St Thomas Man Relocates Successfully

A St Thomas man in his forties and a labourer who had found himself in some difficulty some time in late 2016 with some problematic community members just outside of Morant Bay. The impacted man in question reached out to other friends overseas and then was routed to me and others locally via social media in early part of December; by that time things were out of control in a sense according to his account of the situation. 

Relations were getting tense not with the immediate neighbour but in fact from several houses down the cul-de-sac where he lives, the man only found out about the rumours being circulated about him from a woman who has a community shop when he went there to purchase some items and she opened up to him while asking him to be cool or at best careful given the things she was hearing; in other words the village lawyer of the area in a sense.

Thankfully the man took her advice hesitantly but was not sure if it was real what she was saying or just mischief making pursuant to a trap given how ‘country people’ can be sometimes. Living alone can be a challenge for a man speaking from personal experience in certain lower socio-economic classed communities back in the day but apparently just existence is still a problem so the whispers the man was subsequently able to ascertain was that he had ‘no woman’ a trait unfortunately that determines manhood is the multi-partnering with women as objects of display with the proverbial string of ‘yutes’ aka children as proof of virility. 

The man did not meet the pre-requisite as is and then he does not really socialise with the rest of the male populations nearby and by that I mean no marijuana smoking (rubbing hand middle), no attending of the local street dances or local events, he does not go to the local church to suggest living alone means he is Christian and so on so he became a standout as time progressed and seen to be ‘different’ from everyone else seeing how tight knit such areas can be.

In late November there was a verbal spat with one man in question who was open enough to challenge the man after he made a request for “a coin” which is the term used to ask for small change; it was to have purchased marijuana but the man’s answer claiming he had no money did not go down well with the beggar and in turn the beggar decided to launch a type of slow and sustained character assassination by way of snide remarks made whenever he sees him while referencing such terms as ‘fish’ (homophobic colloquial for gay man) and almost encouraging others to question his sexuality at one point. That information strangely came by way of the shop keeper (village lawyer) who when he visited her shop dished the latest she could glean from the streets to him; it seems according to the man was that she liked him not intimately but as a customer it seems seeing he visits the shop frequently. The impacted men became somewhat nervous according to his report and was already looking to relocate before the faithful morning of Sunday December 3, 2016.

The man came out of his home to throw away some items only to be heckled by other men who were hanging out by the end of the street by a light post. The same beggar character was literally pointing out the man to other men and by the look on their faces he knew it was not pleasant things being said. That same day but much later the man had gone to the community shop to do business only to be told by the friendly village lawyer the contents of the conversation of the men by the corner. 

They had apparently moved from the light post to the shop and were talking about the man. An implied threat of sorts was among the subject matter discussed as the group of men in the usual bravado acting attitude were hinting that they wanted no ‘battyman’ in their ‘place’ suggesting they have some ownership and license to decide who stays or goes or does as they think should happen.

The man increased his house rental seeking efforts just to avoid anymore challenges and thankfully it did not escalate to the physical as we know all too well the challenges that come with that. He was able to get a small place in Kingston for starters until otherwise successful afterwards. The man wanted to share his story in a bid to forewarn others as he had never experienced homophobia so earthy overall but more so in a rural area.

Rural areas tend to be a little behind the times usually by default as life is a little slower than in urban spaces, the lack of exposure to certain things can lead to issues when they finally present themselves I surmise. Thanks to the man for sharing his experience with this blog and this one turned out OK as opposed to others. Despite the heightened visibility of LGBT persons be they Jamaican or overseas and the influence of social media one would have expected some better sensibilities but as more and more cases as this comes through it shows there is a lot of work to be done in at best changing hearts and minds.

More anon

Be vigilant be safe an old phrase I used to use ending my posts in the early years of blogging; it may be needed now.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

St Thomas men relocate with police protection after they’re forced to move 2012

Hopeton Lee murdered in January 18 Lee was a witness to a murder and when the person was taken into custody, he backed out to say he was a Christian now,” Deputy Superintendent of Police ...

'Hickey' video man murdered!

So in a follow to a previous post the man in question has been murdered according to the Star News, the first question many are asking is where was or is JFLAG in terms of assistance or asylum given the high publicity he got and exposure? another question coming to light is did he make a report of the threats to the police?

RIP Devon whatever the circumstances he never deserved this!

Devon 'Chris' Fray, the man who claimed there was a misconception about his relation with controversial Bishop Steven Ricketts, was brutally murdered on Thursday.

Fray, 20, was shot and killed by unknown assailants at his home in Commodore district, about 1:10 am.

His death comes five months after Ricketts' SUV plunged into the Rio Cobre killing him and four others.

Following the bishop's death, an old video footage resurfaced of him allegedly beating Fray.


BISHOP WIELDING A MACHETE

The 33-second clip at the centre of the controversy was initially posted online in 2014. It shows the bishop wielding a machete, while grabbing a young Fray and enquiring about three hickeys on his neck.

In a subsequent bid to clear his name from allegations that he was Bishop Ricketts' lover, Fray reached out to THE STAR and did an interview.

He told THE STAR that the controversy surrounding the video has taken a toll on his life and that of his family members, so he wants to clear the air and move on.

"People was sending pure threats to me. All some young bwoy a seh dem wah kill me. My mother trouble with pressure and it a stress her out. She nuh know wah fi do," Fray lamented.

He stressed that the bishop never made any sexual advances towards him.

"He is nice, and kind, and so forth. He has done a lot for me. We would sit and eat, and drink, and reason. I'm so sad about his death, but all now me nuh cry because of this whole video thing," Fray said.

The Linstead police yesterday said that Fray's body was found in his house with multiple gunshot wounds.

The cops said no motive has been established for the murder.

ENDS

Sad though that this is the outcome of this, here was the video that he was in where he tried to explain away the hickey issue:

Peace & tolerance

H

Murder music lyrics don't affect visas ...US Embassy official claims entertainers lying ............

Public affairs officer at the United States Embassy in Kingston, Joshua Polacheck, is suggesting that some Jamaican entertainers who say they are being kept out of the United States because of homophobic lyrics are not telling the truth.

Polacheck said yesterday that Jamaican entertainers have "never" been denied visas or had them taken away over matters such as as anti-gay lyrics.

"No artiste has ever been refused a visa for artistic reasons, and that includes promoting views that are either loving or repelling. The market may not choose to employ them," Polacheck said.

"Sometimes no one wants to hire them and they are using that as an excuse," he added.

Several Jamaican entertainers have claimed that their visas were revoked by the United States in recent years but Polacheck said if that were so, it had nothing to do with their music.

He said that for a person to get a performer's visa, a US promoter must petition for the artiste to enter that country for a show or to do a tour. He surmised that Jamaican artistes may be peddling lies about being denied US visas because of homophobic lyrics when in reality it does not make economic sense for promoters to seek to bring them to the US to perform.

"If they believe, for their own market reasons, or their own reputation as a promoter, that the lyrics or your ideology would be damaging in the market place, they are not going to invite you," Polacheck said.

been disqualified

The US spokesman said that it is important to determine whether artistes who do not have performer visa have visitors visa. According to Polacheck, the entertainers may well have been disqualified from getting US visas because of their involvement or association with criminality.

"We do not look at the content of an artiste's work unless they are a member of the Nazi Party ... . Whatever ideology, whether hateful of loving, that they chose to promote doesn't matter in the visa adjudication process," Polacheck said.

In a bid to support his argument that the US has not been hostile to entertainers who say unfavourable things about public officials or espouse a particular ideology, Polacheck pointed to reggae artiste Chronixx who continues to enjoy a US visa despite insulting US President Barack Obama.

At the time of Obama's historic visit to Jamaica, Chronixx referred to him as a "waste man" but recanted after public backlash.

committed crimes

"He has said things that are a direct insult to the President of the United States. ... If Chronixx had insulted the president of the PRC (People's Republic of China) he would never be allowed in China again," Polacheck said.

He said that persons like artiste Jah Cure, who served time in prison on a rape conviction, will never be granted a US visa.

"There are persons like Jah Cure, who committed crimes of moral turpitude who will never get visas because they have committed crimes of moral turpitude or connections to narcotics trafficking. Many artistes, I am sorry to say, who are connected to Vybz Kartel ... . Many of the people that he worked with were not only musicians but were involved in the narcotics business," Polacheck said.

The US embassy official suggested that many entertainers may have an elevated sense of importance by believing that counsel officers have time to be combing through the lyrics of their songs to determine whether they are offensive.

"There are counsel officers who don't even know who these people are who are coming in front of the window and having a O1 petition (performer visa application) much less saying, 'Oh my gosh, I better Google to see if they have pro or anti-gay lyrics," Polacheck said.

Man says gay rumours need to stop, Bishop in car accident not his boyfriend

Ian Allen/Photographer Devon 'Chris' Fray who was accused of being in a relationship with the bishop who died in a motor vehicle accident at the Flat Bridge.

The late bishop Steven Ricketts who, along with five of his church members, was killed when his Suzuki Vitara overturned in the Rio Cobre by Flat Bridge, Bog Walk Gorge 

Man says gay rumours need to stop, but so what if he was it is not anybody's business to make a fuss; I imagine however things may get ugly if it continues to this damage control of sorts maybe the sensible thing to do; especially in a rural community. Also see the previous post on the matter: Accident victim on flat bridge denies gay rumours

Since the tragic passing of Bishop Steven Ricketts, who died when his car plunged into the Rio Cobre River on Saturday, an old video footage has resurfaced of him allegedly beating his lover.

However, the young man in the video, 20-year-old Devon Fray, also known as Chris, of Commodore, St Catherine, has come forward to clear the air, saying he is not gay, and that the video footage has been misconstrued by a misleading caption.

"I just need people to get this thing straight. I want people to understand what really happen," Fray told THE STAR, noting that the controversy has been wreaking havoc in his family.

three hickeys

The 33-second-long clip at the centre of the controversy was initially posted online in 2014. It shows the bishop wielding a machete while grabbing a young Fray and enquiring about three hickeys on his neck.

"Who give you dem hickey deh? Talk fast before me give you three outta this!,"the bishop said.

The video made the rounds on social media when it was initially posted two years ago, but it recently resurfaced since the Bishop's passing and has been causing quite a stir since.

Fray told THE STAR that at the time the video was created, the Bishop was "running a joke" with him.

" Earlier in the day, I was just meeting this girl by me church and we usually talk and thing. She gave me three hickeys," Fray said.

"When me go by his [the bishop] house now he was drinking. He wasn't serious. He was just joking and asking me where me get hickey from, and saying, 'talk fast!' So I started laughing and saying you see hickey pon me neck?," Fray explained.

He added, "Even after that video, he [the Bishop] was laughing and saying, 'you nuh easy enuh, you make church woman hold you down and give you hickey'."

Fray said he was shocked when he later saw the video online with the misleading caption.

"Me neva have a problem with people putting out the video, but it's what dem have a write up under the video, saying pastor a beat him boyfriend. Mi and him never have sex yet or any of them behaviours deh," Fray said.

He told THE STAR that the controversy surrounding the video has taken a toll on his life and that of his family members, so he wants to clear the air and move on.

"People was sending pure threats to me. All some young bwoy a say them wah kill me. My mother trouble with pressure and it a stress her out. She nuh know wah fi do," Fray lamented.

Fray added that he is in a committed relationship with a female, who was pregnant with his first child, but unfortunately lost the baby recently.

"Mi no really want all a dem things yah [gay rumours] a distract me life," Fray said.

But Fray had nothing bad to say about Ricketts who he said was a father figure to him. He stressed that the bishop never made any sexual advances towards him

"He is nice and kind and so forth. He has done a lot for me. We would sit and eat, and drink, and reason. I'm so sad about his death, but all now me nuh cry because of this whole video thing," Fray said.

here is the video of Fray attempting to explaining himself or at least trying to but the joke bit I do not buy at all:

also see from the Gleaner: Godly Or Demonic? - Colourful Tale Of A Revivalist Bishop

Vendor forced to relocate due to homophobic threats

typical weekend crowd in downtown as vendors jostle for business

Popular longtimer and vendor aka Trevor who often could be found on Princess Street both upper and lower sections or along Spanish Town Rd when it is busy has been forced to relocate to other parts of town in peddling his goods as he tries to turn a living in present times. He has been active for many years and I came to know him from my more active years on the LGBT party circuit as he was a regular patron during the Club Entourage years and times following. Apart from having to constantly be on the lookout for cops or metropolitan parks and market officers and police who often seize goods in surprise raids; one has to also contend with extortionists disguised as or faced as women with receipt books who collect a ‘fee’ weekly for supposed unofficial protection and access to of all things public thoroughfare.

I ran into Trevor on the weekend where he expressed his concerns and that of other MSM who also are vendors downtown who have been seeing some strange pressure than normal forcing them to be circumspect or outright relocating just to avoid the pressures. Word is that gay vendors are being targeted to pay some more than normal as it has always been perceived that they get more business than other vendors not from other LGBT customers but by the mere friendliness and approachability element they naturally have; their customer service is devoid of profiling persons be it due to gender or aesthetic; other reasons for the unusual targeting is said to be from other vendors who are simply jealous as territorialism and spite due to the same perception of making more money than other vendors.

Trevor who has been active for some twenty plus years (he couldn’t recall when he exactly started) said he has never had to relocate because of homophobia directly; in clashing with other vendors for space or rivalry he has been called the proverbial ‘battyman’ which is also used to embarrass heterosexual men in public squabbles as well but no threats has been aimed at him he said. He was paid a regular visit some three Saturdays ago by the woman who normally comes by with her receipt book for regular collections but she was accompanied by two men which is not the norm, although other ‘security’ would be nearby to show force if persons are hesitant in paying the extortion fee. The men told Trevor that he had to pay an increase as his business looks like it is booming more than the other vendors. Trevor himself said he was shocked at this approach as such monitoring has never impacted him before.

He tried to respond to the men saying no such increase in business existed and that he was not in a position to make the demanded increase patronage. But the men would have none of it and made it clear that the next time the woman turned up he must comply; the exchange was loaded with anti gay rhetoric and veiled threats with one instance the good business perception came through tinged with some jealousy. The man claimed by words to the effect that the battyman dem a tek over the place and a run weh business (the gay men are taking over and getting more business). The men maybe referring to other younger gay men (as perceived) who hail from the displaced communities but who have been getting involved in selling.

Trevor has decided that if you can’t beat them then simply move to avoid any drama. In a previous post on the DVD reveller who has been homeless on and off for some seven years he was also selling downtown but has been forced to stop in a sense for his own safety as his identity is known due to the party DVD that went public in 2007 and to date is still having him face challenges that he has to be in hiding or maintaining a low profile. Another vendor who sells market shopping bags and who is also an active cruiser was the subject of a minor skirmish in January with some thugs by the former rural bus park by Pechon Street earlier this year. He was labelled as gay just by his appearance and gait in his walk and just by that he was profiled and threatening actions taken. He has since relocated to Cross Roads market and surrounding shopping zones for now I am reliably informed.

Trevor is also planning to become more mobile as the market district becomes more competitive overall. The presently available grants through the regional health authorities for small business assistance and or education pursuits via global fund is only for HIV positive MSM and no other grants seem out there at this time in that vein. Such a grant could really come in handy to offset these circumstances.

I wished Trevor all the luck and bought some items from him in support.

Peace & tolerance

H

When Jamaican Homophobia turns up overseas

Couple claims House of Fraser staff called them ‘c**ksuckers’ and ‘batty man’

Sad when our awful homophobia finds its way into other jurisdictions and shows itself most disparagingly.

Reggie Taylor (left) and his fiance David claim they were subject to homophobic abuse while shopping at House of Fraser (Picture: Getty)

Metro News provided some of the details.

A London-based DJ and his fiancé have claimed they were the target of homophobic abuse while shopping at a House of Fraser branch in London.

Reggie Taylor (known as DJ Fat Tony) and his fiancé David were shopping at the department store in Victoria on Tuesday when staff members were allegedly abusive toward them, calling them ‘c**ksuckers*.

The couple say they were trying different perfumes when a member of staff started pointing and laughing at them.

Reggie told PinkNews that when he approached the staff member and asked her why she was laughing, she replied: ‘I ain’t got no problem with you.’

He also claims the security guard called them ‘batty man’.

When they tried to make a complaint, the manager refused to take them to somewhere more private and refused to believe the staff member was homophobic or remove the security guard from the shop floor.

The DJ attempted to record the ‘abusive, intimidating and homophobic’ remarks on his phone but said the security guard threatened to ‘smash’ it if he did.

While trying to leave, the security guard then called him a ‘c**ksucker* and called him a ‘batty boy’ again.

The department store told Reggie that they are investigating the incident and will give back the £200 he spent in the store.

A House of Fraser spokesperson said: ‘We are incredibly disappointed to hear that a member of our staff has allegedly been abusive to a customer.

‘We take these allegations extremely seriously and are currently investigating thoroughly. At House of Fraser, we do not tolerate any type of verbal or physical abuse.’

ENDS

Also see a previous incident earlier this year in the UK as well: UK Sports store suspends staff after gay couple branded ‘battymen’

Other 'Battyman' related posts:

Bounty Killer and his B****man comments at Shaggy’s fundraiser 2010 from sister blog

High Drama as Homophobes attempt to disrupt and picket gay party 2010

Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really? 2010

Peace & tolerance

H

Silent on murders, vocal about gays

Well Leighton Levy has once again impressed me as he crosses from the original position in times passed in his pieces to a much more tolerant and embrasive stance. He is to be commended for such boldness as he tackles the selectivity of the anti gay religious voices.

Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer Members of the Love March Movement having a peaceful demonstration adjacent to the Pegasus Hotel on Knutsford Boulevard to let their voice's be heard earlier this year.

The very week of the rally 23 persons were murdered in one parish alone that being Hanover which is not a part of JA that features in high crimes but we know lotto scamming has alot to do with it, yet the church is silent but the JCC has spoken on the CCJ, hypocrites indeed.

Christians attended a July 2014 rally in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, organised by Christian group, Jamaica Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation, in protest against what it considered a growing threat to freedom of speech.

I believe it was last summer that thousands of Jamaicans, led by church groups, gathered in Half-Way Tree protesting and threatening government about the curse that would descend upon us should they repeal the anti-buggery law.

The placard-bearing mob unleashed their rage for all to see against the homosexual scourge that they believe has made Jamaica such a horrible place to be.

Fast forward more than a year and a thousand murders later when within weeks a man and his one-year-old son were gunned down by criminals, two sisters were raped and murdered in Clarendon and, as I woke early yesterday to write this, I see a story about a medical student of the University of Technology (UTech) being gunned down by criminals, who wanted to take her handbag on Hope Boulevard the night before.

In short, things are bad and seemingly getting worse. As it stands, the surge in crime is posing a serious threat to this country, but you don't have to take my word for it.

secure environment

"We have to be realistic; we have to know that without a safe, stable and secure environment, we are going to have trouble getting even more investments, so we have to not ignore security," said US Ambassador to Jamaica Luis G Moreno early last month. "Crime, especially violent crime, is a deterrent to both local and foreign investments and for this reason, the US/Jamaica partnership in law enforcement is vitally important to sustain growth and prosperity in Montego Bay and across Jamaica."

He was addressing an audience at the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry Expo 2015 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James, the hub of Jamaica's tourism product that is surrounded by some of the most violent communities in the country and where the lottery scam is thriving.

Just recently, six persons were shot dead and their family house burnt in Hanover, a crime believed to be connected to the scam that authorities believe is bigger than the drug trade.

not gay

With all this I am yet to see a gathering of the magnitude of the one we saw in Half-Way Tree last year. There was a march earlier in the year, I believe, against the violence against children that hardly generated any interest among the populace. It was almost as if we are saying, we're cool with kids being abused and killed, so long as they are not gay.

There are no words that can adequately express how nauseated I am by all this. There is no day that there are no reports of someone being slaughtered in this country and it's why we have one of the highest murder rates in the world. Yet, the church and their loyal flock won't be congregating anywhere to voice their anger at that.

We haven't even heard a group of church leaders speak openly about the wholesale slaughter of their fellow countrymen and women. The only focus it seems is on gays being afforded basic human rights which they are being denied in Jamaica.

It's as if we truly believe that affording gays their basic human rights will make us even more violent, even more evil than we already are. Or, it could be that the church and its misguided flock, for the noise they make about gays, is simply too afraid to take on the criminal element.

If that is the case, it makes them bullies and hypocrites. Gays are in the minority and can easily be out-shouted and marginalized, but even while the criminals are also in the minority, they carry guns. Apparently all the so-called faith that their God can protect them against all evil is just a show and a poor one at that.

Send comments to levyl1@hotmail.com.

ENDS

my podcast on religiosity's selectivity:

The Hypocrisy of Jamaican Anti Gay Groups & Selective Actions of Societal Ills 

Other Leighton rants:

What goes on in the minds of the overly religious?

Leighton Levy on Gays are not our problem .... JCHS told to check the mirror

Jamaica's Gay Hypocrisy

Lyrics, not gays, tearing down reggae or dancehall

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

Silent madness on the rise (Star feature)

Related stuff from this blog:

Downlow at the pulpit: Pastor Flees after same sex scandal .... says Star News 2011

"Tell Me Pastor" cautious on Down Low complaint ...

Another St Thomas Pastor Accused of Rape ........... Where are Anti Gay Religious Groups?

Booted from the Fellowship … said to be a homosexual ... Pastor's response is wanting

Suspected gay man booted from church 2015

JFLAG Tries to Clarify its Agenda 2014

Betty Ann Blaine Deliberately Conflates Same Gender Attraction & Child Abuse at Christian Anti Gay Mass Rally & in Public Advocacy 2014

my latest podcasts:

Heteronormative Role Play, Power Differentials & Intimate Partner Violence in LGBT Groups 07.11.15 

Homeless Awareness Month 2015 ..... Recap & Concerns 07.11.15 

Dancehall DJs warned again to avoid murder music at GT Taylor’s Extravaganza 2015 event

George GT Taylor

After a hectic Heroes Day weekend I got a chance to settle down put away the DJ equipment and music and such only to arrive at a piece of sensible news that re-energised me and some of the Stop Murder Music original team members, not to be left out are our friends Peter Tatchell and Dennis Bigboy Carney of the Black Gay Men's Advisory Group.

As I live and breathe George ‘GT’ Taylor popular party and stage show promoter of the Boom sponsored Extravaganza (not related to our gay ballroom ‘Xtravaganza parties and vogue off sessions from back in the day) and radio host on IRIE FM has once again thrown down the gauntlet as to artists lined up for his popular year end show Boom Extravaganza for performers to avoid lewd lyrics and anti gay songs. 

Boom in the description for this post are the sponsors of the show (it is an energy drink) and not the typical word colloquially used in dancehall to mean an explosion from a gunshot, suggested fiery exists of gays as a death threat or eradication of gays as in Capleton’s old murder music track “Battyman fi Get Boom” for clarification or his other songs where he uses the term “Boom” such as “Shot Him Up” and “Mi Nuh Lotion Man” (I do not lotion a man’s body). Other acts who have used the boom reference include Turbulence with his infamous “Boobah Booboy!” which has been edited with an acapellarised version as the final product by lifting the vocals only from the full track as a sound effect by DJs and radio show hosts or Beenieman’s “Bad Man Chi Chi Man” the remix version.

As last year’s event on Christmas day he had a sign placed on the side entrance of the stage that read words to the effect to performers of no bad words, no offensive language towards anyone or groups with unpopular lifestyles; I will ignore the ‘lifestyle’ reference for now but there is some growth here on the part of Mr Taylor and maybe some intervention directly with him should suffice in opening his mind of the difference between lifestyle and sexual orientation issues.

Sizzla reportedly fumed and balked at the warning sign;

“So wah dem a seh? No bad words? Oooooh?” said Sizzla as he picked up one of the signs and examined it closely.

“No offensive language against certain groups? A wah dis?

Mi nuh inna dis I want to warn all promoters against de sponsors dem who want dem fe go easy on certain groups ........ but mi nuh inna it wid dem.”

Said Sizzla reportedly striving hard to control his rage.

(Translation: So what are they saying? No expletives ....... oh! It what is this? ....... I am not into this I want to warn all promoters against the sponsors who want artists to go easy on certain groups ....... but I am not into that with them.)

Taylor said it is a sign that has always been at the event not only last year.

“I am showing the standard is what I am saying ........ That’s all my sign is saying.”

When asked by a media house whether the sign was his doing or the sponsors demanding such restrictions he responded “That’s my rule ........ That’s my rule; I am saying that our music must be presented on a professional and a distinguished level. We cannot present our music on a derogatory level and I think that is one of the good things that’s hold Extravaganza.”

“I am for discipline and if you are going to present the reggae music, this music that I love that is one of the things why I stick with this show, because I want to help keep this culture alive; we cannot be spreading the culture and we are going to do it in derogatory fashion.”

He continued:

“We must not disrespect our women and we must not disrespect people, so I put my sign up there and it has been up for quite a good number of years.” He also added that it is included in the performance contracts although there have been breaches and some have been overlooked he intends to be far vigilant than in years gone by. He also made his media house link and claims he has to keep it clean given his position and type of show he hosts.

“Anything I am doing in the business must be done with dignity and respect.” Taylor said. As for last year’s show and Sizzla he said he did not use any profanity and that he was protesting the sign. “Maybe he felt the sign was too bold but that’s it. You are going to see that sign there on Extravaganza.”

He concluded that the reason for the shows longevity is the quality of performances demanded by him when booking or signing/negotiating contracts and is hopeful Boom will remain so as to bring the event to another level.

Well the Red Stripe folks did the bold move years ago and others have been slowly following suit, now comes GT Taylor and I hope this is not a public relations stunt to avoid scrutiny by vigilant activists like myself who having been involved with the Stop Murder Music Campaign back in the day with then Programs Manager of JFLAG (when they meant something) Mark Clifford we are not deterred by nice sounding or flowery phrases. Sizzla is out of control as far as I am concerned from way back in the day when gentle persuasion did not work via SMM to get him to cooperate and or sign the symbolic Reggae Compassionate Act, RCA and for a Rastafarian he seems way out of line with the basic principles of his faith or is he a real rass? And what about Rastafarian men who are same sex attracted or gay sex practicing? I have had a few in my lifetime and they are good in bed too. But seriously if Haile Selassie is a representation of goodwill to all and non discrimination or a God in their eyes and given the Rasta’s own persecution they faced in the 60s to the late 90s from scorn in public by others has the oppressed become the oppressor in some respects? Rastas such as Sizzla need to remember the refusal by some to rent a man with locked hair (hence the song “dreadlocks can’t live in a tenement yard); relentless teasing of persons with locked hair to have lice or worse and discrimination by schools of children with locked hair as well where demands are made of them to trim the growth.

I am sure LGBT persons hardly if any persecuted Rastas as we have always had our share of poison thrown at us in this country and still do.

Let us watch this development and see where it leads.

Peace & tolerance

H

Suspected gay man booted from church

A man in the May Pen area is the subject of a booting from a small church in the parish of Clarendon recently in June in fact after an incident between himself and a youth group director over allegations of suspected homosexual behaviour which has not yet been proven in any way yet an ultimatum was issued by the time the matter was brought to the attention of the pastor and other leaders.

The man an office clerk in his twenties made a report to a new LGBT group that is tracking homophobic incidents as part of a study it claims it is doing, the group on Facebook allows for open discussion on such matters and directs persons to possible solutions via groups, individuals and agencies. The matter was shared with myself and other bloggers who are also tracking the landscape and believe me I am still amazed at what is out there with younger LGBT persons especially.

The young man in this matter was closely aligned to the youth group and taught keyboarding to the younger band members as there was a shortage of such skills in the church; he also plays occasionally during church services praise and worship sessions as well. The church had been unusually hiring outside band players from strangely another denomination the Seventh Day Adventists for a small fee as the young church develops its musical core, a shortage of male players had forced them to do so in the parish. The allegations actually came from one of the hired help who as it turned out was spurned after the young man refused his own hints and advances who in turn spun a rumour to in effect hurt the young man’s prospects at being integrated into the permanent band for the church. The allegations are that the young man made an attempt to hold the non resident band member in a compromising position to which he refused.

It turns out after the matter was tried in a hastily put together session acting as a court or trial with the pastor and an acting deacon as the young church has no active board as yet hearing the matter alongside the men and alleged witnesses even though they were not present at the time of the ‘touching’ and intimate moments between the men; they however gave supposedly supportive testimony in this trial of sorts that they suspected the young man seeing he had expressed no interest in the church sisters or women so openly and that he was off in his everyday attitude although he is not effeminate. Sadly such observations are still used to condemn persons even if the non interest is genuine I would imagine.

The young man complained that he was hardly given any room to defend himself properly as when he tried to speak in the mock trial he was rebuffed in a sense by the pastor especially and it soon became apparent to him the exercise was to condemn him and boot him out despite the appearance of a hearing for fairness.

When he tried to explain that the touch allegation and advances were actually done by the fabricator of the accusation the pastor blow up in anger and shouted condemnatory remarks to strangely include the Leviticus line of mankind lying with mankind and the whole nine yards while demanding an answer from the seventh day Adventist accuser who was in effect tongue tied at that juncture. The matter was subsequently adjourned after some thirty or more minutes where the ‘verdict’ by the pastor and supportive deacon that the hired band be reduced with the tainted band member not allowed to return to the duties he was paid for and the young man also told to refrain from all activities involving the band or the youth group. Thinking he was still apart of the church he managed to squeeze in a question during the pastor’s tirade inquiring as to where he should be in the scheme of things.

The pastor responded that he was not to return to the church much to the man’s disappointment so he has complied since however some members of the congregation are up in arms one way or the other as upon hearing the story of the man non-involvement in the church band on Sunday mornings has not gone down well. His absence and that of the hired help as well has had some persons complaining bitterly as to the quality of the music delivery during praise and worship sessions while other members are upset such shenanigans were happening in the church, hence there is a split reportedly since as the pastor has been pressured into some sort of prayer vigil or session for both men to change their ways.

The reparative therapy of sorts suggestion has since been pushed as the booted man says he has been contacted repeatedly by former church brethren to return for youth meetings and prayer despite the edict issued by the pastor who suggested he must not be even seen on the property; some have urged they meet off sight so as to avoid detection as they do not believe the allegations (the stereotype suspicion). The urging parties are willing to risk it they say but the man says he is not interested and has since moved on hence him sharing his story on Facebook and such to warn other men who are in the church and who struggle with similar challenges.

That other entry I carried on this blog earlier this year of the Riverton City Seventh Day Adventist matter and alleged inappropriate behaviour of a man with male teen members who also was involved with a youth group has since settled down, he was removed as the coordinator but was still active, the leadership has since re-imposed the ban and he has been asked to undergo counselling, prayer and such while some church members demanded he should be removed altogether.
also see

Tension at Riverton SDA Church board as member accused of sexual assault is still active

Labourer suffer near two years in prison on false accusation of buggery - DNA shows boy was molested by a family member (Jamaica Observer)

I Bet Deafening Silence from Religious Anti Gay Voices ...... Preacher served summons during service for fraud

FAME FM’s ‘Uncensored’ radio show conflates homosexuality, paedophilia with transgenderism

Another St Thomas Pastor Accused of Rape ........... Where are Anti Gay Religious Groups?

Blakka Ellis on "Jamaica a christian country?"

More Pastoral Inappropriateness & Under-aged Victims... Silence from The Selective Religious Anti Gay

Sodomy is an Issue for Teens says Jamaicans for Justice Interim Chairman

Disturbing Paedophile Case & Conflation of Same Gender Sex with Abuse

Allegations of St Catherine Teacher fondling boys makes tabloid headlines again

Concerned sources claim that ... Boys kissed, fondled by male teacher

Peace and tolerance

H

PM scolds gay-rights protesters in New York ........ challenges truthfulness of Homophobic Claims

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller yesterday strongly rebuked gay-rights protesters who crashed a speech she was delivering in New York, United States.

The prime minister was speaking at the launch of the sixth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference when the protesters demanded that the Jamaican government do more to protect gays

However, Simpson Miller did not take kindly to the disruption and chided the protesters for not telling the truth. So the old belief that of LGBT attacks have been committed by other LGBT persons reveals itself loudly here, if one should just do a basic voxpop that same sentiment would reveal itself as many Jamaicans believe it, it was only also yesterday I did a post with the same construct of disbelief in relation to the Shaggy radio interview on Youtube earlier this month.

my podcast:

The old time magazine article from 2006 though headlined as a question somehow has cemented itself as a statement of fact to which many Jamaicans flatly refuse to take such a description of the island, see

The Most Homophobic Place on Earth?

also see: 

So Shaggy said 'Jamaicans aren't killing gays' & He is a Lesbian ...... really! on parent blog GLBTQ Jamaica.

here is an excerpt:

an example of disbelief and rejection of homophobia in 2012: Gay lobby claims not true, says Green ..... or Betty Ann Blaine on Big Gay Lie

Self described gay advocates have not helped either and have only served to erode the well needed credibility in crisis reporting where whether by mistake or deception some matters have been presented as homophobic when it fact they were not thus leading to the backlash advocacy repeatedly faces for example see my post on Gay Jamaica Watch: So Dean Moriah's murder was NOT a homophobic killing ....... ethical issues in advocacy arise yet again some rush to judgement no sooner as someone who is gay is killed without first verifying the issues surrounding the case.

Not to mention the feelings of the oppressed becoming the oppressor: Gay Advocates aren't Bullies (Gleaner Letter) and Pro-Gay Bully Ignoring Grave Health Impact (Gleaner) and Perception of Jamaican LGBTQ lobby bullying continues

You may also want to listen to this two year old podcast but the message rings so relevant to this latest faux pas:

and

here are a few highlights from the protest yesterday in New York as supplied by a long time reader to GJW

"Nobody never hears the Government of Jamaica beating up gays; not one. Let me tell you something; you want to disturb, you can disturb, but this woman come here with the blood of Nanny of the Maroons, and the spirit of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and this woman is not afraid of no man, nowhere, anywhere, and I will speak the truth everywhere," the prime minister said to loud cheers and applause from the audience.

See the Gleaner's version HERE and here: 
PM Being Disingenious, Says Gay Rights Advocate from Maurice Tomlinson who also had his court case at the CCJ: CCJ Reserves Judgement In Maurice Tomlinson Immigration Case ....... No restrictions on Caricom gays, TT officials say
Simpson Miller noted her position and that her People's National Party government is different from that of the previous administration of Bruce Golding, who famously said that he would not allow gays to serve in his Cabinet.

She stressed that she will not be bullied by those who tell lies about Jamaica's treatment of gays.

The prime minister said Jamaica respects the human rights of all its citizens, including gays, and added that those who disagreed are not being truthful. "Jamaica will continue to rise and shine globally. Jamaica will rise and shine all over the world and no one man can stop that," Simpson Miller emphasised.

In the past, gay-rights advocates have picketed events attended by Prime Minister Simpson Miller in New York.

They have complained that there have been no real efforts by the prime minister and her government to follow through on her 2012 election promise.

However the now removed press release from the PNP just after the election debate in 2011 suggest otherwise:

Gay-rights advocates have also blasted the Government, claiming that it has done little to stem the violence and discrimination being faced by gays in Jamaica.

more evidence of the perception that homophobic issues are in fact gay on gay crimes via this Observer voxpop:

I had warned about this before when exuberance and emotional responses and poorly thought through actions by some overseas based advocates can lead to such a call by some of the same folks who participated in yesterday's flop for a tourism boycott. 

See: 

Calling for a Tourism Boycott on Jamaica is a dumb idea at this time

Knee jerk reactions to an obvious spike in homo-negative incidents is not the way to go about it, careful thought has to be done and strategizing but with recent outcomes in the lobby as well as outside of it leaves me wondering and indeed concerned on many fronts.

A recent report alongside a very short video clip suggesting the person therein was stoned because he was gay unverified, and no credible information included has only sought to ruffle feathers and the disbelief quotient rises, see: Alleged Gay Youth Stoned to Death in Jamaica (VIDEO)

also see: 

Longtimer "BeBe" Murdered in Western Jamaica

NO GAY RAGE - Homosexuals Are Not Targeted For Violent Crime, Say Experts

Murder, Homelessness and fallouts ..................................

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy

Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again) says PM

So Dean Moriah's murder was NOT a homophobic killing ....... ethical issues in advocacy arise yet again

Foreign Affairs Minister says Govt should be cautious on gay rights issues in Jamaica

Promised Conscience Vote on Buggery in Jamaica was a fluke

PNP's Damion Crawford on Homosexuality's legality .

Other reads:

Jamaican Opposition Leader says he would allow homosexuals in his cabinet

Non Governmental Organization Consultant says JLP suggested Referendum on Buggery is not a good idea

Opposition Leader sides with antigay groups on Referendum on The Buggery Law

PNP’s Bobby Pickersgill differs on Conscience Vote route to decide on Buggery Law

PNP's Damion Crawford says it's highly unlikely buggery review will happen ........ it's not important now

The PNP's first 100 days ............. buggery review looks far away

PNP Wins ................Hope for LGBT People ??

CVM TV @ Sunrise on the Buggery review & JFLAG's 100 days hope for meeting with PM

On Buggery and gays in cabinets with politics ............ some responses .

Jamaican LGBT Advocacy credibility takes another blow thanks to UK based Gay Star News

Integrity of Jamaican LGBT Advocate Questioned, named as student loan delinquent

New Imperialists in Pink

Murder Music Campaign needs local leadership and Gov’t Hush Hush On Gay Pressure …As Promoters Forced To Pull Queen Ifrica From Canada Show

Rev Al Miller’s late response to Dwayne Jones’ Murder & Respect heterosexuals demand

Sizzla bats for Queen Ifrica as expected

Queen Ifrica's "Freedom of Speech" & advocacy found wanting

'I SPOKE FOR WHAT I BELIEVED IN' - Queen Ifrica defends Grand Gala performance after JFLAG backlash

We muss tek sleep and mark death and learn from previous mistakes instead of going headstrong inna more mess creating more unneeded obstacles. I hope this is a lesson for the young ones.

The upcoming visit of none other than the President of The US to Jamaica may have adjustments being made by advisers to the goodly gentleman not to pursue or publicly discuss LGBT considerations given the air of discontent preceeding this visit. Obviously as US state foreign policy will cause such discussions to occur as Obama is a hands on President in that field. Pressure is also being brought to bear on politicians here as recent unsolicited comments in public by two ministers in particular show that life is somewhat uncomfortable for them, see: 
Health Minister Says Boldness Needed to Change Buggery Laws for HIV Prevention Work to be Effective with at Risk Groups and Foreign Affairs Minister says Govt should be cautious on gay rights issues in Jamaica It would be good sometimes to allow other processes and diplomacy to work in our favour without advocates real or imagined having to lift a finger.

Peace and tolerance

H