaner on Remembering Brian Williamson June 20, 2004

More related posts that named Brian: HERE

More from Gay Jamaica Watch: HERE

More from GLOBALGAYZ: HERE

Sadly missed

One of the founding members of JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals & Gays (worth repeating)

Owner of one of the most successful gay entertainment spots in Jamaica, The Entourage and a dedicated activist. One of the memorable moments in our GLBTQ history is an appearance on Jamaican television then known as (JBC) Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation coming out to the nation and by extension the world and putting a face to the gay community.

The VHS tapes should be available at JFLAG's archives in Kingston, we hope they have been stored properly and not left to go the route of the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) archives that subsequently what was left of those were retrieved by it's founder Larry Chang and archived overseas were not in good condition due to poor handling and storage, sad as Jamaica should have been the repository for such important materials. We must preserve our past a people who do not know or respect their past cannot plan for the future.

A pity as he must be turning in his grave now to see how we are at odds over what is to be done for the movement in totality of the LGBTQI communities instead we are left with a joke of an advocacy with criticisms of dissenting voices described as "bickering" as if the establishment are infallible when the engagement of everyone for or against should be the thrust forward in dealing with not just the repulsion of the buggery law while affixing HIV/AIDS issues which seems to be the main focus while the urgently required social interventions for certain sections of the community to uplift and rebuild their lives. Sadly it seems more about self-aggrandizement coupled with an elitist agenda with a general intolerance for views outside the system. The ordinary LGBTQI body politic seems relegated to just followers with selected individuals given a platform. The loss of a former volunteer and contracted individual earlier this year via a gruesome murder with not so much as some formal recognition for however small his contribution was glaring to say the least.

Read more here from the Wordpress edition of GLBTQJA

All this was not the original plan when The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays was first formed and launched albeit that from the get go if I am to go from memory the signs of the aforementioned opposition to certain types of intervention ideas were knocking at the door but were not as pronounced as today.

Let us however move towards working together for the greater good of those down trodden and or displaced with a sense of hopelessness, rest assured the criticisms will not and cannot be stopped as it is by picking the meat from same and having real forumatic activities that the solutions will come.

Love always

Peace

I-Octane's "Nuh Dream Bout Boy"

NUH DREAM BOUT BOY - I-OCTANE by khoolray

I-Octane

So we are all entitled to our opinions and rightfully so but there are times when opinions passes the stage of such and lead to subtle homophobia which also must be pointed out and criticised for just that. According to reports from listeners of a particular radio station this week where the former rising Star contestant's above titled song was played, the host of the particular program proceeded to add his own views (as if anyone asked when his job is to host professionally) by saying "Not even mi fadda" (not even my father) clearly suggesting some sort of homophobic insinuations.

Why are Jamaican men so insecure about their own masculinity? so much so to the point that anything that involves other men closely or deemed too close is also deemed as something sexual or cohersively so as if in the same way Jamaican men hit on or try to coherse women is somehow the same way another man in this perceived "too close for comfort" position will also try to do.

This kind of fear comes from the bigger belief that homosexual males are predatory and are somehow trying to change everyone else into homos or gays for pay usually. This incessant need to be hyper or hegemonically masculine causes all kinds of paranoia and fear amongst young men, the pressure to not have anything trace of effeminacy behaviourally speaking but very limited feminized or metro-sexualised aesthetics are allowed given the nation's increasing tolerance of such looks, i.e. tight pants, bleached faces, close fitted brand named tops, man purses, flip floppers with manicured nails, powdered faces in some instances similar to the Frenchmen in the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries and other similar typed expressions once held in taboo by dancehall and by extension the public. This smoother style of homophobic tinged lyrics slid under the guise of carefully worded tracks has been in the doing for a long time before the Stop Murder Music Campaigns were on in earnest worldwide especially with the US leg being the last to catch on somewhat. Other ways of sliding in the perceptions were used by other offending artists where one-liners are used containing phrases or words like "number two, "too many men" "fish in the sea" "funny man" "child molester" and others.

The artist also has another song "Woman Wi Seh" which was at the centre of some controversy over it's release see it here:

The song was said to be unauthorised and was released without the proper channels followed, see more on this HERE .

He has also had a rumoured beef with a fellow sinjay names Khago over the "hair issue" as since another dancehall heavyweight Vybz Kartel apparently dawned hair extensions he has been bearing the brunt of what amounts to a backlash from other artists old and young in the business alike. According to the Star News and other blogs:

Singjay Khago (above) has refused to comment on the rumours and speculations as to whether or not there is brewing tension between himself and I-Octane.
Over the past couple weeks there have been speculations that the two artiste are at odds since the release of Khago's song Blood A Boil, which seems to be some sort of counteraction to I-Octane's Nuh Ramp Wid Wi. direct hit In Nuh Ramp Wid Wi that was released in January on Cashflow's 'Bus Stop' rhythm, I-Octane said, "Nuh bwoy pon Earth can put dem hand inna mi natty/ Nuh bwoy caan draw mi locks when mi wash it and a flash it."
On Sunday, Khago's song surfaced on the Internet seeming to be a direct hit at I-Octane. In his song he says, "Mi sure seh woman alone wash dem hair and flash it/ Mi a nuh sissy man a road/ Nuh bwoy caan dream see mi/ Anything mi put on a haffi fi mi/ Mi nuh beg fren from enemy/ Talk bout the chart tekka/ Mi nuh pay a cent fi dat/ Through all a dat mi still manage fi remain black mi nah run lef mi block."
Although it seems like the song was directed at I-Octane, Khago was rather silent on the issue. "You know mi don't want talk bout dem ting deh though. A mix-up, nuh true," he said when contacted yesterday. There was no comment coming from I-Octane either as the artiste is in the United States doing a series of shows.
However, his manager, Ray Alexander, said I-Octane will not be responding to the song. He also said he is not sure if the song is being directed at his artiste or Rastas in general. ignorancy "Di artiste not even responding to it 'cause there is nothing to respond to.
To me is just ignorancy 'cause every Rasta flash dem locks fi get out di excess water," Alexander told THE STAR, noting that hair dryers damage the locks. "I am not sure if it's Octane him going after 'cause every Rasta flash dem locks. To me it's an insult to every Rasta weh flash dem hair."
Meanwhile, the public has also been engaging in the discussion. "Mi rate the two artistes dem enuh. Love the type a music dem usually sing but mi neva know seh dem did have problems with each other?
The clash ting nuh good fi every artiste still enuh," one person commented on YouTube. Another said, "Clash is good for dancehall, that's where dancehall came from. Good to be competitive, just keep it lyrical and non-violent."

Nuh Ramp Wid Wi BY I-OCTANE by khoolray

The song which basically suggests that another man cannot be in his hair apparently men with any additional hair or hair extensions are gay. Pity that this is how foolish the entire phobia becomes sometimes.

"Nuh boi caan ramp wid man like how dem play wid dem caty" (no man cannot play with me as how he plays with his girl) clearly tells us where is going but to suggest that he or his supporters thinks what happens in same gender loving relationships tells us how ignorant the homophobes are.

Clearly we have a new generation of anti gay artists to contend with now intertwining all kinds of old and new stereotypes about male homosexuality to include hyper masculinity but how do we arrive at some understanding without having to resort to closing down concerts and stopping tours in the face of a new metrosexual revolution in Jamaica?

Who was I-Octane speaking of here? one wonders, he used to lend someone clothes?.

Peace and tolerance

H

THE THEORY OF Pansexuality by the late 'Peter Boom' revisted

Farewell to Peter Boom, Father of the Theory of Pansexuality

THE THEORY OF Pansexuality
Presented at the 6th Congress of Sexology
- Limassol, June 2002 -

The human being is a "pansexual" (from pan (greek) = all), a sexual being complete. We all possess various sexual possibilities, from sexology too strictly classified as hetero-, homo-, bi-sexuality, masturbation, fetishism, sado-masochism, and many other forms of sexual use. Forms that can explode at any moment in every human being. The polymorphous-perverse child is born, that plays with his mother, touching himself and everything that happens, masturbating, then becomes fetishist enjoying their feces, they play games with doctors and nurses as they explore, all this is perfectly natural .

At the time of puberty (sexual growth) occurs ambivalence is natural and undeniable. Still later sexuality usually becomes more defined, but the range of options remain open. These options, depending on the type of society or tribe in which they live, are partially repressed or made taboo.
A tribe in Borneo in which women with children living together in a big hut, while men live in another building.

In Kenya still live a nomadic tribe of people proud long as exists in the custom of blood oath, among boys of twelve. Couples wander all his life faithfully together in this vast country, going back two or three times a year within their tribe in the highlands, to spend time with women and thus to ensure procreation. There are many other examples, like the tribes of Africa and Siwan in Kerak in New Guinea, where nearly all the males have sex with men and heterosexuals, but this is a matter of anthropologists.
It is important not to repress any of our pansexuality and live it well and with common sense. The repression and leads to frustration which can in turn create violent and antisocial behavior. Common sense is in the expression: Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself.

Definition of Pansexuality ':
For Pansexuality 'shall mean all the sexuality of the person
(Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, heterosexual) they are all equally existing or some of them permanently or occasionally prevailing in person.

The word is explained by Professor Pansexualism Haeberle in his Critical Dictionary as follows:

"Pansexualism (sometimes" pansexuality "from the greek" pan "means all) everything about sexual love. An attitude or a philosophy which is based on the belief that the potential human sex can and should be directed to each and every thing. Once, the term "pansexualism" was also used for the theory that the whole of human behavior is still affected sexually. This theory is not considered more valida.Oggi the words "pansexualism" and "pansexuality" are often used by some advocates of sexual liberation who want to convey the idea that the current sexual and gender roles of women and men are too narrow and that, therefore, a general sexuality should include the full spectrum of sexual orientations and deliberately ignore all the other conventional distinctions. "

I had an interesting correspondence with Professor Haeberle of emails and I take this opportunity to thank him publicly for his contribution to my studies of Sexology.

The Theory of Pansexuality is best understood not in absolute terms but relative, just as biological sex and gender roles.
Observation of human sexual behavior we have learned that being a woman and being a man, femininity and masculinity, homosexuality el'eterosessualità are a matter of degree.
Today we speak too easily of hetero-, homo-and bi-sexuality without understanding the characteristics of the different categories overlap. A very limited mental vision and impairs the natural vision of life, as understood by science of the past and some ancient religions ... unfortunately today. Today the word "nature" is regularly used to fight for sexual rights and as Professor Erwin Haeberle says: "A critical study of the traditional Law of Nature can still teach us much about the true sexual morality of man."

In many societies, women can not live their "Pansexuality. The relationship between men and women is based on the concept that a woman is at least one rung lower on the rating scale, useful only to breed and look after the children, and certainly this is not a good basis for love or sex .
"Fescinninni versus" was an ancient orgiastic ritual where we seduce each other in a mixed relationship pansexual. In the Etruscan civilization women could freely choose their partners and reject them when they wished.

"I love you as you are" is a text that I wrote in 1977 for the film "Tomboy", the actors were well-known American and European sexologists. The song (which is also the lead singer) expressed the psychic and physical pain of an individual undergoing a surgery for gender reassignment. If we have time, we hear the song.
However I consider this kind of operation a terrible violence. Who wants to change sex, is going to do it because he or she wants to be better accepted by society. Many psychologists argue that they want to be accepted first by themselves.
In some cultures, an ancient and honored hermaphrodite was considered a rare flower, an orchid. In most of our society such a person is marginalized and often exploited and abused during the night by those who despise the light of day.
No, it is society that must change, not the rare flower that should never be subjected to sadistic and speculative actions to make it a very common and artificial flower.

Another issue that you can not speak freely in many countries is the sex life of people with disabilities. For these people it is really difficult to have sex, sometimes even prohibited, by depriving them of what little joy during which they could still enjoy life. Love and affection should be provided even for them, and as I often say: "There's always someone for everyone". At least I hope so.
I confess I was so surprised when I discovered that many boys and young men fall in love with older men. I thought for a senior like me sex was over, but when I discovered the existence of Italian sites for the "silver fox" on the Internet,
I have great male friends and I found my ideal partner.
I must say that young people are known so far gerontophiles very sensitive and would initiate an interesting case study about.

For them, it becomes harder to be accepted by society and families. And if they are doubly marginalized homosexuals and harshly criticized when revealing the identity of their partner, which is often even more of their own elderly parents.
Another complaint is taboo to speak openly and even scientifically pedophilia, which seems to have raised a wave of public outrage around the world.
Anthropological studies provide us with different answers to that question, and of course you can not treat the child as an asexual being.

It 's true that children must be protected from all violence, especially by hypocrites teachers, priests and their families.
The political class is still considered risky to finance scientific research on the subject, to understand what are the limits for adults.
In conclusion I would like to clarify that, in my opinion, all orientations of emotional ties are self-induced, psychologically constructed and not biologically predetermined. "I like that person, he or she has something that attracts me."
The company has tried to influence all forms of sexuality other than heterosexuality, called "normal".

Perhaps it was felt as a need to procreate more in order to increase the population when the hunger, epidemics and wars decimating entire peoples and when medicine had not reached the high current levels.
Maybe this is one of the reasons why today, under the constant threat of overpopulation, Pansexuality is spreading more freely.
All of our sexual orientation, our Pansexuality, also include the negative inclinations, those that are harmful to others and to ourselves. Sexuality, like the telephone and the internet can be used both positively and negatively.
What is the negative use of sex and what are the positive ways of sexual behavior?
It is not easy to define.

For example, sadomasochism is acceptable to a certain point, but necrophilia is considered a serious disorder and pedophilia in our society is not acceptable.
Of course I must be very humble, because I certainly can not compare me to the outstanding scientists at the International Congress.

I hope I can learn a lot from you all.
I understand that my theory Pansexuality could raise a lot of problems in the area of ​​psychological research as well as in the social, political and religious. A Weltanschauung (view of life or the world) will not be easily accepted by everyone, but it can succeed and become a common way to view sexuality.

Peter Boom

Born in Holland in 1936, Boom had moved to Italy in two decades. Multifaceted man of culture and entertainment, was an actor, singer, voice actor, writer and lyricist. He died on May 26th 2011.

Soy: the gender bender?

According to an article in the Jamaica Observer by All Woman Writer Nadine Wilson:

SOY has been recommended as the power food of the 21st century and is the preferred choice for the more health conscious individuals who consider it the perfect alternative to animal protein.

But increasing research has suggested a hidden dark side to soy-based products, which when excessively consumed might wreak hormonal havoc on men.
Because soy is a rich source of phytoestrogen isoflavones, which are similar to the female hormone oestrogen, some research suggests that men can experience gender-bending symptoms by incorporating too much soy in their diet.
Research on whether soy is good or bad is for the most part inclusive. So while some doctors encourage their clients to limit their consumption of soy-based products, those who support a more vegetarian way of life have recommended a diet rich in tofu and soy beverages.

Nutrition consultant and general practitioner Dr André McDonald was very cautious about declaring the effects of soy on the body, given the inclusiveness of studies about the beans, but he did concur that it contained a compound that was similar to oestrogen.

"It can stimulate certain organs as if it was oestrogen stimulating them," he said.
He said a number of his patients have raised concerns about the use of soy in their diet, but he personally doesn't believe it can cause many changes to the body "unless they are taking it in high concentrations".

The doctor points out that oestrogen is also present in chicken and some fruits have the same compound as soy. Because of this, he cautions people not to be too quick in ruling out soy completely from their diet.
"Unfortunately, it is not something that we can just rule on. We have to be very careful," he said.
Apart from the feminising of men, soy has been blamed for a low sperm count in men and the promotion of kidney stone formation. Some doctors also believe that soy contains toxins and therefore leads to thyroid problems.

On the flip side, soy has been touted as one of the best remedies for women going through menopause. It is one of the primary ingredients in infant formulas around the world and some even suggest it helps with weight loss and prevents cancer. Multi-million dollar co-operations have developed a variety of supplements from soy and the fitness industry has created shakes and powders to help people power through their fitness routine.

The effects of soy both good and bad are still controversial, and do not appear to see any resolution in the near future. Still, some experts suggest that individuals consume soy in its unprocessed form instead of after it has undergone genetic modification.

ENDS

However some other experts say soy is excellent for prostate health according to the Doctor Yourself website "Soy products appear to have a special benefit against prostate cancer. Japanese men have especially low death rates from prostate cancer, even thought they get the disease as often as American men do. The Japanese eat a lot of tofu, tempeh, miso, soy milk and other soy foods. Even animals fed a lot of soybeans have far less prostate cancer than others. There are at least two specific substances in soybeans that seem to help fight cancer: genistein and isoflavinoids. These natural chemicals are especially effective against the hormone-dependent cancers, which includes prostate cancer. (Soybean products may lower prostate cancer, Lancaster Intelligencer-Journal, January 12, 1994)

Peace and tolerance

H

The Pink Orange Accord of the Dutch Caribbean Islands

This Pink Orange Accord, signed between delegations from Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius (not present), St. Maarten and the Netherlands, forms the basis of a new joint cooperation mechanism on LGBTI-emancipation in the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands.

We LGBTI Rights activists of the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands convened in the Pink House in Willemstad, Curacao:

• Considering that the island communities of the Dutch Caribbean form a cultural continuum with insular differences;
• Considering that the cultural continuum includes the communities of people of Dutch Caribbean descent living in the Netherlands;
• Considering that non-heterosexual and transgender people, their culture and sub-cultures, social performance and beliefs form an integral part of the cultures of islands nations, our immigrant communities in the Netherlands and the cultural mosaic of the Kingdom in general;
• Considering that the Dutch Caribbean cultural continuum still contains a large stigma and prejudice based on cultural bias in general and religious bias in particular against sexual diversity, non heterosexual orientations and other than male/female sexual identities or gender expressions;
• Considering that this stigma and prejudice is systematically and structurally expressed in practices of exclusion, discrimination, bullying, violence and general inequality against non-heterosexual and transgender people by the public at large, private and public institutions and governments;
• Considering that the right to equal treatment, non-exclusion and non-discrimination, are inalienable rights of all citizens guaranteed by all constitutional regulations within the Kingdom and the International Treaties it has signed;
• Considering that the Dutch Caribbean lacks policies and legislation to protect people of non-heterosexual orientation and transgender people against the exclusion, inequality and discrimination they find themselves in;
• Considering that the political and social leadership of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, show very little if any inclination to address issues of structural inequality in which people of non-heterosexual orientation and transgender people find themselves;
• Considering that many religious and political leaders actively support the prolongation of unjust policies, laws and practices, sustaining and supporting the exclusion, discrimination and inequality of our communities;
• Considering that this structural exclusion, inequality and discrimination often leads to internalization of heteronormativity, leading to low self-esteem, hazardous sexual behavior, suicidal feelings and potential enactments on those feelings in our communities, also reflecting on the socio-economic opportunities of members of our communities and their level of participation in society;
• Considering that the lack of tailored services towards our communities place us at high risk with regard to health issues like HIV/AIDS and other STI’s and/or harmful addictions;
• Considering that our plight is seldom heard by our own political and social leadership, that the present statuses of the Dutch Caribbean islands limit the possibilities of support for international redress, it is without prejudice that the Kingdom and its institutions will become evident subjects to reclaim our rights, and that to achieve this we will seek cooperation and alliances with partner organizations in the European part of the Kingdom.

We LGBTI Rights activists of the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands conclude that:

1. We will clearly describe LGBTI culture and identities in the context of our (Dutch) Caribbean cultural continuum;
2. We will conduct an assessment of the interventions, activities and campaigns that our groups have been, are or wish to be involved with, and we will access the realistic in-house capacity to do and/or develop these actions, where necessary with the aid of others, in the near future;
3. All islands in the Dutch Caribbean need a centre or other physical point of reference for the provision of emotional, physical and spiritual health services, psycho-social and legal support to the LGBTI community;
4. We will create the means to produce and transmit informational and educational messages and material about LGBTI sexual diversity, rights issues, culture and spirituality and inclusive human sexuality to our communities in general and to the LGBTI communities in particular; electronic media need to play a pivotal role in this;
5. We will promote the visibility of our LGBTI communities in all their diversity, present positive role models and fight stereotyping;
6. We will create opportunities to report instances of exclusion, discrimination, bullying, violence and other rights violations and develop strategies to address misinformation and defamation in our media;
7. We will promote an environment in our schools that is more inclusive of LGBTI sexual diversity, health and rights issues;
8. To be able to do this effectively parties agree to establish a PINK ORANGE ALLIANCE, including the LGBTI representative groups of the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands.
9. This Pink Orange Alliance will develop a capacity building strategy and bilateral as well as multilateral key pilot projects to start putting its core priorities in practice.

A petit committee to further these projects has been appointed by the meeting, consisting of: Marlon Reina as activist of Dutch Caribbean descent living in the Netherlands, Mario Kleinmoedig as FOKO’s International Secretary also functioning as proxy for St. Maarten, Koen van Dijk as COC Director and proxy of the BES islands and Aruba.

This agreement is signed on this day, Saturday November 6, 2010 by:

ALFA (ARUBA) FOKO (CURACAO)

Maikel Kelly Chair, Frits vd Capellen Secr.

Ryan Maduro Chair Mario Kleinmoedig Chair

COC NETHERLANDS SINT MAARTEN LGBTI REP.

Koen van Dijk, Director Donellis Browne Rep.

BONAIRE LGBTI REP. LGBTI TEAM SABA

Lloyd Obispo Rep. Carl Buncamper Chair,

Chulani Levenstone

STATIA REP.

Absent

Low CD4s Linked to Non-AIDS Cancers

Phenotypic and functional properties of senescent CD4 T cells that accumulate in people with RA.
Classic helper T cells (left) are equipped with receptors that facilitate communication with other cells, inducing cell activation and providing T-cell help. The cell surface profile of CD4 NK-T cells (right) is dramatically altered, imposing novel functional capabilities on these unconventional T lymphocytes. First, NK-T cells have lost the CD28 molecule, a receptor regulating T-cell reactivity, expansion, and apoptosis. Second, NK-T cells have gained the potential to destroy contacting cells. And third, NK-T cells have acquired a series HLA class I-specific receptors (KIR) and other receptors (CD161) that are typical in the innate immune system.

owned by Karger.com

Having a low CD4 count, whether past or present, is associated with developing a non-AIDS-related cancer, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. This finding was particularly true for non-AIDS cancers that are caused by viral infections other than HIV.

During the past 16 years, combination antiretroviral (ARV) therapy has transformed the course of HIV disease. Whereas the risk of illness and death remained extremely high for people with HIV before 1996, those risks have diminished considerably since then.

More recently, however, experts have noted an increase in the risk of diseases not typically associated with the immune dysfunction that accompanies an AIDS diagnosis. In particular, non-AIDS-related malignancies (NAMs) appear to be on the rise as people live much longer with HIV. While the beneficial effects of maintaining a high CD4 count through ARV therapy are known when it comes to AIDS-related cancers, the impact of these factors on NAMs is less clear.

To explore this further, Anouk Kesselring, MD, from the University of Amsterdam, and her colleagues, examined the medical records of 11,459 people living with HIV enrolled in the AIDS Therapy Evaluation in the Netherlands (ATHENA) cohort study since 1996. Most of the people whose records were reviewed were men who have sex with men (MSM).

Since 1996, there were 239 diagnoses of NAMs in 231 people; a few of them received multiple NAM diagnoses. Of these NAMs, 43 percent were linked to infection from a virus other than HIV—typically hepatitis B or C virus (HBV or HCV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human papillomavirus (HPV). Of those cancers tied to a viral infection, the most common were anal cancer, cancer of the larynx, liver cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Kesselring and her colleagues found that a low past or present CD4 count was strongly correlated with a diagnosis of a NAM. Conversely—and this finding stands in contrast to previous studies—past and present viral load and use of specific ARV regimens were not associated with a NAM diagnosis.

When the research team looked at a variety of factors associated with NAMs, a key finding was that the more time a person spent with a CD4 count under 200, the more likely he or she was to develop a NAM caused by a viral infection. The same was not true, however, for NAMs that are not associated with viral infection.

Current guidelines recommend starting ARV therapy “at CD4 cell counts which are higher than the levels of immunodeficiency that we found to be associated with an increased risk of developing malignancies, which might help in preventing malignancies in such patients,” the authors note.

“Screening for anal human papillomavirus infections and premalignant lesions, counseling patients to quit smoking, and vaccinating against HBV could further reduce the incidence of non–AIDS-defining malignancies in the HIV-1–infected population treated with [ARVs],” they conclude.

LCF's Shirley Richards at it again: Are Christians Second-Class? she asks

So the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship's head is at it again, have a read of her latest letter:

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I read the recent letter of learned colleague Arlene Harrison-Henry in which she lambasts the Charter of Rights for keeping "a legal regime in place" which keeps homosexuals "as second-class citizens". The following thoughts come to mind:

1. Does a community have the power/right to determine what actions of its members constitute criminal offences?

2. Is it that sexual conduct is Holy Grail and that whatever one desires sexually, the community is bound to protect?

3. If the answer to Question 1 is yes, the other question is: Who should make such a determination? The international community, as is being suggested? The legislature, based on its members' own inclinations? The intellectual elite, to include judges? Or should it be the people? In this regard, I find the speech Norman Manley made in Parliament with regard to the 1962 Constitution quite helpful. He said:

"... In respect of one matter of the Constitution, the public had already claimed ... that it influenced the final decisions of the joint committee and, therefore, would influence the final form of the Constitution ... . As a politician, Sir, I would be the first person to acclaim every instance in which the public succeeds in having their own way ... for we, Sir, are their servants and are here to execute their will."

recent ruling

The recent case in England of the Jamaican Pentecostal couple, Owen and Eunice Johns, who were not allowed to foster a child because of their refusal to be willing to tell a child that "it is OK to be homosexual", is instructive. The case was heard by the High Court on February 28, 2011. 

The court held that there was, in fact, a tension between the equality provisions concerning religious discrimination and those concerning sexual orientation, but ruled, in effect, that in regards to fostering, the equality provisions concerning sexual orientation should take precedence. 

My question then is this:

Have Christians with traditional viewpoints now been relegated to the status of second-class citizens in England?

S. RICHARDS

sprichards@cwjamaica.com

Kingston 10

ENDS

Here is a previous letter she penned as usual against homosexuality and misconstruing consensual adult sex with family life and paedophilia.

Charter Of Rights And The Moral Divide

Like it or not, the Charter of Rights, having been passed by both Houses of Parliament, is expected to become law shortly. I think, maybe, that you may be interested in knowing a few of the expected changes which will come to our society as a consequence of the charter. Here are a few of the changes:

Philosophical change in the approach to rights: In what will shortly become the previous document, rights are stated but circumscribed by limitations. In this document, it is fair to say that except for those specific limitations which have been saved, the only limitations which will be recognised will be such as are demonstrably 'justified in a free and democratic society'.

The document has both vertical and horizontal effects, meaning that we now have rights against the Government and also against each other. Expect the society then to become more litigious.

The major new rights are the right of a child to publicly funded tuition at the pre-primary and primary levels (Section 13 (k)). The right to enjoy a healthy and productive environment (Section 13 (l)). This should mean, therefore, that we will be able to sue persons who drive defective vehicles on the road as well as companies whose plants emit poisonous fumes.

civic intervention

Civic organisations can now intervene on behalf of individuals whose rights have been contravened or are likely to be contravened (Section 19 (2)).

Care has been taken to preserve the death penalty [Section 13 (7)], legislation that deals with sexual offences, offences that pertain to the life of the unborn, and laws that pertain to obscene publications [Section 13 (12)]. It remains to be seen how the courts will deal with these laws which have been retained.

Marriage has also been defined [Section 18 (2)] as follows:

No form of marriage … other than the voluntary union of one man and one woman may be contracted or legally recognised in Jamaica.

Thanks to our intervention, provisions relating to religious liberties have also been included at Section 17, basically repeating provisions of Section 21 of the past document.

Why did the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship intervene in the passage of the charter? In brief, we saw a document whose philosophy was the supreme autonomy of the individual. The philosophical flaw in the document then, and still is so in the current document, but to a lesser extent, is a failure to face the fact that we are all selfish by nature and that, further, we live in a community where, like it or not, our private actions do impact the life of the community. Frankly, some of us are concerned that the concept of human rights is being used to erase the distinction between right and wrong, and that human rights, in itself, have now become the new religious dogma.

After examining the document, we became very concerned about the destination of the proposed journey. When we intervened in 2006, we realised then that all our laws and any limitations on perceived rights would now be subject to what obtains in a 'free and democratic society'.

what's the destination?

The concept of us as a nation setting out on a journey in the pursuit of freedom and liberty of the individual sounded exhilarating, exciting even, but did we have any idea as to our destination? Is it good governance to lead a nation to a possible and even likely destination without their informed consent? The philosophy of the document, as it was, would certainly have allowed for a striking down of the laws relating to buggery, abortion and obscene publications. Not only that, we were concerned that the robust language of Section 21 of the soon-to-be-replaced Chapter III of the Constitution was not repeated in the proposed document.

Section 21 deals with freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, and preserves a certain amount of autonomy for religious bodies. All that was given was a right to freedom of thought, conscience, belief and observance of religious and political doctrines. Knowing what was happening in so-called free and democratic countries, e.g. Canada, where consistently, the rights of homosexuals trumped rights to conscience, and where it has been declared that women have the right to take the lives of their unborn children, ought we to have sat by just getting on with our daily routine without, at the very least, warning the nation?

We could do no less than sound a warning. This we did, and thankfully, we received a favourable hearing.

It took some courage to be able to include clauses in the current charter which have now saved laws relating to sexual offences, the life of the unborn, and obscene publications, and have preserved our religious liberties. Moreover, as said before, the document now defines marriage in the way that I dare say most Jamaicans now define that institution - being that of one man to one woman.

In this regard, I want to urge our society to give more than lip service to marriage. I want to urge our society to view the institution as an honourable one, one which provides the best environment in which to raise our children.

A mutually faithful heterosexual relationship is not merely one private option among many, but has serious implications for the public good and the health of the nation.

changing laws

Our Parliament is still there to make laws for the peace, order and good government of Jamaica (Section 48). Our judges are there to interpret and apply these laws. If we want laws changed, let us do so upfront, with the full knowledge of the society. Let the Parliament not abdicate its responsibility of making laws.

Having included these sections in the charter, I want to say to the Government that we expect that if at any time there is a court decision which goes contrary to the intentions clearly expressed on behalf of the electorate that you expressed in this charter, that we do expect that you will honour the Jamaican people by taking such legislative action as may be necessary to rectify any faulty wording which may become apparent.

To the charge that the charter ignored the rights of homosexuals, I ask, where do rights originate? And if there is no transcendent moral law, what gives anyone any rights, and what prevents mere power from prevailing? If it is true that repeal of the buggery law will assist with reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, then why is it that the November 2010 edition of Lancet Infectious Diseases reported that "despite an overall decline in HIV incidence in France, transmission seems to be out of control among men who have sex with men?" Lancet is a highly reputable medical publication. Note that buggery was decriminalised in France since the time of the French Revolution in 1791. Other reputable sources (e.g., Eurosurveillance) report similar trends for HIV incidence among MSMs in many developed Western nations.

If the buggery law is repealed, what will prevent our children being taught in school that the homosexual lifestyle is a good and acceptable one?

Read the rest HERE from GLBTQJA or the Gleaner

Peace and tolerance

H

June is Pride Month ... but sadly last year's post still seems befitting

Sadly not much has changed since last year's entry on Pride Month on my sister blog GLBTQJA, yes we have seen some silent protests from a section of the advocacy arena and the letter writing campaign is still on which are geared to the anti gay establishment, there are some other changes in regards to homelessness and our transgender sister who was mentioned in the original piece but sorry to be the bearer of bad news many are just not feeling the overall community unity and sense of worth that is needed, there is a bright spot where a new forumatic area has been helping to air some of the inter and intra community issues and social networking sites have also been widely utilized, have a read of the post from last year and see if you agree, some slight editing has been done.

So June is PRIDE Month internationally as various parts of the world will celebrate publicly in most instances their respective LGBTQ events. With new territories adding their own voices in expressing pride in themselves, Jamaica in times past has had our own set of private celebratory events, parties and lymes when the the days of JFLAG (Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays) were far more introspective in the community itself and using such activities as a part of the social support strategy to engage the community and develop an identity given the homophobia and violence meted out to persons accused of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender as we have seen in recent times. Only some party promoters and bloggers like myself who will highlight or have events so themed in respect to the occasion still carry on, I hope that will change soon.

PRIDE presently is supposed to be a mostly American invention coming out of the Stonewall events in the late sixties, other jurisdictions have added their own historical experiences such as Brisbane, Russia, Canada and The UK. LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, that diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. The use of the abbreviated gay pride and pride have since become mainstream and shorthand expressions inclusive of all individuals in various LGBT communities.

The word pride is used in this case as an antonym for shame, which has been used to control and oppress LGBT persons throughout history. Pride in this sense is an affirmation of ones self and the community as a whole. The modern "pride" movement began after the "Stonewall riots" in 1969. Instead of backing down to unconstitutional raids by New York Police, gay people in local bars fought back. While it was a violent situation it also gave the underground community the first sense of communal pride in a very well publicized incident. From the yearly parade that commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall riots began a national grassroots movement. Today many countries around the world celebrate LGBT pride. The pride movement has furthered the cause of gay rights by lobbying politicians, registering voters and increasing visibility to educate on issues important to LGBT communities. LGBT pride advocates work for equal "rights and benefits" for LGBT people.

Symbols of LGBT pride include the LGBT rainbow flag, butterfly, the Greek lambda symbol, and the pink as well as black triangles reclaimed from their past use.

Historical Background:Advocates of gay pride have used history to point to oppression as well as differing levels of acceptance of homosexuality throughout history. The ancient Greeks did not conceive of sexual orientation as a social identifier, as Western societies have done for the past century. Greek society did not distinguish sexual desire or behavior by the gender of the participants, but by the extent to which such desire or behavior conformed to social norms. These norms were based on gender, age and social status. "Lesbian" derives from the name of the island of Lesbos,which was famous for the poet Sappho, who wrote love poetry to female lovers. Homosexuality in the ancient Roman Empire is considered to have been widespread but was tempered by the complex social systems of the society.

During Medieval times all forms of sexuality began to be repressed by the church as the message of heaven and hell gained popularity. As technology fell behind, simple luxuries such as clean running water and proper sewage became a thing of the past. This caused horrible conditions and disease. People began to believe that they were suffering from the wrath of God, blaming immorality. Any and all forms of homosexuality became not only shameful but punishable by death.

see also:
Homosexuality in ancient Greece
and Homosexuality in ancient Rome
Symbols of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements
The Catholic Church and Homosexuality
Pride celebrated worldwide

In 390, the first law banning same-sex love was enacted in Rome, making it punishable by death.

Pride! but the problems on the ground still are real .......
In our most recent history though, it is disheartening that many activities that were once expected to occur during this period have died or discontinued, there were film festivals, art auctions, other forms of entertainment and forums/workshops as well that were helpful to the community to realize who we are with ordinary LGBTQ persons participating. Sad that the only advocacy group once again has failed and continue to fail us as a GLBTQ community in this regard to fuse our resolve in ourselves as proud people despite the problems we face literally on a daily basis. The closure of the MSM housing project in 2010 for example under the watch and deafening silence from JFLAG is a further indication that we are representation-less as a community as only certain issues seem to be of priority while others are cast aside for whatever reasons at the risk of violence due to displacement and even reported deaths since 2011. 

Recent attacks on a camera crew from Sweden who were interviewing MSM in a volatile community suggest we have a far way to go. Yes we may be proud as individuals as we assert ourselves as a natural survival instinct mechanism but it is sad we can't get the activities required on a larger scale to fuse the subgroups under the GLTBQ umbrella towards solving some of the inter-community issues that need urgent attention. Small cell groups however are doing what they can given their limited scope and resources available, many individuals would like to offer more but the present systems overlook or ignore such voices.

The important GLABCOM (Gay Lesbian Allsexual Community) meetings that were discontinued in Kingston in late 2008 has been meeting constant stalls in efforts by some to restart them. Frankly in my estimation there is nothing to be proud of in this vein presently given the set of circumstances that prevail. We have an advocacy system for the most part now being driven by funders who now basically dictate how those activities ought to operate as we have failed to properly carry out basic continuity of previous interventions, ideas and strategies that would have produced tangible results and a seemingly special club decides what happens on that level excluding dissenting voices like this one and others as was evidenced in the recent IDAHO event, the wider community was never made aware in a meaningful way of what IDAHO actually entails let alone a planned activity in Jamaica.

What is happening to our lesbian and bisexual women in terms of the corrective rape typed instances of violence meted out to them with very little assistance or concern from the advocacy quarters on these problem that has been on the increase since 2007 is worrying as well. Not even so much as public outcry on the matter to bring attention to it or some forumatic discourse on the issue at the community level.

The invisibility of the Transgender and bisexual communities are still a major concern for me, their issues need to be brought to the fore by main advocates and take a break from all this talk of repealing the buggery law.
Let us still celebrate PRIDE on an individual level non the less but we cannot and must not overlook these and other serious issues friends, I am sure there are many others you may know of as well in your own corners. See how best you can play however small a part in adding improvement of the lives of our brothers and sisters out there.

Peace, tolerance and PRIDE

H

click the "Homeless MSM in Jamaica" tab immediately below for previous entries on the subject