by
Desriann Champagnie
Homosexuality in Jamaica: The views, the harsh
realities.
Homosexuality is defined as sexual orientation characterized
by sexual desire or romantic feelings exclusively for persons
of the same sex. Homophobia is defined as a fear of gay
men or gay lifestyle and culture, but are Jamaicans afraid
of gay men? Statistics prove that we are not. Jamaicans
view homosexuality from many perspectives, some of which
I will highlight.
Biased: In Jamaica the term homosexual
is used to describe only men who have sex with men, lesbians
are excluded; it would seem as if lesbians aren't homosexual.
Just the same violence against homosexual are mainly geared
towards MSM. The buggery and gross indecency laws basically
sanction discrimination against gay men. Lesbians may be
discriminated against in the wider world however no laws
target lesbians or lesbian conduct. Society on a whole
is more tolerant of lesbians than gay men, lesbians acquire
jobs, housing and general acceptance easier than gay men
and they are less likely to face physical violence. We
grew in a society that was always intolerant of boys being
too close to each other yet it was ok for girls to be close,
such traits remain in our society, it is like the norm.
Damani's comment............ A gay reporter was in a bar
in Montego Bay where he ask the bar maid what if her son
turned out to be gay she said she would cut his throat.
That's how deep the level of intolerance of homosexuals
goes.
Nature or Nurture: "I was born
gay" an article by Garwin Davis was about the life
of a gay man who claimed he was born gay and God made all
homosexuals that way. Nature or Nurture with regards to
homosexuality is a highly debated topic where homosexuals
strongly believe they were made that way, while in contrast
the general public doesn't. Is there a gay gene? According
to scientist homosexuality is linked to the levels of male
or female hormones in a person's body. In 1993 Dean Hammer
conducted a series of study on 40 pair of gay brothers.
He discovered that all carried a segment of X chromosomes
DNA known as Xq28. The family history of these men revealed
that the males in their family were more predisposed to
being gay. If it is indeed genetic, can we condemn them
for something they cannot control? On the other side of
the fence, it is argued that it cannot be innate nature
because it is against the laws of God. Homosexuality is
therefore said to be a choice. It is also suggested that
adolescents are vulnerable and easily shaped into heterosexuality
or homosexuality, based on their experience during that
critical point in development. This social viewpoint suggests
that anyone can be made into a homosexual based on his/her
experience. The spiritual theory suggests that demon spirits
possesses all homosexuals, and the only way to deal with
same is through exorcism. This viewpoint is rather intolerant
of any form of homosexual behavior, and is often times
condemnatory. According to Errol Hall, noted Jamaican Evangelist,
on a Television Jamaica broadcast, all persons who are
homosexuals, be they lesbians or gays, are in need of him
to lay hands on them and cast out the demons.
Violence and the law: Jamaica has been
deemed one of the most virulently homophobic countries
in the world where homophobes will throw rocks first and
ask questions later. Gays living in Jamaica have to keep
a low profile as there have been incidents where people
have been stoned to death merely on the suspicion that
of being gay. When a gay group proposed a march through
the centre of Kingston to protest against homophobia, the
machete factories on the island ran out of stock, needless
to say that march was quickly abandoned. Violence against
gay men in our country is widely advocated by a wide cross-section
of our society. Actions are very extreme and inhumane with
people going as far a to through sewage on them. Politicians
ridicule them, the general public "bun dem",
policemen abuse, harass and embarrass them. Policemen have
been at the center of controversy as reports have shown
that they are not "protecting and serving" all,
instead they attack and hinder. The buggery law falls under
section 76 of the offences against a person act, states
that anal sex between two men and a man and a woman is
illegal and if convicted is punishable by ten years hard
labor. In Jamaica the law reflects a manifestly heterosexist
world view, illustrated not only by the absence of any
kind of protection based on sexual orientation but also
the criminalization of male homosexual intimacy. On the
afternoon of June 18, 2004, a mob chased and reportedly "chopped,
stabbed and stoned to death" a man perceived to be
gay in Montego Bay. Several witnesses reported to Human
Rights Watch that police participated in the abuse that
ultimately led to this mob killing, first beating the man
with batons and then urging others to beat him because
he was homosexual. Policemen alleged even harass people
who work with MSM .I was out on the main road handing out
condoms in an area known to be a gay area and the police
came down and the men began to run. I stood my ground and
I had a condom in my hand and the policemen asked me what
I was doing there and the police asked me if I were a battyman.
I had three boxes of about 100 condoms in my hand. . .
. They said that they were going to charge me with loitering,
but if they see me in the act they would kill me. And they
said that they were going to charge me for loitering because
they knew that I was a battyman because only a battyman
would be handing out condoms to men. . . . I was accused
of buying sex and being a battyman and charged with loitering. "If
you are gay in Jamaica you are dead", that phrase
is widely used by gays overseas. Even the bible however
interpreted advocates violence against gays, Leviticus
20:13 If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman,
both of them have done what is detestable. They must be
put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
Morality and the church's stance: Here
in Jamaica the Anglican Church has been quick to dissociate
itself from its sisters and brothers in Europe and America
who are more broad minded. The clerics and others know
that it is almost impossible to have a reasoned and rational
debate on homosexuality in Jamaica. While most churches
are willing accept homosexuals to reform them they will
not accept or condone their lifestyle. Homosexuals try
to justify their practice simply because they say it springs
from natural desire but morally they would they deem it
wrong? The homosexual depends on his feelings and desires,
what he sees as his nature as the determinant of his morality.
The church however depends on the bible and church tradition
to determine morality. It is clear that the bible condemns
homosexual practice as several scriptures can be quoted,
one being the one afore mentioned.
Realities: Homosexuals are in high places,
in high positions and are highly powerful. Slowly but surely
they are taking over. If we just take a look at society
and realize the prevalence of them in our society compared
to five years ago. Look how they have influenced our culture;
men have the nerve to dress more effeminate now, the nerve
to pierce both ears. Our artiste has been banned from doing
their music overseas because homosexuals deem it inappropriate.
Our tourism sectors have been bending over backwards to
them because of the desire to attract tourism dollars from
gays and lesbians who represent a $47.3 billion travel
market. It is said that when America sneezes we catch a
cold, so when moral decline there they decline here. Yes
the government has declined the move to repeal the buggery
law, but for how long, how long will it be before they
crumble under the pressure of the elephant called homosexuality's
feet. How long can the violence continue. Maybe we are
trying to close the gate when the horse has bolted long
ago.
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