October is LGBT History Month .... links to some local facts

Well it's LGBT or GLBT History month depending on how interchangeable you are or tolerant eh? I have been putting together a list of Jamaican historical facts I could find around in my archives and from other reputable sources.

Most of the posts however on local history appear here while on my other blog Gay Jamaica Watch includes other information so far in our young active gay community.

To visit the direct posts on the subject click the LGBT logo on top of the page or follow the links on this post.

Feel free to contribute any news or bits of information you know of or were involved in, I feel we must begin to retrace our steps and remember the stalwarts who stood in stead before us in the fight for basic rights, decency and recognition.

Enjoy the posts and look out for new ones coming and feedback please.

CLICK HERE from GLBTQ Jamaica or HERE from Gay Jamaica Watch's blog

Peace and tolerance

H

In The Life Series: Surviving the Past

Another great installment from the In The Life series looking at LGBT stories not carried in general LGBT publications.

South Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Key West, are leading gay tourist destinations. Yet, on a legislative level, Florida remains one of the most homophobic states in the country. This month on IN THE LIFE, we look at Florida's past and present struggles to overcome discrimination, and Liza with a Z speaks to The Lady In Question: Charles Busch.

N THE LIFE travels to Florida to speak with Martin Gill, a foster father whose case is challenging Florida's ban on gay adoptions, meet with openly gay Mayor Craig Lowe, and learn about the struggle toward legislative equality in the Sunshine State.

Episode Update: Martin Gill and Family
In The States: Florida (00:16:40)
On September 22, 2010, The Third District Court of Appeals in Florida upheld a lower court's ruling in favor of Martin Gill, his partner and his two foster sons, agreeing that the state law banning adoption by gay people is unconstitutional.

The opinion states, "Given a total ban on adoption by homosexual persons, one might expect that this reflected a legislative judgment that homosexual persons are, as a group, unfit to be parents. No one in this case has made, or even hinted at, any such argument."

The appellate ruling applies to the Gill family alone and does not overturn Florida's ban on gay adoption. The state has 30 days to decide whether to appeal to the State Supreme Court, where a ruling would constitute a statewide determination on the law.

A Conversation With... LIZA MINNELLI and CHARLES BUSCH (00:08:12)
Gay icon and legendary star of stage and screen, Liza Minnelli, sits down with her friend, the actor and playwright, Charles Busch for a conversation about her career and life as a darling of the gay community.

"Corrective Rape" continues in 2010 part 2

So as we continue to look at the scourge of "Corrective Rape" and African terminology originally due to the horrible crimes committed against lesbian women there in a bid to "straighten them out" we too now see more incidents of this nature coming to light. See the "Corrective Rape" tab below this post for all previous entries on the matter thus far as documented on this blog.

JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays have finally woke up from slumber it seems with of course the push coming from one man band activist Lawyer and Consultant to AIDSFREEWORLD Mr. Maurice Tomlinson in a public protest last Friday September 24th 2010 in the morning at Emancipation Park (aka Penis Park due to the giant statue of the nude male to the south eastern section, so named after the outcry it caused when it was unveiled) to highlight the issue, although I was invited to attend unfortunately I couldn't make it as I was at work(night shifts) while the protest was scheduled for 7:30am.

However it was good to hear of some backbone coming back into the mix, whether the action made any impact is yet to be seen as as the preparation of this post only Radio Jamaica carried it on their website:

J-FLAG protests against ‘corrective’ rape of lesbians

Meanwhile the J also had a press release to back up the action. see the full post on Gay Jamaica Watch for that and other photos submitted to me by Mr. Tomlinson.

Go HERE:

Human Rights & J-FLAG Activists call for an end to violence against LGBT Community

My Lesbian blogger friend across the way there who has more incites into the details of the cases gave a short post on the two instances of Corrective rape in St. Ann just weeks apart from each other, it seems the lesbian community is under pressure once again this year as the trend has been on the rise since 2007 when I first started to cover this type of violence meted out to our sisters.

Go Here for her entry on Rantings of a Lesbian Christian blog:

Other Acts of Violence from the Northern End of the Island

The case of the woman in Clarendon has still not been confirmed as I try to gather more information on the issue but I have gathered the woman who was raped there has moved to another parish and is coping with the help of relatives and friends, I have gotten the impression that when she is ready she will speak her mind on the matter.

Also for reference is the letter penned to the Jamaica Observer by Mr. Tomlinson on the matter a day before the actual protest in Emancipation Park.

Protect lesbian and gay population

Dear Editor,

"Corrective rape" is the barbaric practice where men rape lesbian women to "make them straight". This heinous practice is alive and well in Jamaica but goes largely unreported. Nevertheless, last year there were six reported cases, and this month two lesbians were raped within days of each other.

The first young lady was walking home when she was brutally set upon and gang-raped by a group of four men from her community. The men had complained about and seemingly had had enough of her "butch" or manly attire and were also upset that she had all the good-looking women. They therefore "cut her" so she can better "tek man". Two days later the second young lady, a known friend of the first, was driven away in a taxi, held at knife-point and brutally raped after being forced to perform oral sex on her assailant. She was then dumped partially clothed and told that the next time her rapist would use a condom.

Both rapes were reported to the police. However, it is doubtful the women will follow through with the prosecutions as the stigma and discrimination faced by raped lesbians in Jamaica is much worse than regular rape victims: in the eyes of most Jamaicans, lesbians have dared to challenge the hetero-normative status quo and have therefore somehow caused their attacks.

As a people we should have a national revulsion to such often violent abuse of the rights of Jamaica's lesbian and gay population. Instead, encouraged by our leaders and laws, many of us wear our homophobia like a badge of national pride.

Maurice Tomlinson

maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com

ENDS

Peace and tolerance

H

See Also:

Pride Month in June, Celebrate yourselves!, concerns though .........

“Corrective Rape” continues in 2010 part 1