Gay jamaica's history lane 1974 - 2004

The struggle for equality for gays and lesbians in Jamaica has been going on longer than most people do realize. Let us take a moment to stroll down Jamaica’s gay history lane.

The first documented gay rights advocacy in Jamaica was in 1977, with the establishing of the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) in Kingston. Meetings were weekly with an average attendance of 40 gay men and lesbians. The movement published a bi-monthly newsletter (The Jamaica Gaily News), which circulated for about two and half years. The GFM self dissolved a few years later. Over a period of about seven years, however, the GFM made several historical marks. Here is a timeline of some other major highlights in Jamaica’s gay history:

1978 – Jamaica’s first gay and lesbian play “Mix it out” was staged.

1978 – GFM established Jamaica’s first ever gay and lesbian telephone switchboard.

1978 – The dorm room of an allegedly gay student from the social sciences faculty at UWI was blazed with a homemade bomb on February 21.

1978 – Coronation of Miss Jamaica (Gay), during Independence celebrations by the GLBT community on August 6.

1978 – Jamaica’s first gay and lesbian hotel, Lighthouse Park, opened on April 27.

1978 – Gay activist Larry Chang participated in the first public discussion ever in Jamaica about homosexuality on December 23 at the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST), now the University of Technology (Utech).

1979 – The Gay Community Health Clinic opened on March 10, offering medical services on Saturdays between 11 Am and 1 Pm.

1980 – A record 7 private gay parties in the Kingston were bombed within one month. The bombs were all homemade and there were no reports of any major injuries.

1984 – The Ministry of Education explored homosexuality in the personal development slot on their Education Broadcasting Service (EBS). The moderator was psychologist Dr Frank Knight of the University Hospital; guests were students of Kingston College and St Hughes High.

1984 - GFM assisted Winston Rowe of UWI with a documentary on the stonewall riot for the advance media programme at the Caribbean Institute of Mass Communication (CARIMAC).

1993 - Rumours of a planned gay march had the “heavy-hats” in frenzy. Scores lined the streets, armed and ready to chop, stab, shot, lynch among others, waiting for any ‘body’ that dared to march for gay rights in Jamaica.

1997 - Sixteen allegedly gay prison inmates were slaughtered and 40 others injured in a riot following an attempt by prison authorities to distribute condoms to warders and inmates to help stem the spread of the HIV/AIDS within the penal system.

1998 - Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) was established.

1999 - J-FLAG made a submission to parliament to include sexual orientation in the discrimination clause of the proposed Charter of Rights and Freedoms Bill.

2002 – The United Kingdom offered asylum to three Jamaican gay men on the basis that their lives could be fatally compromised if they returned to Jamaica.

2004 – Amnesty international released an urgent appeal on June 1 to the global community to write to the Prime Minister of Jamaica asking him to take urgent steps to protect gay people from violence, and to repeal legislation that criminalizes same sex relations.

2004 – A dark day in Jamaica’s gay history was upon us all. Gay rights activist Brian Williamson was found murdered at his home in New Kingston on June 9.

Prison sex matters and HIV

Many of us have come into contact with HIV/AIDS by now – maybe you have the disease yourself or have experienced it through friends and family. Decades after the condition was first identified, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to bear a heavy burden on the Caribbean islands we call our home but known to others as luxurious getaways. It is this popularity among foreigners that many experts feel introduced this deadly disease to our islands. Although tourism is a staple to the economic development of the Caribbean, it brings with it, risky sexual activities.

In addition to tourism, there are several factors (of which we have some influence) that contribute to the alarming rates of HIV infection in the Caribbean. These include :

Homosexuals engaging in heterosexual activities, due to the fact that homosexuality is frowned upon and often denied.
Sexual activities in prison and the lack of availability of condoms to prisoners.
Alcohol and drug abuse.
Commercial sex workers (i.e. “rent-a-dreads, prostitutes, etc.).
Multiple sexual partners and failure to use condoms.

Some Numbers

While the HIV/AIDS statistics for Jamaica is not nearly as high as the Caribbean islands of Haiti and the Dominican Republic (regions affected the most by HIV/AIDS), the numbers are still staggering. There were an estimated 20,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, with just under 1000 deaths due to AIDS in 2001. In 2001, more than 5,000 orphans have lost their mother or fathers to AIDS. For the latest facts and figures, visit the National AIDS committee website

Symptoms

Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV and are said to be asymptomatic. However, some people may have flu-like illnesses (a month or two after HIV infection), with many of the following symptoms: fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and rash. These symptoms may disappear after a few weeks and are often dismissed as routine cold or flu.

Severe symptoms may not appear until years after HIV infection. The frequency of skin problems and mouth ulcers will increase. In addition, patients may experience the following symptoms:

Fatigue or lack of energy.
Unexplained weight loss
Frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal).
Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin.
Fevers and sweats.

Treatment and Prevention

Although HIV is a lifelong condition (there is currently no cure), there are highly effective drug-cocktails and anti-retroviral treatments available that can extend life and quality of life. The harsh reality for treatment in Jamaica (and the rest of the Caribbean) is that these drugs are expensive and difficult for many to afford and may not even be available in rural areas. However, generic forms of these drugs are available, making it possible for more people to afford and access treatment.

But even with the availability and accessibility of treatment, why are many individuals infected with the virus not coming forward for necessary treatment? The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, that it is a gay disease, lead many to basically ignore their condition, lie about it and not seek proper treatment. Unless society at large stops treating those suffering from the disease as pariahs, there will be many who will die prematurely.

“Prevention is better than cure.” This statement cannot be any truer, especially since there are currently no cures for HIV. The only way to prevent being infected with HIV is to avoid sharing needles and having unprotected sex. Prevention also means educating our children, friends and family members about HIV/AIDS. Prevention means testing pregnant women and treating those infected with HIV, to prevent the transmission to their babies. Prevention means providing condoms to prison inmates.

Really, the only way to protect yourself is to know the facts.

Man accused of abusing teenage boy .

CHRISTOPHER Taylor, who has been accused of repeatedly buggering and indecently assaulting a 14 year-old boy over a 12-month period, will return to court on August 12.

He was remanded in custody during his last appearance in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

Taylor, police say, had numerous sexual encounters with his young neighbour for about a year, and a medical report which was presented to the court by the prosecution showed that the boy had been severely injured during the activity. Taylor is also accused of trying to force the teenager to perform oral sex on him.

After reading the incident report, Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle, who presided over the matter last week, remarked on what appeared to be a sustained period of abuse.

"It would appear that this has been going on a long, long time," the RM said.

"Then you never know that this was going on?" the visibly upset RM then asked of the victim's mother.

"No, sir, only one time I see him clothes blood up," the woman replied.

the Diagnostic Statistical Manual that clearly guides that paedophilia is deviant behaviour and treatable while adult male homosexuality is not seen as a disorder since 1973

Taylor's action became public knowledge after the victim's grandmother became curious when the boy went missing for a few hours. When he was seen returning from Taylor's house, the elderly woman became suspicious that he had been smoking ganja and questioned him. After he was roughed up by his mother, the boy told his grandmother of the sexual encounters between Taylor and himself.

Taylor was arrested at his Greenwich Town address by Detective Corporal Cecil Lawrence of the Denham Town police station.

The accused man has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sadly it is cases such as this that makes the whole advocacy work more problematic as persons conflate paedophilia with the aims of consenting male homosexuality to suggest the call for the buggery law to go is to legitimize inappropriate acts with boys. 

If this man is guilty he deserves everything that is coming to him legally but sadly our systems do not go on to actually treat with the issue of paedophilia via the respective psycho-sexual interventions required, so this man for all intents and purposes can re-offend after he serves his time if he has not changed for the better.

Peace & tolerance

H

Sexual Development through the Life Cycle ......

Decided to share this from a previous entry on Yahoo groups; the conflation of abuse and same gender sex with experimentation and a lack of basic understanding of child development must be addressed.

Many people cannot imagine that everyone—babies, children, teens, adults, and the elderly—are sexual beings. Some believe that sexual activity is reserved for early and middle adulthood. Teens often feel that adults are too old for sexual intercourse. Sexuality, though, is much more than sexual intercourse and humans are sexual beings throughout life.

Sexuality in infants and toddlers—Children are sexual even before birth. Males can have erections while still in the uterus, and some boys are born with an erection. Infants touch and rub their genitals because it provides pleasure. Little boys and girls can experience orgasm from masturbation although boys will not ejaculate until puberty. By about age two, children know their own gender. They are aware of differences in the genitals of males and females and in how males and females urinate.

Sexuality in children ages three to seven—Preschool children are interested in everything about their world, including sexuality. They may practice urinating in different positions. They are highly affectionate and enjoy hugging other children and adults. They begin to be more social and may imitate adult social and sexual behaviors, such as holding hands and kissing. Many young children play "doctor" during this stage, looking at other children's genitals and showing theirs. This is normal curiosity. By age five or six, most children become more modest and private about dressing and bathing.

Children of this age are aware of marriage and understand living together, based on their family experience. They may role-play about being married or having a partner while they "play house." Most young children talk about marrying and/or living with a person they love when they get older. School-age children may play sexual games with friends of their same sex, touching each other's genitals and/or masturbating together. Most sex play at this age happens because of curiosity.

Sexuality in pre-adolescent youth ages eight to 12—Puberty, the time when the body matures, begins between the ages of nine and 12 for most children. Girls begin to grow breast buds and public hair as early as nine or 10. Boys' development of penis and testicles usually begins between 10 and 11. Children become more self-conscious about their bodies at this age and often feel uncomfortable undressing in front of others, even a same-sex parent.

Masturbation increases during these years. Preadolescent boys and girls do not usually have much sexual experience, but they often have many questions. They usually have heard about sexual intercourse, petting, oral sex, and anal sex, homosexuality, rape and incest, and they want to know more about all these things. The idea of actually having sexual intercourse, however, is unpleasant to most preadolescent boys and girls.

Same-gender sexual behavior is common at this age. Boys and girls tend to play with friends of the same gender and are likely to explore sexuality with them. Masturbating together and looking at or caressing each other's genitals is common among preadolescent boys and girls. Such same-gender sexual behavior is unrelated to a child's sexual orientation.

Some group dating occurs at this age. Preadolescents may attend parties that have guests of both genders, and they may dance and play kissing games. By age 12 or 13, some young adolescents may pair off and begin dating and/or "making out." In some urban areas, preadolescent boys seek out situations in which they experience vaginal intercourse. Young women are usually older when they begin voluntary sexual intercourse. However, many very young teens have been known to practice sexual behaviors other than vaginal intercourse, such as petting to orgasm and oral intercourse.

Sexuality in adolescent youth (ages 13 to 19)—Once youth have reached puberty and beyond, they experience increased interest in romantic and sexual relationships and in genital sex behaviors. As youth mature, they experience strong emotional attachments to romantic partners and find it natural to express their feelings within sexual relationships. There is no way to predict how a particular teenager will act sexually. Overall, most adolescents explore relationships with one another, fall in and out of love, and participate in sexual intercourse before the age of 20.

Adult sexuality—Adult sexual behaviors are extremely varied and, in most cases, remain part of an adult's life until death. At around age 50, women experience menopause, which affects their sexuality in that their ovaries no longer release eggs and their bodies no longer produce estrogen. They may experience several physical changes. Vaginal walls become thinner and vaginal intercourse may be painful as there is less vaginal lubrication and the entrance to the vagina becomes smaller. Many women use estrogen replacement therapy to relieve physical and emotional side effects of menopause. Use of vaginal lubricants can also make vaginal intercourse easier. Most women are able to have pleasurable sexual intercourse and to experience orgasm for their entire lives.

Adult men also experience some changes in their sexuality, but not at such a predictable time as with menopause in women. Men's testicles slow testosterone production after age 25 or so. Erections may occur more slowly once testosterone production slows. Men also become less able to have another erection after an orgasm and may take up to 24 hours to achieve and sustain another erection. The amount of semen released during ejaculation also decreases, but men are capable of fathering a baby even when they are in their 80's and 90's. Some older men develop an enlarged or cancerous prostate gland. If the doctors deem it necessary to remove the prostate gland, a man's ability to have an erection or an orgasm is normally unaffected. Recently, Viagra has become available to help older men achieve and maintain erections.

Although adult men and women go through some sexual changes as they age, they do not lose their desire or their ability for sexual expression. Even among the very old, the need for touch and intimacy remains, although the desire and ability to have sexual intercourse may lessen.

Adapted from Life Planning Education. Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, ©1995

Child sexual development

At Birth
capacity to have an erection (male)
capacity for vaginal lubrication (female)
all sex organs present  in males testes may or may not be descended into scrotum

During First Year show genital guarding, manipulate own genitals orgasm in boys from 3 months orgasm in girls from 4 months

Two Years
rebelliousness, uncooperative, fiercely independent
know their own mind differentiates between males and females male or female gender identification is fixed
interest in posture of males and females when urinating
is interested in physical differences between the sexes
learns to name body parts capacity to fantasize
love rituals regarding bedtime, bath, meals, and story time
emotionally stormy don't want anyone to touch their buttocks develops positive and/or negative attitudes toward elimination and urination depending on toilet training
self esteem and trust in others first established

Three Years
pleasant, initial shyness girls attempt to urinate standing up
plays at adult male/female roles continue to masturbate

Four Years
bathroom slang and name calling "pooh face", "shit head"
interested in peeking at others eliminating and urinating
may demand bathroom privacy for self plays "nurse/doctor/patient" games with peers, plays hospital and takes rectal temperature enjoys nudity aware of gender and sex roles boys scornfully chauvinistic
continues to masturbate

Five Through To Seven
reinforcement of gender identity continues
identification with same sex parent strengthens
mutual body exploration with same sex is common
sexually oriented daydreams and fantasies begin
feelings toward opposite sex become more ambivalent.

Sex Play

Knowledge of the customary stages of sex play which take place in perfectly normal well brought up children in the first ten years may help you to meet neighborhood sex play situations more calmly and without too much horrified surprise.

2 Years
Child shows interest in different postures of boys and girls when urinating and is interested in physical differences between the sexes.

3 Years
Verbally expresses interest in physical difference between sexes and in different postures of urinating.
Girls attempt to urinate standing up.

4 Years
Extremely conscious of the navel. Under social stress, may grasp genitals and may need to urinate.
May play the game of "show". Also verbal play without eliminating.
Calling of names related to elimination.
Interest in other people's bathrooms.
May demand privacy for self, but extremely interested in bathroom activities of others.

5 Years
Familiar with, but not too much interested in, differences between sexes in body structure.
Less sex play and games of "show".
More modest and less exposing self.
Less bathroom play and less interest in unfamiliar bathrooms.

6 Years
Marked awareness of and interest in differences between sexes in body structure.

Questioning.
Mutual investigation by both sexes reveals practical answers to questions about sex differences.
Mild sex play or exhibitionism in play or in school toilets.
Game of "show". May play hospital and take rectal temperatures.
Giggling, calling names or remarks involving words dealing with elimination functions.

7 Years
Less interest in sex.
Some mutual exploration, experimentation and sex play, but less than earlier.

8 Years
Interest in sex rather high, though sex exploration and play is less common than at six.
Interest in peeping, sexual jokes, provocative giggling.
Children whisper, write or spell elimination or sex words.

9 Years
May talk about sex information with friends of same sex.
Interest in details of own organs and functions. Seek out pictures in books.
Sex swearing, sex poems beginning.

10 Years Considerable interest in sexual jokes.

Eight Through Twelve Years
best friend or buddy common peer group begins to dominate in identity seeking beginning of separation process from parents early menstruation begins in some girls, secondary sex characteristics develop strong feelings of modesty begin to be expressed

From Thirteen Years
puberty and resultant body changes proceed in boys and girls menstruation occurs in almost all girls by age 16
ovulation established in girls 18-24 months after menarche
usually estrangement from parents as sexual authority figures become more pronounced masturbation and sexual fantasies become integrated and common especially among males sexual attraction of the opposite sex becomes stronger sexual attraction to the same sex becomes stronger mood swings develop in body image from extremely self-critical to overly vain  more attention is paid to personal appearance and dress sex role expectations begin to be acted out according to culturally established patterns (dating, petting, etc.)

What Children Should Know Before Starting School
Correct names of sexual parts
Correct words for elimination
Understand the basic fact of baby's growth with the mother
Know enough anatomy to understand the difference between boys and girls
If child wants to know and asks, she/he should understand that babies are made by fathers and mothers together



http://www.secasa.com.au/index.php/family/12/120

Banished! Gays forced to live on the streets

More than 30 men who have sex with men (MSM) are wandering Kingston’s streets because they have been chased out of their homes and communities.Under a commonly practised custom, known as ‘b’ judgement, a significant number of Jamaica’s gay men are being displaced and left to wander the streets aimlessly. So severe is the judgement being meted out to this marginalised group that some are said to be losing their minds and others contemplating suicide.

"It is very hard for us. Right now some persons have to be sleeping on the road, some people go mad because they take it to heart as they cannot go back to their families and home. I know two persons at Bellevue right now. They couldn’t take the abuse anymore and just cracked. These are persons who can contribute to society," John Green, a middle-class MSM told The Sunday Gleaner. Mr. Green who fears for his life would only speak on condition of anonymity. According to estimates provided by the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG), more than 30 persons now call the streets home as they have become persona non grata in their communities. Many of these men now seeking accommodation were violently chased from their own.

Violence

Dr. Robert Carr of the University of the West Indies, who has done research on MSMs explained to The Sunday Gleaner that "a great deal of violence comes against people who are socially vulnerable, you find that the community gets tense and they manage the situation by not going home. Many of them become squatters, they have nowhere to go, they are homeless." He also spoke of the unwritten and unspoken condemnation of ‘b’judgement’, where the edict is "b bwoy fi dead".

‘B judgement’ is said to be most critical in inner-city communities which are highly intolerant of the sexual orientation. The Sunday Gleaner spoke with MSMs from communities such as Rema and Arnett Gardens, who claim they have to pay dues to get into the communities once they come out. In addition, they are harassed and abused, with some persons even going as far as throwing sewage on them. "I can say that there are a number of things that have been happening to me and to a number of friends,even persons who are associated with me. I can remember living in an inner-city area. I was forced out, not because I was going around and telling people I was gay, but because persons assumed I was, as I was not living with a woman," Bobby Taylor explained.

He said he came home from work one evening and saw men sitting at his gate. They told him he should leave the area as they did not want people like him there. "I decided to report it to the police station in the area. I believed the police station was a safe place for citizens in Jamaica, but when I told them about the problem, they asked me if I was gay and I told them yes. The police blatantly told me he has no time for this, I must go out and look woman to live with and my life would be better in the community.I went back to the inspector and after telling him my situation he said ‘bwoy move from ya so, before yu come tell mi about gunman and where mi can find gun’." Mr. Taylor said he had to leave his house and is now paying rent for another in a safer community in Upper St. Andrew.

The same sort of discrimination occurs in middle class communities, Mr. Green explained. "I remember we were living in (a middle-class community) – about eight of us – and somebody told the police that we were selling coke and had guns. The police raid us one morning about two o’clock. They surrounded the place and there were floodlights all over the place; they searched and searched and couldn’t find anything. Afterwards they asked us what so many men were doing there. They asked us if we were ‘b men’ and we told them yes we were. One of them said we had to leave the area and he should not come back at 6:00 p.m. and find us there. At 6:00 p.m. the police came back and asked us what we were still doing there. They went to the owner of the house and told him that he can’t rent us the place as we were ‘b men’ and dirtying the neighbourhood. The owner of the house gave us 12 hours to move, we were unable to do so and our things were put on the side walk. We knew we could have reported the matter, but we just felt it would not have made any difference. We decided to compromise our rights and leave it at that," Mr. Green said.

Similar stories were gathered from a file on discrimination at JFLAG. One youth noted that he and his partner were constantly abused in the community they grew up in. "One morning, at about two o’clock my friend was at a dance in the community. He was enjoying himself and dancing when suddenly there was a gunshot and a bullet hit my friend in the back of his head. He turned around and they shoot him in his face three more times. He fell and they shoot him as he lay on the ground. They then announced that I was next. Hearing that, I run from the community and have been moving from house to house trying to avoid homelessness."

In addition to being chased from their homes, according to an affidavit from a case filed in the United Kingdom and obtained by The Sunday Gleaner, MSMs face discrimination in employment, housing and access to public facilities and services. "A lot of persons do not want to touch the issue. We spoke to Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) and they told us blatantly they were not defending any homosexuals, they are not around for that," Mr. Green stated. Susan Goffe of JFJ, however, says otherwise. "We have been firm and clear that where persons are beaten, ill-treated and killed based on their sexuality, it is an abuse of their human rights. We have heard of police victimisation and that is completely wrong. There is no support for that, it is a criminal act and needs to be dealt with," she said.

However, as an organisation, she made it clear that there is no position on the legislative aspect of homosexuality. She says the organisation takes a similar stance on the death penalty. Public Defender, Howard Hamilton noted that he will be contacting a constitutional lawyer to examine whether there are constitutional violations taking place against MSMs. "The office has been established to protect the interests of the weak, dispossessed and marginalised of our society and we will never close our doors to anyone who falls into this category and is suffering hardship or discrimination," Mr. Hamilton said, explaining that "like those persons infected with HIV and discriminated against, I would welcome the opportunity to make a test claim, if persons are willing to come forward."

He stated that he is currently preparing a case file on behalf of an HIV positive person. A relative of the now deceased individual is bringing the case. "The same may be possible for homosexuals, where somebody may be able to bring the case on their behalf," Mr. Hamilton explained.

A 'hot' gay tells his story

It’s not every reporter as it were who gets the opportunity to interview gays, more so the ones who described themselves as ‘hot’ ‘cute’ and ‘sexy.’ So, when one such reporter from the tabloid The Star News ran in to one “Perry” (not his real name) at the Entourage, a gay club in Kingston, they seized the opportunity to find out all about this “sport” Perry, a 26-year-old from East Kingston does not consider himself a hooker, but he proves to be one.

“I just love to go to bed with that guy,”

He said turning to a man he had seen for the first time (claimed the reporter) but Perry was honest they claimed.

“I don’t want anyone to tell me I am a battyman I know this from I was small as I would get an erection each time I saw a boy in brief (underwear) but my mother who is a Christian, was a fool to that. She adored me so much I felt sorry for her sometimes.”

Perry describes his early years as “tempting for man” but he kept far from danger.

“I knew a number of men loved me but I was afraid to lose my virginity. I heard it was painful.” But he said the love of men drove him further into temptation. He went through teenaged years without having sex and when he was 24 a man he met at the beach gave him a “blowjob”

“I was swimming and he asked if he could have oral sex with me, I was nervous, said it was alright and he did it to me. It was nice, but I felt guilty as I walked through the door that day and saw my mother. She never realized what had happened and I wouldn’t tell her for a million dollars.”

Perry said he never experienced the moment again until he met a gay from Fletchers Land. “He was the rough type, but sexy with hairy legs. I knew he could work well in bed because other gays told me that. I remember going to his house and passing his friends who were ruffians. He made me sex him and I just couldn’t deal with the effect it had on me later.

It was as if I was losing my mind as I walked home, I lay in my bed, couldn’t imagine how a nice boy like me come to fuck batty . I didn’t have anyone to tell and I promised myself never to do such nasty things again”

But Perry said he could only resist the gay feeling for some time.

“I met another guy, a teenager but we never had sex. We could meet at nights and kiss. One night we stopped at this abandoned building and he had to fight off some dogs. My lover got bites but I was skilful not to get a single scratch. Then I remember the two of us kissing when a man shone a flashlight in our face. He remarked ‘a mean seh the two bwoy dem a battyman’

Perry said he began to meet men who had money and he became greedy.

“I wanted furniture and pretty clothes and although I was working I went for it. One of the men came from Waterhouse, he would pick me up from work on Fridays and I spent the whole weekend at his home. He wanted me to sex him like six times in one night. I never know one could take so much ....... one night we had sex several time. I was tired but he wanted more. So kept roughing me up and that made me real vexed. We left but I got some real expensive furniture from him.

I also met a businessman who drives a Pajero, at first he said he wanted no sex and would give me anything I wanted. But that was a lie. We were going to Mobay one weekend and he jerked me off about six times. I couldn’t help getting rough on him and told him to stop it. So we broke off and he kept calling me promising to give me an expensive car if I agree to spend one good night with him. But I am afraid of this man, his private part is too large.”

Perry has met several other men through telephone calls, men he claimed have proposed to marry him. He showed the reporter an engagement ring he was wearing.

“This one is for a man in the United States. He send my barrel with clothes regularly. But he a eediot (idiot) cause if him come to Jamaica he cannot find me.”

‘Mi caan believe mi eyes .....” (reference to Bounty Killer's antigay dancehall track)

These were the words of a 27-year-old heterosexual male as he made his way from the Enoturage gay club. Not only was ‘Fren’ (not his real name) approached by several men who wanted to start a relationship with him; one man gave him his full name, work and home numbers for him to call. (Fren was not told he was going to a gay club and only knew after, he was told to play the game so that the reporter could get his story).

“Yuh know this (expletive) place want to burn down.” Fren said as he turned onto Trafalgar Road. If Fren had known about this place he would not have gone there. He disliked gays so much he would beat up any of his classmates who showed the slightest signs of being effeminate.

“The man dem nuh easy eeh, yuh see the type a car they drive and the man who seh him affe go home to him wife and him children. A wonder how him feel to know he is keeping a man with his wife?” Fren who is usually the quiet type could not keep his cool. “Is a lot a man come to look me. Supposed I fi tell my badman friend, dem would laugh at me. The first one ask me if I was taken. The second wanted me to come home with him, a wonder if they know mi a bad man” he said, one wonders if it was just usual Jamaican embellished bravado coming through as a cover.

Why so much passion?

According to the reporter it may sound strange but they surmised that gay men believed that the love of a man towards another is stronger than that of a woman. This they say gay men are quick to murder their lovers who are unfaithful to them, an often misplaced belief of jealousy in gay on gay violence, but the naivety of the reporter is clear here.

According to the reporter the gays at the Entourage easily recall how many of their own have been murdered, throats cut, penis slashed, stabbed twenty-odd times. Most of them were murdered in their apartments, a belief that has come to define dismissing homophobic claims sadly and this obviously inexperienced reporter is only seeking to reinforce such misguided perceptions. The murderers were never found as police seem disinterested to investigate one of the few good facts presented here. One man supposed told the Star News he would have committed himself if he had not turned a blind eye to his cheating lover.

“I knew he was cheating on me while I was at work, the day in question I went to his apartment climbed a tree and sat there until he drove in with one of my friends. I felt hurt as I heard the door close because I knew they were having sex. I took out my knife ready to slit his throat but I remember my mother and father and the grief I would have caused them”

He said he sat down and spoke to his lover and they made up.

Talk to other gays and one gets the feeling they would not take the situation lightly.

“That man deserve him death, that’s why a lot of them life end up that way, you cannot take yough fi eediot,” one said sipping a beer. Another gay man took up the conversation, “When are hurt we can’t cuss and carry on like women. When our man seeing another man we can’t go to their workplace and create a scandal so we take it the hard way.

“We can’t even cry so all that jealousy come out in the worst violence. We don’t care how he die, in fact we gays like to watch him die slowly, a few stabs now see him bleed and another few stabs and then let him feel the suffering we feel.”

In conclusion though I wonder if some of this is only aspirational revenge in a sense as the helplessness some gays feel in terms of retaliating to Jamaica’s homophobia such violent thoughts that cannot find an outlet to be sent to those who should get it is left to reside within the gay community, the reporter though is clearly naive as hinted to before, but how did a reporter get into the club in the first place, where was the security checks and balances and how were they not able to screen these faces and just let them in simply because they may have paid the admission fee.

Peace