The following article below the introduction of this post appeared in the Gleaner 's Outlook Magazine March 25, 2012 and was only available in hard copy and not online on the newspaper's site as is usual for the author's pieces. Given the sensitivities involved and the national uproar recently on the issue (see previous posts here and on GLBTQJA Wordpress) I thought it important to reproduce the article for those who missed it and for us to see the other points of view including those of qualified persons.
Previous blog posts of mine for additional reading include:
This is not in anyway intended to infringe on any copyrights held by the author or the publisher of the work but solely for educational and review purposes only. The text was captured by special OCR software and a scanner. Here is the article:
SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS:
Lesbianism among schoolgirls?
Heather Little-White, PhD Contributor
RECENT REPORTS of aggressive lesbian students terrorising younger girls in some Corporate Area high schools have shocked parents and school officials. One may ask why parents and school officials should be distraught when the provision of sexuality education is limited in the home and school. Sex education for girls tends to warn mainly against pregnancy and to a lesser extent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and often ignores the wider issues such as same-sex relationships, incest, sexual slavery, child prostitution and gender identity, among others.
THE LESBIAN TERM
The term 'lesbian' dates back to ancient Greece through a tragic story of an early Greek female poet Sappho who supervised a school for girls on the island of Lesbos in 600 BC. Sappho fell in love with one of the girls who did not respond to her romantic advances. Sappho took the rejection badly and drowned herself at sea.Sappho's legacy was a rich collection of love poems written to women as well as men, thus making her an early example of bisexuality. The term lesbian evolved in reference to the island of Lesbos where Sappho was born. It has been suggested that Sappho's relationships did not include any overt sexual relations and that female homosexuality was common on the island of Lesbos.
LESBIANISM DEFINED
What is lesbianism? It is a homosexual act in which two females are sexually and romantically attracted to each other. Further, it may be defined as a sexual and emotional appeal between females. Lesbianism and other same-sex relationships. have long been practised by teenagers who, influenced by raging hormones, become curious about their bodies and that of their peers. Such liaisons have been reported in primary and secondary schools and all-girls and all-boys boarding schools have had several incidents of same-sex intimacy being uncovered throughout the life of the institutions.
Heather Little-White, PhD Contributor
RECENT REPORTS of aggressive lesbian students terrorising younger girls in some Corporate Area high schools have shocked parents and school officials. One may ask why parents and school officials should be distraught when the provision of sexuality education is limited in the home and school. Sex education for girls tends to warn mainly against pregnancy and to a lesser extent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and often ignores the wider issues such as same-sex relationships, incest, sexual slavery, child prostitution and gender identity, among others.
THE LESBIAN TERM
The term 'lesbian' dates back to ancient Greece through a tragic story of an early Greek female poet Sappho who supervised a school for girls on the island of Lesbos in 600 BC. Sappho fell in love with one of the girls who did not respond to her romantic advances. Sappho took the rejection badly and drowned herself at sea.Sappho's legacy was a rich collection of love poems written to women as well as men, thus making her an early example of bisexuality. The term lesbian evolved in reference to the island of Lesbos where Sappho was born. It has been suggested that Sappho's relationships did not include any overt sexual relations and that female homosexuality was common on the island of Lesbos.
LESBIANISM DEFINED
What is lesbianism? It is a homosexual act in which two females are sexually and romantically attracted to each other. Further, it may be defined as a sexual and emotional appeal between females. Lesbianism and other same-sex relationships. have long been practised by teenagers who, influenced by raging hormones, become curious about their bodies and that of their peers. Such liaisons have been reported in primary and secondary schools and all-girls and all-boys boarding schools have had several incidents of same-sex intimacy being uncovered throughout the life of the institutions.
LADYLIKE BEHAVIOUR
School-aged girls in all-girls schools are afraid to be labelled 'lesbian' by their peers and they become overly girly in their dress and behaviour. Even school administrators will go to great lengths to produce ladylike graduates with acceptable standards of appearance and conduct. Despite that attempt to be ladylike, some parents report that their daughters are bullied and stalked by lesbians to join their lesbian groups. The coercive action commonly takes place in school bathrooms where older girls will hold younger ones in a corner, fondle their breasts and stroke their genitals and buttocks. Consequently, some girls refuse to drink fluids throughout the day to avoid going to the bathroom or they go in groups armed with sharp instruments to defend themselves or they may wait until they go home to void their bladder.
UNIVERSAL PRACTICE
Lesbianism in schools is universal. In Kenya, for example, six students in Moi Kadzodzo Girls Secondary School in Kilifi County allegedly admitted to have engaged in lesbianism at the school. The principal of the school pursued the investigation after reports from the general students' body that these girls identified were violating school rules as they were seen lavishly touching and kissing each other, activities that are not normal for people of the same gender and in a culture that is intolerable of lesbianism and transgender practices. (newsupdate.co.ke/)
Counselling was arranged for the students involved as well as for their parents to prevent psychological damage to both parties. Children who have been coerced into the practice of lesbianism could end up harming themselves like cutting their wrists or becoming withdrawn from family and friends.
DISEASE TO BE CURED?
As parents grapple with lesbian tendencies in their daughters, there is the question of the hormone link to lesbianism and whether lesbianism is a disease in need of a cure. Martin Hutchinson, in a BBC online article, posits that lesbians are more than twice as likely to suffer from a hormone-related condition, fuelling theories that hormones play a role in developing their sexuality. However, little is known about the origins of polycystic ovarian syndrome found in one in 10 women and which is linked to an excess of male sex hormones in the bloodstream. Symptoms include excess hair, acne, and obesity, as well as a heightened risk of more serious health problems such as diabetes and infertility. Research is still ongoing in the fields of human reproduction and embryology as to the staggering number of lesbian women who, on investigation, were found to be suffering either from polycystic ovary syndrome, or a less serious but related condition in which their ovaries showed many of the same features, but without the external symptoms.
NATURE VS NURTURE
There is the nature/nurture debate where it is believed that certain traits are innate in humans, a genetic factor that shapes human sexuality. By nature, sex drive affects the development of personal identity influenced by interactions with the physical and social environment. Sigmund Freud's theory is that nature influences the instinctive nature of the sex drive and placed sexuality as the central source of human personality. Another early theorist, John Locke, believed in the nurture perspective based on his theory of the mind it being seen as a blank state to receive the impression of one's environment which evehtually defines one's sexuality.
RELIGION
Religion influences parents' intolerance of lesbianism in their children to the extent that they may resort to violence, beating the 'hell' out of the child. Proponents of lesbianism question what exactly the Bible says about lesbianism The Bible in Leviticus 18:22 says, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as withwomankind: it is abomination." The proponents argue that the biblical passage makes no distinction between men and women. It might be interpreted to mean that sexual relations are to be between a man and a woman, and not same-sex unions. The perspectives on lesbianism are diverse and the issue should not be closeted but aired in any discourse on human sexuality through the life cycle.
• Send questions/comments to: heatherl®cwjamaica.com.
School-aged girls in all-girls schools are afraid to be labelled 'lesbian' by their peers and they become overly girly in their dress and behaviour. Even school administrators will go to great lengths to produce ladylike graduates with acceptable standards of appearance and conduct. Despite that attempt to be ladylike, some parents report that their daughters are bullied and stalked by lesbians to join their lesbian groups. The coercive action commonly takes place in school bathrooms where older girls will hold younger ones in a corner, fondle their breasts and stroke their genitals and buttocks. Consequently, some girls refuse to drink fluids throughout the day to avoid going to the bathroom or they go in groups armed with sharp instruments to defend themselves or they may wait until they go home to void their bladder.
UNIVERSAL PRACTICE
Lesbianism in schools is universal. In Kenya, for example, six students in Moi Kadzodzo Girls Secondary School in Kilifi County allegedly admitted to have engaged in lesbianism at the school. The principal of the school pursued the investigation after reports from the general students' body that these girls identified were violating school rules as they were seen lavishly touching and kissing each other, activities that are not normal for people of the same gender and in a culture that is intolerable of lesbianism and transgender practices. (newsupdate.co.ke/)
Counselling was arranged for the students involved as well as for their parents to prevent psychological damage to both parties. Children who have been coerced into the practice of lesbianism could end up harming themselves like cutting their wrists or becoming withdrawn from family and friends.
DISEASE TO BE CURED?
As parents grapple with lesbian tendencies in their daughters, there is the question of the hormone link to lesbianism and whether lesbianism is a disease in need of a cure. Martin Hutchinson, in a BBC online article, posits that lesbians are more than twice as likely to suffer from a hormone-related condition, fuelling theories that hormones play a role in developing their sexuality. However, little is known about the origins of polycystic ovarian syndrome found in one in 10 women and which is linked to an excess of male sex hormones in the bloodstream. Symptoms include excess hair, acne, and obesity, as well as a heightened risk of more serious health problems such as diabetes and infertility. Research is still ongoing in the fields of human reproduction and embryology as to the staggering number of lesbian women who, on investigation, were found to be suffering either from polycystic ovary syndrome, or a less serious but related condition in which their ovaries showed many of the same features, but without the external symptoms.
NATURE VS NURTURE
There is the nature/nurture debate where it is believed that certain traits are innate in humans, a genetic factor that shapes human sexuality. By nature, sex drive affects the development of personal identity influenced by interactions with the physical and social environment. Sigmund Freud's theory is that nature influences the instinctive nature of the sex drive and placed sexuality as the central source of human personality. Another early theorist, John Locke, believed in the nurture perspective based on his theory of the mind it being seen as a blank state to receive the impression of one's environment which evehtually defines one's sexuality.
RELIGION
Religion influences parents' intolerance of lesbianism in their children to the extent that they may resort to violence, beating the 'hell' out of the child. Proponents of lesbianism question what exactly the Bible says about lesbianism The Bible in Leviticus 18:22 says, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as withwomankind: it is abomination." The proponents argue that the biblical passage makes no distinction between men and women. It might be interpreted to mean that sexual relations are to be between a man and a woman, and not same-sex unions. The perspectives on lesbianism are diverse and the issue should not be closeted but aired in any discourse on human sexuality through the life cycle.
• Send questions/comments to: heatherl®cwjamaica.com.
Article ENDS
Way back in 2006 allegations were that adult lesbians were visiting schools and at that time the JFLAG representative was reported to have said that no disciplinary action should be taken against the gay girls. “They should counsel them if this is what they are, but advise them that certain things are prohibited.”
However, the JFLAG repre-sentative condemned the actions of lesbians who are allegedly visiting the campuses and openly displaying their orientation.
“No one should do that. You can’t stay on the premises and do that. I don’t agree with older women going onto the campus to entice girls to do whatever with them.”
However, she said that if that is being allowed to happen on campus, school security is not performing up to par.
She disclosed that her organisation approached several schools “to give information and seminars, but they wouldn’t have it.” She believes that if permission were granted to stage the seminars, the girls would be better able to deal with the uncomfortable situation.
see: Lesbians in schools – Growing number of homosexuals in Corporate Area all girls’ high schools
and also see High school girls gone gay!
also see a previous post on Homosexuality in schools in St Lucia where a similar set or circumstances presented themselves with lesbian activity in a high school and how mature the response was: Homosexuality in schools in St. Lucia
Peace and tolerance
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