New Ad Encouraging Families to Love Gay Children to Hit TV in August

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica —July 28, 2011

“Homophobia must be eliminated [in Jamaica] immediately” was the rallying cry of Pamela E Bridgewater, the United States Ambassador to Jamaica. “The US Mission joins all partners in the fight against homophobia [because] as President Obama says, no one should be hated because of who they love,” she stated.

The US Ambassador was addressing a packed audience at the launch of ‘Unconditional Love’, a new public service announcement (PSA) featuring Christine Straw, former Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe, and her brother Matthew Straw on July 28, 2011. Heading the list of endorsees were Hilary Nicholson from Women’s Media Watch, Helin Jenkinson, First Counsellor at the European Union, Dr. Pierre Somse, UNAIDS Representative in Jamaica, Rob Fuderich, UNICEF Representative, Yvonne Sobres, Convenor of Family Against State Terrorism and a number of other human rights and HIV activists.

Unconditional Love tells a heart warming story of Christine Straw who declares her unending love for Matthew, her brother who is gay, while calling on Jamaicans to love their family members and friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). “As Jamaicans we have to stop this stupidity of alienating our [people] because of their homosexual orientation,” stated Straw. “They are our brothers and our sisters and we must love them, no matter what [..] because they need support and encouragement,” she said.

In detailing the impact of homophobia in Jamaica, Maurice Tomlinson, Legal Adviser at AIDS-Free World (AFW) said his organisation was proud to support this collaborative venture which calls on all Jamaicans to live up to their world renowned culture of One Love. He stressed that members of the LGBT community must also strive to understand the source of the lack of knowledge of persons who stigmatize and violate their rights and hurt them. “The empowerment of these individuals is crucial for the breaking down of walls which prevent persons from seeing the true value of the contribution LGBT Jamaicans make to the society” Tomlinson said.

According to Dane Lewis, Executive Director at Jamaica’s only gay rights lobby, Jamaica Forum of Lesbians All Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), “it is our hope that this inspiring public declaration of love will motivate other families and friends of LGBT to share their stories of acceptance and that those who are on a journey to acceptance will be moved to love LGBT persons in their lives unconditionally.”

Dr. Pierre Somse of UNAIDS was insistent that Jamaica had to keep pace with the rest of the world and get rid of anything that might retard the gains made in reducing the spread of HIV over the years. “Homophobia is a major stumbling block to effective HIV interventions and unless we guarantee the human rights of homosexuals, all other populations are at risk,” Dr. Somse highlighted.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Yvonne McCalla Sobres of Families Against State Terrorism (FAST), “When the state ignores the harm and hurt being felt by any population, because of their difference this is tantamount to state terrorism. It cannot therefore be business as usual for us here in Jamaica”

Unconditional Love , is another collaborative initiative of  J-FLAG, Jamaica AIDS Support For Life (JASL), the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) and AFW aimed at promoting the human rights of persons who are members of the LGBT community by encouraging Jamaicans to be unreserved about who they love’. The PSA will hit TV screens and the internet immediately.

Link to PSA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhH6UhfEI-E

For interviews contact:-

Pierre Somse UNAIDS 960-6536-8 (office) or  919-8537  (cell)

Ian McKnight CVC 631-7299   (office) or   474-8847  (cell)

Kandasi Levermore JASL        978-2345   (office) or   875-2737  (cell)

Dane Lewis J-FLAG  978 8988    (office) or 875-2328 (cell)

Maurice Tomlinson      AFW                                             784-0908  (cell)

JFLAG Launches new Tolerance Campaign

The new one minute Tolerance Campaign called: Unconditional Love, features former Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe Christine Straw, and her brother Matthew Straw who is gay.

Christine declares her unending love for Matthew while calling on Jamaicans to love their family members and friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.

See the ad below:

The Passing of Dr. Robert Carr

Mr. Peter Carr and Mrs. June Carr, and the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) announce the passing of Dr. Robert Carr.

Dr. Carr was founder of the CVC and acted as its first executive director until his move to Toronto, where he worked as director of policy and advocacy with the International Council of AIDS Service Organisations (ICASO) until his passing. Dr. Carr also served as executive director of the Jamaica AIDS Support from 2002-2005. For more than a decade, Dr. Carr dedicated his life to bringing to public attention issues related to stigma and discrimination against persons living with or affected by HIV and AIDS. In addition, he taught at the University of the West Indies, serving as the coordinator of the Graduate Programmes Unit at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) from 2006-2008. As a social worker and academic, he published numerous scholarly articles and made scores of presentations in the Caribbean and internationally on human rights and HIV as well as on the social context that drives the stigma associated with the disease.

Dr. Carr died peacefully in his sleep at home in Toronto. Funeral arrangements will be communicated later.

(information taken from the Caribean Vulnerable Comminities website and can be reached here)

Is this the follow up to the Walk for Tolerance?

A fellow blogger posted on the recent Silent Protest -Jamaica's Participation in IDAHO- After the march, what next? .. A Stand of Silence. And it is a really good question. Is this Silent protest a follow up to the Walk for Tolerance that occurred in April? Some within the community may say yes, but as the organiser for this IDAHO event was JFLAG (Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays) the official answer may well be no. We can all remember the still recent Walk for Tolerance in Montego Bay - if you don't you can read it here- which almost completely blew up in the face of the organisers, as it was perceived by many onlookers and the media as a walk for gay rights.

The question then is; since the Walk for Tolerance was not a gay march nor a march for gay rights and since the Stand of Silence was for the advocacy of gay rights and freedoms as human rights, why is it that more LGBTI people were not aware of this event? How many of the allies actually knew? This could have been a much better supported even had more in the community knewt. It seems like it was a selective process. If they want to argue that they didn't want certain behaviour being showcased what happens to those of us who participate in so many other events, those who can conduct ourselves within the relevant circumstances? The discussions and the likes, and for persons like myself who are part of the church? It's like a slap in the face.

Just like how political parties show how united they are in face of so much crisis, why can't this community show that amount of unity and we -in my opinion- don't even face half the crisis being faced by political parties. It shows us up as fragmented, splintered and when that is the case the voice isn't strong. Isn't it better to have one loud voice coming over loudspeakers, than several small, weak voices coming over computer speakers and using a computer microphone?

Despite all of this though there must have been a reason God allowed what happened to have happened and though I am disappointed and ranting I can try to understand.

Below is a short video of the event.



Links to other articles I've written regarding this event:
Pictures from the Jamaica IDAHO Event
JFLAG Press Release
Jamaica's Participation in IDAHO

I do trust that this will be my last post on Jamaica IDAHO event but as it has not yet been picked up by the media, nor as I have been able to speak with participants in the event -my not having time- such a thought may be wishful.

Tek Care

Alexis

Pictures from the Jamaica IDAHO event

The following are pictures from the IDAHO protest here in Jamaica.  

So poorly attended but done none-the-less, blog post on my thoughts here

Tek Care

Alexis

The following was a press release issued by Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Time to Break the Silence on rights for GLBT Jamaicans
Kingston --- May 17, 2010

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is observed annually on May 17th and celebrates the removal of homosexuality by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from its list of mental illnesses in 2006 which put an end to over a

century of homophobia in the medical field. It also marked a major milestone in the recognition of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals. In Jamaica, the day was observed with a half an hour ‘Stand Against Silence’ outside the Emancipation Park. Approximately 30 persons converged on the location, some with their mouths covered, depicting the theme ‘Break the Silence! End the Fear.’ 

According to Jason MacFarlane Programme Manager of Jamaica Forum of Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), ‘As Jamaicans we remain un-emancipated as long as there are laws which criminalize the private intimate acts of consenting adults. J-FLAG organized today’s event to increase awareness about the reality of homophobia that is faced by members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in Jamaica as a result of these laws. It is time for the silence to be broken and for the change makers to have some frank conversations. The simple and clear message that we are sending is that homophobia is damaging the lives of many of us Jamaican citizens and there is no rational basis for this homophobia.’ 

Yvonne Sobers of Families Against State Terrorism (FAST) was outspoken in her support. "Gays and lesbians have rights as human beings and as Jamaicans. An African proverb says, 'If the fire of the law dies here and burns there, it is not operating properly.' If we remain silent while some have their rights infringed, we cannot expect equal rights when we need systems to work for us. We benefit most if we ensure that the fire burns brightly for everyone, and that the state operates properly by respecting the rights we all (without exception) have as human beings."

In keeping with the bold words on his placard “Stop the Hate Before Too Late”, Maurice Tomlinson of AIDS Free World reiterated his organization’s stance on the position “The irrational hatred and fear of gays drives this vulnerable population underground away from effective HIV prevention interventions. The result is that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has become entrenched in Jamaica, representing a direct threat to the health of the entire Jamaican community. This is one of the reasons why we have willingly cosponsored this event.”

Another co sponsor of the event was UNAIDS which was represented at the Stand by Jamaica’s Country Coordinator, Pierre Somse. Dr. Somse proudly displayed his placard ‘Privacy is Everyone’s Right’ echoing the call made internationally by his boss Michel Sibide , “UNAIDS believes in the fundamental rights of the human beings and sees how catastrophic a situation is created when those rights are taken away. We are committed to working with Governments to ensure that the rights of all, inclusive of the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender persons are protected….” See UNAIDS Press Release attached.

Maria Carla Gullotta, Coordinator of the Jamaican group of Amnesty International, said “Amnesty International Jamaica is in full support of human rights for LGBT people because each one of us is 100% entitled to have the same rights and same dignity. We urge Jamaica to re-think what has become such an acceptable discriminating choice. There will not be any possibility to have a better world until all citizens have the same rights.

President of the European Union Missions, Ambassador Jesus Silva, offered support to J-FLAG in its demands for a policy of human rights that includes the non-discrimination for reasons of gender or sexual orientation. Speaking on behalf of Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain, Silva reiterated such a position as being “one of the priorities that inspire the policies and relations of the European Union.” (See letter attached)

Andrea Chin See, Board Member of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) revealed “Homophobia is fueling the HIV pandemic and complicating our efforts to stop the spread of HIV. If it does not stop, HIV will be here with us for an even longer time.”

Others supporting the call to end homophobia included journalists, representatives from Jamaicans For Justice, the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), Women for Women, The Jamaica Network of Seropositives, Eve for Life, Sex Work Association of Jamaica, Jamaica Red Cross, Sunshine Cathedral/Metropolitan Community Churches, Independent Jamaica Council on Human Rights and the Civil Society Forum of Jamaica.

Other placards read:

‘Teach us True Respect for All’

‘Give Us Vision Lest We Perish’

‘Human Rights for All’

Separate Church and Hate’

‘Out of Many One People’

‘Equal Rights and Justice’

‘Straight but Not Narrow Minded’

‘One Love Jamaica’

‘Repeal Sections 76, 77 and 79’

‘Live and Let Love’

‘Gay or Straight, Let’s All Tolerate’

‘God is Love’

Contact:

Jason McFarlane

Tel: (876) 978-8988 (o) (876) 844-9366 (m)

P.O. Box 1152, Kingston 8, Jamaica

admin@jflag.org

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Editorial note the letter from the UNAIDS press release can be found here (click) while the letter from the President of EU Missions can be found here (click)

Though I am happy that there was an event I'm also disappointed that more people from the community were not participants (click here)

Tek Care

Alexis