Is Jamaica Homophobic?
Originally published on BigThink.comVideo also available via the link above
Question:
Why are homosexual acts illegal in Jamaica?
Bruce Golding: It is rooted in a number of things. Firstly, we are a predominately a Christian country and a fervently Christian country. It may not be reflected entirely in terms of how we live sometimes, but we are passionately committed to certain basic Christian principles, which [...] homosexuality.
But we have become quite tolerant. We are tolerant provided that homosexual lifestyle does not invade our space. And what do I mean by that? Persons who wish, because of their own inclination, to live in a homosexual relationship, do so in Jamaica and there are many such persons in Jamaica.
The society in Jamaica in general do not want to be… do not want it to be flaunted.
They don’t want it to be sort of thrown into the face, because there are some real fears.
There are some real fears.
The basic unit of a society is a family, and there is a passionate concern in Jamaica about protecting the integrity of the family.
And it is felt that encouragement or recognition of the appropriateness of the homosexual lifestyle is going to undermine the effectiveness of that family unit and, in that process, undermine the basic fabric of a society.
But I think much of what has been carried in the international media in terms of homophobia in Jamaica is grossly exaggerated. Homosexuals in Jamaica, they live and they enjoy their relationship.
They are intermingled with heterosexuals, they have normal relations with heterosexuals, but they do have their private relationships.
And so long is that is so, I don’t believe that the people in Jamaica are going to be particularly perturbed.
What is illegal in Jamaica is buggery, which is in fact making homosexual acts illegal. There have been very, very few prosecutions; very, very few. And in most instances, there are prosecutions because there is a complaint by a victim. So that it’s not the flashpoint issue that many people in the international media claim that it is.
Recorded on September 25, 2010
Interviewed by David Hirschman
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3 comments:
Do you agree with your PM, Mr H?
he (Bruce Golding) may hit on a truth about the cases that are few .....Most cases of buggery that do come to public knowledge are usually where homosexual paedophilia is the reason, a younger victim (usually male) vs older accused, which doesn't suggest the perpetrator is a homosexual but stigma over the years has left MSMs to be labelled as paedophiles among other things hence the public indignation, active homophobic violence and displacement over the years.
Where consenting adults are allegedly "caught in the act" by agents of the state or if a neighbour calls 119 on reason of suspicious behaviour those cases usually adjourned sine die in court (put off for a seven year period where the prosecution can recall the matter if new evidence turns up) after a while as arresting officers usually stop coming to court despite subpoenaed to do so coupled with judges feeling it's a waste of the courts' time, they never normally pass the preliminary hearing stage. Most accused of buggery are left dealing with the embarrassment of media publications hence outed to everyone, displacement from their homes and family ostracism and or violence especially those from the lower socio economic strata.
Those cases never normally pass the preliminary hearings so the precedence therefore has been set over time and the courts tend to be more severe on paedohpiles than "consenting" adults in as far as male homosexual acts are concerned. Judges usually are quick to adjourn these kinds of cases as of late as the Judiciary in a way is sensitive it seems towards this issue of privacy. However once a minor is involved that's a different matter.
That explains why some advocates call for the decriminalization of the Buggery Law under the Offences Against The Persons Act.
The public's reaction to gays is another matter entirely.
Pity the Prime Minister did not see it fit to respond in such a fashion as he did here while on the BBC's Hardtalk when he made that "Not in My Cabinet" call or maybe due to his freshness in office after winning the elections it was the right thing to say to drum up support after all he won by only 4 seats.
Probably some research needs to be done to see the rest of it such as females who have been buggered who have brought their accusers to book and so on.
Peace.
I would imagine that this is a policy determined by the Director of Public Prosecutions. They have leeway in this kind of thing.
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