No Major IDAHO activity today .....except

So with today being International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia worldwide the main activity for today was public kissing or holding hands by same sex persons but given our caustic environment towards homosexuality let alone public display of such it was be hard pressed for some of us to do same given the damage literally one may suffer from possible violent attacks.

I for one just went out on the town to get some personal effects and saw some friends, we hugged and greeted each other and talked about the whole gay scene and the present Manatt Phelps Phillips drama and the Prime Ministers' predicament of groups and the opposition calling for his resignation. We also discussed the pending NING network decision to now charge free using member sites including LGBT non-profits such as GLBTQ Jamaica Linkup an annual fee to host such sites and their content. We also discussed what we can do as individual gay people in terms of rights based issues and personal contributions to advocacy.

Splintered advocacy at work?:

A small gathering I now learnt was arranged by a group of persons at Emancipation Park (not sure if JFLAG or CVC were directly involved and never bothered to check as the groups are upset at this blog's direct criticism of their poor stance on GLBTQ issues) to mark the day earlier this morning but it seems it was a well arranged hush hush move. The IDAHO interactive activity map for the day never mentioned Jamaica on it's list of countries with planned actions for the day. This to me only shows we have a long way to go as to the fixing of the splintering of our so called gay rights advocates in being selective on acting on issues, this is deeply disturbing. I would imagine some persons maybe left out of activities like that due to their strong criticisms of the paltry representation of the GLTBQ community by these persons, their class and one wonders if this is not another attempt at grandstanding over nothing to get the funder's attention as those funders are now stringently demanding evidenced based advocacy in order to qualify for such funds. Such actions were never forthcoming before from these organisations hence we now see needed activity late in coming in terms of for example the Walk for Tolerance which in essence turned out to be a front for agitation for GLBTQ recognition which nearly backfired in their faces.

"This day should have been one where despite the differences of opinions and ways to move forward ALL should have been brought to the table if it is even to decline the invitation sent so lest it be said as is the case now that no invitations at all were sent yet an IDAHO event took place.

This is extremely sad and heartbreaking."

Individual suggestions:

There are some things we can individually continue to do all year round in dealing with homophobia outside of the skewed advocacy structure for now such as making your voice be heard, sound off on network pages, letters to the editors and call in programs. Read and apprise yourself of what's going on in the GLBTQ scene, don't just take the word of a few including this blogger's two cents although opinions of others also help to shape your own.

If you feel so moved to show or share your love for your same sex partner before day's end or at reading this post by all means do so of course bearing in mind the crackpots near you, don't put yourself in danger in order to prove a point. The airwaves seem to have overlooked this one so far as no radio or television interviews were heard as at the development of this post on the subject as the Manatt Phelps and Phillips issue dominate nearly all formats.

My telephone conversation earlier today with the JFLAG Programs Manager on the day never brought to light any planned radio appearances. Their website sadly has not been updated as it still has the old press release from last year's IDAHO displayed on the main page.

So our IDAHO wasn't such a happy one but HAPPY IDAHO to you none the less and be safe out there folks.

Celebrate yourselves despite the homophobia not just today but EVERYDAY!!!!

Peace and tolerance

H

Is Jesus relevant for LGBT People? + more

Sharing the Light is an Internet talk show where Reverends Durrell Watkins, Robert Griffin, and others discuss theological questions of interest




Baptist Minister Rev. Peter Gomes discusses why he believes Jesus would have supported the idea of gay marriage.

"What did Jesus preach?" asks Harvard pastor Peter J. Gomes, who believes that excessive focus on the Bible and doctrines about Jesus have led the Christian church astray.

To recover the transformative power of the gospel - "the good news" - Gomes says we must go beyond the Bible and rediscover how to live out Jesus's original revolutionary message of hope.

With eloquence and insight, using examples from ancient times as well as modern pop culture, Gomes shows us why the good news is every bit as relevant today as it was when first preached - Grace Cathedral

The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes is an American Baptist minister ordained to the Christian Ministry by The First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Since 1970 he has served in The Memorial Church, Harvard University; and since 1974 as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in The Memorial Church.

His most recent work, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus, includes extensive commentary and observation on the interrelations of Church and State throughout history and particularly in recent US history.

Alan Jones, Ph.D., has been dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco since 1985. Jones was formerly the director of the Center for Christian Spirituality and Stephen F. Bayne Professor of Ascetical Theology at General Theological Seminary in New York City. Born and educated in England, Jones was also on the staff of Trinity Institute of Wall Street's Trinity Church. He became a citizen of the United States in 1975.Jones is the author of several books, most notably, Soul Making, The Desert Way of Spirituality, Passion for Pilgrimage and most recently, The Soul's Journey: Exploring the Three Passages of the Spiritual Life with Dante as a Guide.

IDAHO - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia May 17, 2010

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Gay marriage a "dangerous threat", Pope warns

Pope Benedict has called gay marriage and abortion "dangerous threats to the common good" during a visit to Portugal.

The pontiff is on a four-day visit to the country and gave a Mass today to 500,000 people at Fatima, which is considered the Portuguese Lourdes.

Fatima is one of the most revered sites in Catholicism after three shepherd children claimed in 1917 to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. Catholics flock to the site in search of miracle cures and to worship there.

Addressing followers today, the Pope called for pastoral action to tackle abortion and same-sex marriage, which he called "some of today's most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good".

He called abortion a "tragedy" and urged for protection of the "family based on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman".

Portugal approved gay marriage earlier this year. In January, speaking just after Portugal's parliament voted in favour of the move, the Pope called it an "attack" on the natural differences between men and women.

He recently criticised gay rights measures contained in Britain's Equality Act. He said measures designed to ensure churches were not discriminating when hiring staff were against "natural law".

Following his attack, the government backed down on pushing the measures through.

The Pope is due to visit the UK this September for four days, although protests have already been held by groups angry at his stance on gay rights, abortion, women and contraception.

In an end-of year address in 2008, he said that the existence of gay people threatens humanity as much as the destruction of the rainforests does and that "blurring" genders through acceptance of transgender people would kill off the human race.

He has also attacked the use of condoms to tackle HIV, saying they may make the problem worse.

Source

The ass-pects of anal sex

Anal penetration used to be a taboo topic. In fact, for some of you, it might still be. What used to be relegated to men playing in bathhouses and Bally’s locker rooms is now a widespread form of sexual intercourse enjoyed by all different sexual orientations and genders.

Yep, that’s right, women can be stimulated by anal sex too. While it can be a fun experiment for you and your partner, it is incredibly important to incorporate safe practice into your anal sex explorations.

Let’s start with the basics. Anal penetration can be pleasurable for everyone, regardless of gender mainly due to the high amount of nerve endings concentrated in that area. A common misconception is that women don’t experience pleasure because they don’t have a prostate.

This is true, women do not have a prostate, but their clitoris do have legs; these legs extend back to the anus making anal penetration pleasurable for some women. Men do have a prostate and the location of which is often referred to as the male G-spot. Rubbing the prostate through anal penetration can often lead to an orgasm.

Many people decide not to participate in anal penetration with their sexual partner or even on their own because of the pain associated. This kind of sexual pleasure actually doesn’t have to be a pillow-biting experience when done correctly. I’m often surprised by my sexually active gay male friends who are still experiencing extreme pain during sexual intercourse even though they have experience. It just goes to show you that even those with apparent sexual know-how can have it wrong sometimes.

There are a few things to remember when considering taking it up the butt:

Communication & Comfort

Like I always say people, communication is key and before you and your partner can have pleasurable anal intercourse, both of you need to be fully willing and ready to take this step. Trying to coerce your partner into having anal sex with you is just going to leave you both unsatisfied.

Relax

Your anus has two barriers to get through called sphincters in order to achieve penetration. You have full control over the exterior sphincter and the only way anything is getting through with limited pain is if you allow yourself to relax. Relaxation is critical to safe and pleasurable penetration.

Use Lube

I’m not talking about sticky, latex-based gels. Make sure to use plenty of water based lubricant during anal penetration. Water based lube is the safest kind of lubricant and will not leave a film like other lubes that can harbor bacteria and cause an infection. The anus does not naturally lubricate itself, so it is important to adequately lubricate both the penetrator and the penetratee.

Take Your Time

Trying to jam a penis or object into an anus quickly will only result in pain and possible damage to your partner. It’s important to take your time and make sure that you’re going slow enough to not only be comfortable, but also to let the muscles in the anus relax and allow for penetration to happen. Taking your time can also mean experimenting with smaller objects like fingers or toys and work your way up to anal intercourse. Practicing with things of a smaller size may make you and your partner more comfortable when trying out the real thing.
I’ve talked for a few hundred words now about “your partner,” but you don’t to be partnered to have great anal pleasure or any pleasure for that matter. In fact, when it comes to anal sex, it might be a good idea to take a test drive when you’re in control so you know how it needs to be done for you. There are plenty of devices out there to assist you in your pleasure-seeking adventures and they come in all shapes, sizes, colors and wattages. Toys aren’t just for women and they aren’t just for the gays.

Many people think that anal penetration is something only gay men can enjoy, but as I told you earlier, women can enjoy it too and, well straight guys have prostates too. While having vaginal intercourse, it can often heighten a man’s orgasm when his partner massages his prostate through his anal wall. There are also toys available that are meant to stimulate a man anally while having vaginal intercourse. If you’re tired of the same old sexual routine, maybe it’s time to try a little ass-play.

While it can be very fun, anal sex is considered a high-risk sexual activity. When not done properly, anal penetration can lead to damage of the sphincter, rectum and anal wall and can open the body up to infectious micro organisms found in fecal matter. Using alcohol or drugs to make anal sex easier can often lead to damage of the anal tissue because these substances temporarily lower the sensitivity of the area. By using safe sex practices and following guidelines for healthy anal sex, you limit both you and your partner’s risk.

If any of this is scary to you, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t necessarily need to penetrate the anus to get pleasure in the area. Stimulating the area around the sphincter can also heighten or induce an orgasm and for men, rubbing the patch of skin between the anus and the scrotum can often have a similar effect of anal penetration.

The important thing to know is that you should be having safe educated fun. If you don’t know how to do something correctly you owe it to yourself to ask someone or seek that information from a knowledgeable source. The more you know about safe and positive sex practices, the better your experiences will be.

The Line in The Sand for the JLP? part 2

Opposition Spokesman Peter Phillips (clothed) was the one who led the initial question in the house on the Manatt issue on March 16th 2010.

See part 1 HERE

So we now see the Manatt issue has just boomed right before our eyes in less than three months we have gone from it's not a government matter to the PM on his feet in parliament saying among other things,

"On March 16th, I stated in this House that The government of Jamaica has not engaged any legal firm, any consultant, any entity whatsoever in relation to any extradition matter other than deploying the resources that are available within the Attorney-General’s Department”. That was the position then. It remains the position to this day, save and except for the engagement of Dr. Lloyd Barnett to which I have referred.

The initiative which led to the engagement of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips by Mr. Brady started within the Jamaica Labour Party in September when he was approached to see whether, through his contacts with persons in the American political system, assistance could be obtained in finding a way to resolve what was seen as a treaty dispute between Jamaica and the US. Mr. Brady is a member of the Party and a former Executive-Secretary of the International Democrat Union, an organization of centre-right parties including the US Republican Party founded in 1983, currently headquartered in Oslo, Norway and of which the JLP is an associate member.

I sanctioned the initiative, knowing that such interventions have in the past proven to be of considerable value in dealing with issues involving the governments of both countries. I made it clear, however, that this was an initiative to be undertaken by the Party, not by or on behalf of the government."
He continued that what was wrong was that Manatt misinterpreted their role as that of representing the government instead of the Jamaica Labour Party. Their moral authority (JLP) has been damaged severely and one wonders if they will ever have authority to rule, Professor Trevor Munroe of the National Integrity Action Forum says the authority to rule has to be determined by the public in the end, he continued that the technical distinctions are important i.e. the role of government vs the party actions but where are we in relation to controlling criminal enterprises in as far as governance is concerned?

Read the full Statement by Prime Minister Bruce Golding on the Manatt Affair here

Since part 1 of this post the Casino Gaming Bill has been signed by a deputy Governor General in the absence of the other who was away on business a smart move by the administration they may have learned from the PJ Patterson administration there, you have a bill that needs signing set up the timing properly so it can be signed. The nurses still haven't seen a dime of their money owed, the teachers struck again and the above mentioned revelation in parliament by the administration has the nation numb. Crime continues to plague us with two major entertainers shot in one week and a suspect in one of the shootings found dead. The line is now definitely drawn for the administration and last night May 12th there was a meeting with the JLP executive to discuss the impasse. Probably they thought it would have died down and gone away, no punto finale here Bruce.

Morals and hypocrisy
Let us not forget the grandstanding on not having gays in his cabinet as we now know it was a move to present himself and pontificating as an upright leader, boo hoo Bruce, let us not forget he cleverly infused an invented gay marriage debate during the Charter of Rights and Sexual Offences Bill tabling in the houses of Parliament, that lead to the removal of original clauses of discrimination on sexual orientation from the draft Charter coinciding with a submission to the debate by a group named the Lawyers Christian Fellowship who used the Prime Ministers so called christian principles to push their anti gay agenda. He, Bruce in turn pandered to the gallery so as to gain popularity.
Not to be outdone was the opposition party the PNP who for obviously political reasons and in a rare move agreed with the Prime Minister in the invented gay marriage debate asserting that they cannot agree to gay marriage, a right that no gay groups outrightly asked for. The opposition as we know hardly ever agrees on anything proposed by the ruling side of the house.

Track posts on the Charter of Rights Bill debate HERE

More posts on Charter of Rights Bill from GLBTQJA Here and make up your own minds.

While I cautiously call for his resignation who will stand in his stead the Peoples National Party I am sure though strident in their call for his departure would not want to take this up at this time and they clearly have not presented any viable policies to carry on the country's business. Both parties presently suffer from a lack of visible persons suited for succession to top posts in their ranks. Clearly in as far as Portia Simpson Miller's stead is concerned her charismatic feel has wained and she is not clear to me in her positions of governance and national issues. The National Democratic Movement (NDM) of which the Prime Minister was once it's President and a founding member itself has called for his resignation but they have been quiet for so long that it doesn't seem to matter or of very little import. A representative of the NDM on radio this morning said they had hope in him based on the principles Bruce Golding espoused while there.

With the plethora of voices and organizations calling for The Prime Minister's resignation and all of a sudden everybody now has morality fever where were these voices when other ills faced this country?

When the Armadale fire happened and seven girls perished where was the outcry that is so loud now for blood?

Where was the outcry for rights for ALL citizens despite of race class creed or orientation? yes while I may concur that the PM has slipped up many calling now for his head are mere political john crows (not saying this letter writer is) hovering over nearly dead meat waiting for it to die and begin rotting so they can feast.

Why are some human rights groups are so silent so far on this issue?

The Peoples National Party must not forget their own set of scandals and amongst their midst is one who presently is being tried for alleged embezzlement as we all know the Kern Spencer affair where Cuban light bulb money allegedly cannot be properly accounted for, lest we forget he is on tape and by the looks of it he tried to cipher off some of it by false paperwork in collusion with others. The case now dangles in court with all kinds of legal manoeuvres taking place with judicial review after judicial review and delays, justice delayed is justice denied I tell you.

Let us not forget the taped presentation by former Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies in as far as questionable handling state funds. Bunched into that is the trafigura scandal. Also see Police investigating Davies’ action sale of in Heathrow slots. Google the captioned items to see the rest.

Let us not forget the Operation Pride Scandals read more HERE The Patterson legacy?

Straight hypocrisy no pun intended I tell you that's what happening here amongst the real honest citizenry. They do not have the moral authority or political credibility to speak.

In as far as calling for Bruce Golding's resignation I am on the fence, to ask for his head is one thing but what would be the viable alternative? and to ask for an alternative we as a population cannot just leave it to chance, a wing and a prayer in governance of a country we would have to become exceedingly vigilant.

Peace and tolerance

H

Longbench Blogger writes:Bruce Golding, you are fired!

My fellow blogger Longbench her montage captioned below sounded off on the bombshell that was dropped in Parliament yesterday by our Prime Minister read more or go to her blog by clicking the bench photo below other wonderful posts await you there. She has been known to be a regular contributor of letters to the editor(s) as well.

Also see my May 5th post on "The Line in The Sand for the JLP?"

see also:Statement by Prime Minister Bruce Golding on the Manatt Affair

From dodging to denial….

Just in case you don’t realise it yet Brucie, your days as PM are numbered less than 10.

When a political leader boldly LIES to both its citizens and those who make up the government that one is expected to preside over, purposefully misrepresents one’s relationship to criminals, abuses one’s access to power by using it to negotiate arrangements that have little to do with governance and national interest, and everything to do with preserving one’s political status and authority, and where the use of such power reflects a glaring conflict between two competing roles that the head of state does not acknowledge or understand as problematic, then there can be little confidence in that leader’s ability to govern.

Through his actions – from overt arrogance and disdain for the people’s point of view, to the bare-faced lying when even his colleagues felt it necessary to tell the truth - all public trust has now evaporated and there is little left to assure Jamaicans that we have not been similarly misled in the past, and will not be treated in similar fashion in the near future.

Not only has Bruce Golding’s unethical behaviour disgraced the position of PM, but he has shown himself to be of questionnable character and a failure at providing the model of leadership that Jamaica needs right now. And, at a time when we are struggling about what to do about the widespread crime – in terms of both direct violence and corruption – that is enveloping Jamaica, we can scarce afford to ignore the real damage that Bruce Golding’s conduct will have on such efforts.

The best think that Bruce Golding can do for the country right now is to resign, effectively immediately.

US spending more on HIV treatment in the Caribbean

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The United States is providing an additional US$100 million to Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries to combat the deadly HIV virus over the next five years.

Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy here, Karen Williams and Caricom Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite yesterday signed the agreement to extend the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). .


"On this day Caricom will sign a Partnership Framework agreement with the United States to chart a path for sustained support in the fight against this devastating disease."

"This new collaboration, worth up to US$100 million over five years, is made possible by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)," according to a statement issued by the Embassy.

It said the funds will be available as of June this year and will focus on programmatic cooperation in prevention, laboratory strengthening, strategic information, capacity building, and sustainability.

"As the region with the second highest rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, second only to Sub-Saharan Africa, the United States recognises that a regionally targeted programme for the Caribbean could directly meet critical public health needs and support the outstanding work already ongoing in the region to combat this disease.

"The AIDS epidemic continues to be a leading cause of death among Caribbean adults age 25-44 years of age and has left nearly a quarter of a million Caribbean children orphaned," the Embassy said.

It said similar signing have taken place in Suriname, Barbados and the Organisation of Easter Caribbean States (OECS), with Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Bahamas and Jamaica joining soon.

PEPFAR was launched in 2003 to reduce the incidence and limit the spread of HIV/AIDS while assisting persons living with the disease.

Washington said that the programme has so far treated more than two million infected persons as well as providing care for over 10 million. It has also prevented an estimated seven million new infections.

Jamaica: Commonwealth of Hate says South Florida Gay News

In November 2004, the international watchdog group Human Rights Watch issued a devastating report that cited Jamaica as the most virulently anti-gay bigoted nation in the Western Hemisphere.

The report, aptly and grimly titled “Hated to Death,” exposed the pervasive homophobia that both drives and permeates the former British crown colony – including the country’s popular culture, law enforcement apparatus, and much of its health care system.

That bias has for generations put at further risk some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens; setting up barriers both external and internal to seeking medical care, and in the process making it extremely difficult to acquire condoms and other items that would help LGBT persons combat the spread of STDs.

The island’s prevailing attitudes have made their mark across the region. “As Jamaica goes, so goes the Caribbean,” says The Reverend Robert Griffin, Director of Religious Education and Christian Social Action at MCC Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale.

Griffin says, too, that the local pop culture only fans the flames of bigotry, homophobia and violence.

“When it comes to gays and lesbians, ‘if you see one, kill one’ is the conventional wisdom you hear coming from the ‘dancehall’ crowd,” Griffin says, referring to the Jamaican genre of popular music.

A version of reggae, dancehall also includes sometimes vicious lyrics that sound off on politics and religion.

Dancehall music has been criticized by international groups for its violent and often homophobic lyrics.

Among the more outspoken anti-gay dancehall artists is Buju Banton, a Kingston-born musician arrested in Tamarac last December by the DEA on charges he tried to sell five kilos of cocaine to undercover agents.

Banton, whose trial in Tampa is scheduled to begin June 21, came under fire from human rights groups because of the lyrics to his song “Boom Bye Bye,” released in 1988 when he was 15 years old.

They include references of distaste towards same-sex intimacy and the threat of violence. (“Two man hitch up on an rub up on, an lay down inna bed; Hug up on another anna feel up [the] leg: [instead] fi[nd] an [auto]matic an[d] [an] Uzi instead.”)

Although a teenager when he recorded the song, Banton has never renounced it and has pointedly refused to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act, a musicians’ pledge to refrain from performing homophobic songs or making homophobic statements.

Under Jamaican law, homosexuality is a crime punishable by ten years of hard labor. Victims of gay-bashing cannot go to the police for fear of official abuse, assault and arrest.

Gays and lesbians who are taken to the hospital following a hate crime often face the added ordeal of openly-hostile hospital staff: badly hurt victims of gay-bashing have been insulted by doctors and nurses and made to wait as much as 24 hours for treatment.

Amnesty International reports that LGBT persons have been “beaten, cut, burned, raped and shot on account of their sexuality.” The organization further confirms that Jamaican authorities, instead of assisting victims, are often themselves guilty of homophobic “violence and torture.”

Since 1997, Amnesty International has documented the murders of 35 LGBT Jamaicans, and since 2008 it has catalogued more than 30 incidents of anti-gay mob violence.

Sadly, much has failed to change in the more than five years since the release of “Hated to Death.” In the Spring of 2010, the data still suggests that the AIDS epidemic may be deepening in Jamaica and that unprotected sex is far more common than hoped.

On April 7, leaders from the international movement of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) participated in the first public HIV/AIDS march in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The Walk for Tolerance was sponsored by Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, the largest and oldest Jamaican non-profit organization providing support services to persons with HIV and AIDS.

The Caribbean, including Jamaica, has the second-highest HIV infection rate in the world, behind sub-Saharan Africa.

The United Nations estimates that 25,000 Jamaicans are infected with HIV; a significant number do not know that they have the virus.

The goal of the public walk was to engender goodwill, support and tolerance for persons living with HIV and AIDS. The march drew 150 participants, and was hailed as a historic first for the Montego Bay community.

Among the participants were Rev. Nancy Wilson, Presiding Elder and Moderator of MCC, along with Rev. Pat. Bumgardner, who chairs the church’s Global Justice Team, and Fort Lauderdale-based Griffin, who serves additionally as Staff Pastor for Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica and MCC Liaison to Jamaica.

Wilson landed in Jamaica fresh off the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast chat-and-chew with President Barack Obama. Having spoken privately with the American chief executive prior to her departure, Wilson arrived in the British Commonwealth nation with the afterglow of the Presidential Presence.

“The members and adherents of Metropolitan Community Churches stand in solidarity with all persons with HIV and AIDS,” said Wilson.

“Jesus stood with those who were marginalized and rejected by their societies. Jesus loved those who had been made to feel like outcasts; Jesus welcomed such, embraced them, loved them and cared for them. Those who would be Jesus’ followers today must show God’s same extravagant love,” she added.

Griffin notes the importance of gaining the support of members of government and media, and of identifying straight allies, of all political persuasions.

“We want to influence the culture in a positive way without threatening all the good that Jamaica has to offer,” Griffin adds.

-ENDS-

my two cents:

Old news, old facts as covered so many other publications, places, this blog and on GLBTQ Jamaica or is it just another attempt at damage control for JASL following the image problem they have now acquired following the Walk for Tolerance or gay march whatever you want to call it?

Where are the real advocacy issues in this piece when two homeless MSMs are in the hospital suffering from an attack late last month where they were chopped for allegedly soliciting sexual favours from men in public or the lesbian sister who was raped in April as well.

We need more than just old alarms raised overseas now while one can appreciate the need to highlight the issues.

Peace & Tolerance

H

Traits of a good mother-in-law

Of course taking into account our homophobic environment there are gay and lesbian relationships however that are tolerated or accepted by parents of the parties involved. I am aware of a few and the orientation of the individuals is secondary to the happiness of the persons who form the union.

Only recently I was a witness to a lesbian commitment ceremony right here in Jamaica so life goes on despite the bitterness in some quarters on same sex unions. Most individuals enter into ultra private unions with careful selection of witnesses and passing on such knowledge to associates and family members.

Here is an Observer article on some expectations from Mothers-in-Law but I always believe that even when parents of gay and lesbian people seem supportive one must never take for granted it will be smooth sailing as persons can change their minds about approvals given to their siblings' relationship engagements.

H

JACQUELINE CHAMPIER

WHEN last have you heard someone boasting about just how much they love their mother-in-law? Maybe a good while back, if ever. If you are one of those persons who really get along well with your mother-in-law, consider yourself blessed, since the more common occurrence is for people to exclaim that they do not like their in-laws and in particular, their mothers-in-law.

Really and truly though, it doesn't have to be this way.

When in-laws are appreciative of each other, there is much more love and happiness in the family. It is really such a joy to see mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law acting civilised with each other and getting along very well.

Those mothers-in-law who get it right do understand that there are certain traits that are necessary in order to be a good mothers-in-law, and they go out of their way to show them. Listed below are some.

*A good mother-in-law is not nosy. She understands her role clearly and does not pry into what does not concern her. Even when she is privy to confidential information, she keeps it to herself, since she knows that 'silence is golden'.

*A good mother-in-law is not biased. If and when she is called to settle a dispute, she does not take sides. She listens actively and if necessary, encourages the couple to seek professional help. If she has to speak, her words are those of wisdom. Oftentimes, she listens more and speaks less.

*A good mother-in-law is kind. She treats her son/daughter-in-law with love and respect, like she would her own child. If something is good enough for her child, she knows that it is also good enough for her son/daughter-in-law.

*A good mother-in-law is not jealous. She knows that even if she has a special place in her child's heart, when the child takes a partner, that position may not be the same. Regardless of what is happening, a good mother-in-law encourages her children to love their spouses with a love that is everlasting, instead of worrying herself about position.

*A good mother-in-law is a peacemaker. If she senses that war is about to break, she encourages all parties to make peace. Her motto is always as follows: 'let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me'.

*A good mother-in-law knows how to go out and when to come in. She usually calls before she visits and at no time will she ever overstay her welcome. She knows when to visit and when to end the visit.

*A good mother-in-law is as wise as an owl and harmless as a dove. She tries at all times not to do or say anything to offend her children. Her words are well timed and are thoroughly thought out and so too are her actions.

*A good mother-in-law is a reservoir of strength. She knows that she is a source of strength for her children. Therefore, she is always ready to give positive advice and encouraging words that are building blocks for life's journey. Finally, she knows that her strength does not lie within herself, and is very much aware that her help and her strength comes from the Lord.

Jacqueline Champier is a counselling psychologist from Mandeville.

The Line in the sand for the JLP?

The above cartoon by Lasmay Jamaican Gleaner cartoonist reminds us of the imaginary line drawn in the sand by Prime Minister Bruce Golding during the turbulent times following his “not in my cabinet” comment on the BBC in 2008 but one wonders now if that same imaginary line is not now being or already drawn for him and his administration with all the hubbub eating away at the Jamaica Labour Party’s political capital.

The Manatt issue in relation to Jamaica Labour Party strongman and alleged drug dealer Dudus Cooke with strong accusations of persons in the JLP acting on their own validity to try and skirt the Extradition Treatise with the United States and the opposition leader Portia Simpson Miller calling for the resignation of Minister of Justice and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne dominate radio and television newscasts since it first debuted some two months ago, a controversial casino gaming bill has been sitting on the Governor General’s desk which was passed in both houses from March 2010 the GG who happens to be a staunch Seventh Day Adventist may be opposed to the bill but he has no choice but to sign as the bill is already passed, then there is the issue of the high crime wave affecting the psychological profile of the country with the latest awful story of the five year old whose throat was slashed shaking up the nation right in the middle of child’s month and over 500 murders since the start of the year, the almost twenty year old Charter of Rights Bill dangling on a lifeline of whether to hang or not is pending with the deliberate exclusion of discrimination clauses in regards to sexual orientation and disabilities as hinted to in a recent Jamaicans for Justice public forum on the issues.

The apparent closure of Air Jamaica on April 30th in a bid to meet the International Monetary Fund (IMF) tests so as to curtail our debts and expenses has not gone down well with many in the population and former Air Jamaica workers, the strike actions taken by Nurses repeatedly for their reclassification exercises to continue and pay increases following negotiations have been hounding both previous and present administrations with the JLP promising the nurses their fair share during the election campaign in 2007 which to date cannot materialize, the two day strike action by teachers on May 3rd and 4th demanding their retroactive salaries as stupid as they sound with a political agenda the Jamaica Teachers’ Association with known top brass members linked to the opposition Peoples National Party is complaining that money could have been taken from the Air Jamaica redundancy and pension funds to pay them, imagine the teachers still have their jobs while Air Jamaica workers are being made redundant and they want a piece of their pie?, then there is the strike action by the National Water Commission workers on May 4th still unresolved as at the preparation of this post, the poor results in the grade four literacy tests and the Ministry of Education’s scrambling to solve a public relations firestorm launched by sections of the media all point to the nails being driven in the political coffin of the present administration.

But one wonders of the opposition People’s National Party PNP is capable as they have not yet fully demonstrated the capacity in my view to take the reigns of governance and with all the present problems some caused during their eighteen year rule how they will solve them is unclear they seem reactionary more than suggesting any new ideas as the utterances of the leader Portia Simpson Miller though well written and well presented orally lack that charisma she once had in her early days even up to when she took over as Prime Minister following P.J. Patterson’s departure.

They certainly have far more quiet support by GLBTQ people than the Jamaica Labour Party with many GLBTQ occupying places of power in the structure but they often play the hypocrite and are mum on LGBT and advocacy issues so as to keep their political structure in place and not ruffle feathers of leaders or the population given the political sensitivities involved it could mean suicide for any regime that may try to take on these issues in any direct way with the public’s knowledge. Such inferences have been made by both members of the opposition and JLP, the Prime Minister himself and even the Attorney General. In a recent interview on HIV interventions in the MSM community issues the former Chief Epidemiologist of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Figueroa said he knows that many politicians disagree with the buggery law in private but in order to save face they publicly follow the homophobic lines as now reign in the public domain.

The recent incident where member of Parliament Ernie Smith noted for his caustic stance on buggery and homosexuality was said to have received nude photos in a letter from a white male suggesting he the MP eat the photographed Caucasian male excretory orifice as messaged he should kiss his *** clearly there are sections of the gay community that are incensed. The community and by extension the disgruntled members of the public may just very well vote the Jamaica Labour Party out of power making them a one term government a rare occurrence in our political history just to see their backs leaving the parliament as relief from the pressures today. However as had happened before many voters don’t really take stock of the parties and what they say they can offer while in governance in their manifestos and persons vote on emotional lines.

The gay community on a whole certainly does not speak with one voice politically despite the presence of powerful persons of such persuasion around. It is well known from top to bottom that there are gays in the very cabinet where Bruce Golding says he doesn’t want them in. We know though that the stance took by Bruce then was to sure up his perception in the public’s mind since he had just won the election and the challenges were on in earnest by the opposition for the citizenship issue of Members of Parliament holding US and other nations Visas and green cards along with the just concluded boycott issues in San Francisco.

It’s two years plus though into the life of the JLP let us see if they will be able to redeem themselves from all the issues not plaguing them and if they will turn on the sexual orientation matter being included in the Charter of Rights. We also require a mature debate on homosexuality in Jamaica with a close look at the Buggery Law’s decriminalization or repulsion, privacy and individual rights.

What say you on the issue?

Peace and tolerance

H

More from The HIV Research Catalyst Forum: Treatment, Prevention, Advocacy Symposium

Webcasts and Presentation Slides


SYMPOSIUM WEBCASTS NOW AVAILABLE! CLICK HERE

The HIV Research Catalyst Forum: Treatment, Prevention, Advocacy Symposium

Held on April 20-23, 2010
Renaissance Harborplace Hotel
Baltimore, Maryland


Some topics covered included:
Overview of HIV Treatment Research
Confronting the Social Drivers of HIV Incidence in the United States
Overview of Biomedical Interventions for HIV Prevention
Beyond HAART
Treatment-as-Prevention, Test and Treat
Comorbidities

Here are some Slide I created from some of the materials for review purposes only.

see also GLBTQ Jamaica Blog for more slide examples.

Peace & Tolerance

H

Homophobia due to Inquiring minds and cell phone messages

Another gay man has become the latest in a line of persons suffering examples of homophobic threats and ostracism from family members, community friends and neighbours due to cell phone inquisitiveness. This is the third such case since this year that has come to my knowledge with JFLAG handling one such but I have been able to confirm this and another one (from Western Jamaica) as they were brought directly to my attention. The young man with respect to this case has been homeless for some three or more weeks and has been bouncing here and there, all the more reason for some type of transitional or homeless shelter. Let’s not forget the only one that existed for however short a time was closed recently by Jamaica AIDS Support for Life in dubious circumstances which has sent more that 10 men out into god knows what. Some of whom are nomads roaming the streets daily and are at high risk for violence as evidenced in a broad daylight altercation with three of the homeless men and a motorist in New Kingston which brought traffic to a halt at the Knutsford Boulevard and Trafalgar Roads stop light intersection for more than ten minutes on April 20th.

Fortunately the situation didn’t materialize into a serious homophobic attack as it was viewed at a comedic level by passersby and motorists as one of the men was said to have had a handbag clutched in the crock of his arm dressed in a pair of pink jeans and a blue unisexual top he was dismissed as a trouble maker and told to go his way along with his friends. Someone who was actually present in the line of traffic called me and opened the line so I could hear the exchange for a short time, it was indeed laced with spurs of funny moments. While only a few homeless MSMs have been able to pick up the pieces and restart their lives in the current rough economic climate there are no current interventions to help the others assimilate into general society, those are said to be in the works by varying organizations.

Advocacy Response:
The young man in question from this case was temporarily housed at my flat for a couple days but unfortunately I couldn’t continue to extend that courtesy as my own costs and my rental agreement doesn’t permit me to host persons for protracted periods and I would be out of town for a while. He has since found shelter temporarily through a friend after we worked the phones where he says he is doing well for now and is job hunting. He does however require food, personal effects and toiletries as his supply may run out soon.

He is a specialized tradesman but due to the dramatic drop in demand for work in our present economic situation he is left in the cold he has since decided to venture into general electrical work as he has some skills there but is not certified as yet. I have asked him to use his face book page as a draw card and set up a group or something if and when he gets settled and has sustained internet access.

Background:
The young man paid a visit to his old family home over a weekend in April 2010, he wanted to make arrangements to relocate to the home to cut costs and find a new job as he was having financial difficulties where he originally resides and having to pay rent, he overnighted at the family home where a female cousin of his asked to burrow his cell phone to make a call however a text message from a male friend came in just as she was about to make the call she read the message even after she informed the young man of the pending message on the phone, he however could not retrieve the phone then as he was preparing a meal in the kitchen. The girl proceeded to read the message none the less which was said to have contained very suggestive and personal notes. She then called the number from which the message was sent where she had a loud exchange with the alleged male messenger which as audible to everyone in her vicinity that included the young man’s father. She then raised an alarm after ending the call to other family members and onlookers who now had gathered as a verbal exchange ensued where she accused the young man of being a Battyman and the usual colourful Jamaican homophobic slurs. His father angrily threatened him and demanded he leave the home with immediate effect.

Other family friends and neighbours present made verbal slurs as well and warned him not to return. The news of his perceived sexuality quickly spread to remote family members elsewhere as when he tried to find some temporary refuge is was to no avail. This kind of displacement has been a concern for me for some time, it has been the subject of many a discussion even at the former GLABCOM (gay lesbian bisexual community meetings) level where persons suggest that passwords be placed on phones so as to secure possible sensitive and damaging information that can be retrieved, read or manipulated to paint an ugly impression of persons.

Only earlier this year another young man from Western Jamaica suffered a similar fate where a man called him posing as a gay interested hookup after a so called female friend tried to trap the victim in a bid to expose his sexual preference in the community of his birth. (See the story on my Wordpress GLBTQ Jamaica Blog) he has since been temporarily assisted by The Underlined Response (a budding lgbt group) and a kind member of the GLBTQ community in another parish but it is not clear as to what other long term interventions may arise as he requires some skills to become employable. Thankfully there are still those who will intervene with no strings attached if truth be told we also have to be weary of so called persons who want to assist victims as they may have ulterior motives.

There are so many other stories from unconfirmed sources that tell of similar tales of “phone fassness” as I call it. Why must people try to go out of their way so as to prove what one does in their own private lives is just beyond me.

If you are able to assist financially please free to do so by contacting lgbtevent@gmail.com
also thanks to the persons who responded to the case of the rape victim she is in better spirits now as she has commenced counseling and the relevant follow up medical treatment. Her mother has taken charge of the situation and is doing her best despite the circumstances inclusive of the sexual orientation issue.

I am tracking that one closely and will report where necessary on the developments.
Thanks also for the general emails of support please continue to read the blogs and make your comments preferably public.

Peace and tolerance

H