Looks like an anti-homophobia campaign to you?

Well this is interesting. I won't say there has never been an anti-homophobia campaign but this is the first that I can remember, it needs to reach mainstream media now but I must say its a good start. We need more of these with other persons speaking out.

Well for those of us disgruntled with JFLAG's work- generally speaking I still am but,- they seem to be making efforts in some aspects -in a bid to silence our stinging criticisms at times?-, too bad it seems they have passed over and are still passing over some of the basic aspects and needs of the community.

Tek Care

Alexis

Lesbophobia (for want of a better word)

I'm not a sociologist or psychologist. I'm just one of your everyday lesbians who until recently never really felt the brunt of lesbo-phobia from the MSM (Men who have sex with men) community. Now technically speaking it may not have been lesbo-phobia in so many characters but it was sure discriminatory.

I'm part of a volunteer programme which (in this particular aspect) it is my responsibility as a volunteer to disseminate information on safe sex practices. I as well as a number of other persons have cried out that this programme is geared towards Men who have Sex with Men (MSMs) and that it ignores or at the very most pushes to the back burner the needs of Women who have Sex with Women (WSWs), Transgendered folk and all the others who fall under this umbrella.

I've always heard WSWs say that they would never work with MSMs because the MSMs dislike them, have no respect for them or something along those lines. As I said before I've never really gotten the brunt of it or any of it for that matter (not to my face anyway). I'm known to be an associate of all and friend of few. I shun no MSM so long as he can carry himself good and don't draw me into the beating he may get because of his behaviour on the road. For this reason I assume (with good reason) that I'm loved or at least tolerated by many and hated by few.

Today in our regular meeting of the volunteers I discretely offered to do a presentation on Leadership and Mentoring since it has been the wide cry that many of these MSMs don't know how to conduct themselves. At the end of the meeting the moderator stated that the next meeting there will be a presentation on leadership and mentoring by a member of our group. All was well until someone said I hope it is a MSM because I don't want a WSW or other non-MSM to do a presentation (not exact words). Now everyone was quite shocked by the statement and of course questioned him. He went on to say that he doesn't mean to insult anyone but that this is a programme for MSMs so it should be MSMs presenting and that even I as a WSW wasn't really to be counted (again to exact words). Now I won't lie I did get upset. I told him that though I'm a WSW I still have to meet with MSMs in order to continue on this volunteer programme and that I as a WSW is part of the greater lgbt community.

I pointed to him that the MSMs are not separate and apart from the rest of the community. I also pointed out to him that it is for this reason that MANY WSWs do not help, work, mingle, volunteer, participate (in anyway) with MSMs, for we are discounted. I did get quite angry lashing out saying "dats why sometime mi nuh like battyman" (that's why I sometimes I don't like gay men) pretty harsh but it was in anger and everyone understood what I meant. (No disrespect to my many gay and bisexual male friends I still love you guys)

This unquestionable discrimination came from someone within the community. This is how we tear down each other, in simple ways such as this. For had I been more upset and had not received an apology I probably would have left quite angry and be ready to leave the MSMs to 'work out their own salvation', I've felt that way before by the sheer behaviour of some of these MSMs. Today's encounter brings me back to a question I've asked either here or to others. How can we in a community subject to so much intolerance, hate, torture, homophobia continue with this phobia among our own ranks? We fight each other butch fight butch, femme fight femme, top fight top, bottom fight bottom, gays fight lesbians and on and on and on (I don't know much of the TG community nor their fights but I can imagine it is there as well).

Yes there will be differences, we don't live in a perfect place, and we're imperfect people, but jeezam peez mek wi try live betta nuh man (my gosh let's try to live better please guys(and gals)).

Tek Care

Alexis

Gay couple imprisoned in Malawi pardoned and freed

Under pressure, Malawi's leader pardons gay couple

By RAPHAEL TENTHANI, Associated Press Writer – Sat May 29, 7:37 pm ET


BLANTYRE, Malawi – Malawi's president on Saturday pardoned a gaycouple who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered their release but insisted that homosexuality was still illegal in his conservative southern African nation.

President Bingu wa Mutharika announced the pardon on "humanitariangrounds only" during a press conference with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Lilongwe, the capital.

"These boys committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws," Mutharika said. "However, as head of state, I hereby pardon them and therefore order their immediate release without any conditions."

But he added, "We don't condone marriages of this nature. It's unheard of in Malawi and it's illegal."

Malawi had faced international condemnation for the conviction and harsh sentencing of Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, who were arrested in December, a day after celebrating their engagement.

After the pardon, activists were searching for a safe house for the couple, fearing they could be attacked upon release.

Ban praised Mutharika's decision but said "laws that criminalize sexuality should be repealed."

In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs also praised the move, urging an end to "the persecution and criminalization" ofsexual orientation and gender identity.

Earlier this week, the top U.N. AIDS official and the head of an international donor organization met with Mutharika and expressed concern that criminalizing homosexuality would keep a vulnerable group from seeking AIDS treatment.

Joseph Amon of Human Rights Watch said the president was responding to the international outcry.

"I hope that other leaders of African countries with anti-gay laws see that this is just not acceptable in the international community," Amon told The Associated Press by telephone from New York.

Malawi is among 37 African countries with anti-gay laws.

In Senegal, police have rounded up men suspected of being homosexual and beaten them, and a mob last year pulled the corpse of a gay man from his grave, spat on it and dumped it at the home of his elderly parents.

In Zimbabwe this month, two employees of a gay organization spent six days in jail on allegations of possessing indecent material and insulting President Robert Mugabe, an outspoken critic of homosexuality.

In Uganda, a proposed law would impose the death penalty for some gays.

Even in South Africa, the only African country that recognizes gay rights, lesbians have been gang-raped.

In Malawi, a judge convicted and sentenced Chimbalanga and Monjeza earlier this month on charges of unnatural acts and gross indecency under colonial-era laws. Crowds of Malawians had heckled the two during court hearings, with some saying that 14 years at hard labor — the harshest possible sentence — was not long enough.

Undule Mwakasungure, a gay rights activist in Malawi, told The AP on Saturday that he was concerned about the men's safety and was working with other activists to find a safe house for them or help them temporarily leave the country.

"There is homophobic sentiment. I think they might be harmed," Mwakasungure said.

Edi Phiri, who fled from Malawi to Britain five years ago after being beaten because he was gay, said the two might need to seek asylum outside of Malawi.

"They will be out of prison, but what will happen next?" Phiri said. "The community will see them as outcasts. I don't think they will be safe in Malawi."

Maxwell Manda said his brother-in-law Chimbalanga was pleased by the ruling and told the AP earlier that Chimbalanga wanted to leave Malawi upon his release.

"He has been down all week because he was separated from his partner. He is happy now," Manda said.

Chimbalanga had been held at a Blantyre prison, while Monjeza was sent to an institution 50 miles (90 kilometers) away. Prison officials said the separation was a security measure.

The activists hoped the presidential pardon would help their efforts to overturn Malawi's anti-gay laws and attitudes.

"The public needs to appreciate that the world is changing," Mwakasungure said. "It won't be easy ... we're not talking about changing the law today or tomorrow. But we have to start the process."

Even though the pardon was immediate, a prison spokesman told The AP they had not received notification to release the two men by Saturday afternoon.

Tek Care

Alexis

Jamaica's Ongoing crisis

I'm really not sure what I should say as it regards all of this upsurge of violence. I was quite annoyed and upset in the beginning following the disclosure by PM Bruce Golding that he 'sanctioned' the hiring of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips (MPP) law firm in his capacity as Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (that admission can be found here). This resulted in many areas of society calling for his resignation. Many Jamaican's here and in the diaspora found that the PM had 'misled' the population, taking us for 'poppy-shows' (fools).

The irony of the PM's admission was that in 2006 he made it his duty to point out that a minister of government cannot separate his position in the government from his political party position.
        

                "we can't just jump out of one skin and jump into another. And we have to understand that given the nature of our political system, when we act as a minister to whatever extent, we carry party responsibilities, that you are not going to be able to simply separate them, that the one is going to impact on the other, especially when what you are seeking to do in the one capacity is contingent on the constitutional powers that you have in the other capacity. Cannot be separated".

As the saying goes "cock mouth kill cock" [watch your mouth it can get you in trouble] its so true and relevant to what has transpired. 

Following his admission on May 13th, PM Golding addressed the nation. Many persons however refused to accept his apology and called it a carefully crafted speech designed to be politically correct and to appeal to the people. In that address he announced that the extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke (the man at the heart of this all) would be signed. It left the people with more questions than answers among which: why the sudden change in position? 

One week after PM announced that the request would be signed he once addressed the nation regarding the limited state of emergency that had been declared in Kingston and St. Andrew. With the all out assault on Tivoli Gardens by the security forces (police and Jamaica Defence Force) there have been bloodshed on both sides (security forces and gunmen). 

This has brought to the fore the discussions that all these garrison communities that exist and are allowed to flourish need to be dismantled. The political support they receive is disturbing- the company which Mr Coke is a shareholder has accumulated over $100 million in government contracts, over $70 million less than a year after the JLP assumed power (news article here). Therefore with these funding no wonder these 'dons' are able to provide the basic social necessities for their communities (food, education, shelter, clothing, jobs) which the state should have been providing. Because of this, these don's have then effectively assumed power and authority within these communities. 

                                       (Jamaica Observer Cartoon May 20, 2010)

How will the government tackle this ugly crime monster that has been allowed to fester for all these years? It is no longer a matter of party politics we're all Jamaican's and this is our country. IT IS TIME THAT WE THE PEOPLE OF JAMAICA TAKE BACK JAMAICA. 

                                          (Jamaica Observer Cartoon May 25, 2010)

We cannot however do it on our own this requires divine intervention. I'm well aware that some persons who read this blog aren't Christians but whatever religion or beliefs you adhere to please put Jamaica in your prayers, or thoughts or positive energy, what ever you call it. 

For us Christians, as strong as we may feel we are we are but dust and only human. We by ourselves are not strong enough to bring about this change. I then ask that we all pray, for the safety of all Jamaicans, for peace, for the restoration of the nation. 

Below are links to news articles describing the situation in Jamaica up to the time of this post.

Attack On State - Police Stations Set Ablaze Cop Shot, Civilian Slain

Downtown Lockdown

Soldier killed

Woman shot and injured on Spanish Town Road

Tivoli Bangarang

Tek Care

Alexis

Another Anti-Gay Christian Leader Caught With Male Prostitute

I don't rejoice when a really straight man or woman goes the bisexual or gay route against their natural nature but when a 'straight' person who condemns gays and bisexuals and does everything in their power to make life miserable and uncomfortable for persons of the community and then contracts with gay sex workers then it really should be highlighted. This story is developing so it's subject to correction. Then again he may truly be straight, or more straight than gay or bi (since sexuality is fluid) and just needs restoration. If he's gay or bisexual the possibility of him accepting it is what??? What ever is the truth, I do pray for him.

Tek Care  

Alexis