Objectives of Parents Month indeed with LGBTQI children invisibility ..........

November is Parents Month, which has been observed annually since 2000. As per usual the omission of LGBT families and or children was evident yet again this year. In addition, the Ministry of Education, in 1991, designated March 10-15 as Parents' Week, using the theme: You can make a difference to your child's education.

An series of extended radio discussions by mostly the parent teachers associations, religious leaders and others only sought to reinforce the exclusion in their ideas of a perfect world, namely Reverend Clinton Chisholm and others; they want to supposedly 'purify' the stream as is in their eyes LGBTQI children are an anathema. 

The objectives of Parents Month for this year include:

To celebrate and recognize the achievements of our parents and guardians

To create opportunities for parents to further develop their parenting skills

Support the strengthening of the home-school relationship

To encourage our men to be more involved in the role of parenting

To remind our youth that parenting is a serious responsibility that should be undertaken only by prepared and mature adults

To encourage parents to join the PTA so that they too can have a voice in the transformation of the education system and the running of schools

To develop an awareness in parents that they are their child's first teacher so they should be good examples and mentors to ALL children

To encourage communities and ALL adults to protect our children, support parents in their role and be partners in the raising of children

To promote family life and health education in schools, as preparation of tomorrow's parents begins with the education of children

Create networks among parents for their own support and that of their children and the schools the children

Inform parents of the material and human resources that are available to help them to become effective parents

Nowhere in the mix is anything was any reference to LGBTQI kids save and except for the reparative therapy ambit. Children can be broken as it were once they display any non conforming behaviour and then we expect unity!

Buoyed by the Trump win some of these religious fanatics are more emboldened to support anti LGBT sentiments while ignoring the open misogyny by the said presumptive President then they also ignore the disgraceful nude parading of his THIRD wife; they claim God is using Trump to change the status quo and gay marriage in the USA will be defeated despite a Supreme Court judgement.

The general tenets of the objectives are noble but we are now in a different day and age and they MUST be way more inclusive than before.

Think on these things

Peace & tolerance

H

Ronnie Thwaites’ rubbish on flying rainbow flags grooms children into “particular lifestyle”

Ronnie Thwaites rubbish on Rainbow Flags... 

I guess some politicians want their piece of fame from this rainbow flag fiasco and they can’t resist the urge to join in but one wonders if their motives are genuine especially those from the parliamentary opposition; owing to the fact that when they were in power they duped us all on a now farcical conscience vote on buggery. The Former education minister from the prior HFLE fiasco turned opposition spokesperson Reverend Ronnie Thwaites has displayed his poor thinking yet again. This is the same man who as Education minister was directly responsible for the removal of progressive materials in the Home & Family Life Education, HFLE manual despite his guest speaker duties at JFLAG’s International Day against Homophobia & Transphobia, IDAHOT in 2012 and the resulting increased fear-mongering and moral panic and the recently ended guidance counselors and gay students controversy. I was expecting some more enlightened narrative on just basic tolerance from the goodly Reverend but I am yet again disappointed as remarks made by Thwaites on the controversial tweet-faux pas by Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte had further muddied the water in some circles.

the tweet that started the ball a rollin'

Gleaner poll results on the issue

What is ironic is that many persons may have passed the flag at the US Embassy at Hope Road prior to Mrs Forte’s tweet-faux pas I bet did not know what the flag meant until this controversy, so the good that can come out of this it is a teaching moment for us LGBT voices included who know the flag is for LGBT but do not know the history of it.

In a television interview on CVM TV on June 14, 2016 when asked after a public where the Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed support to the families impacted by the Orlando Pulse gay club shooting Thwaites said that the flying of a rainbow flag at the US Embassy is effectively grooming children into “a particular lifestyle that is different from the Judaeo Christian norm which is in fact the foundation of our constitutional order and I believe of our personal and national health...... ”

In other words polite speak for HIV is a gay disease resulting from anal sex; a ploy that is often used by antigay religious bigots such as Dr Wayne West, Betty Ann Blaine and Shirley Richards. I am not stupid as the goodly Reverend thinks some of us are and continue to pray on the public’s ignorance. So the hardened positions continue, will there ever be movement towards true tolerance anytime soon with the kind of continued paranoia and fear of openness of LGBT people and that a flag is so frightening in this round of it. Mr Thwaites of seems to forget that the very laws in Jamaica were inherited by us by default after independence in 1962 from Britain protected under a ‘savings law clause’ which preserved them until we must make the amendments and deletions when needed and this buggery law in particular needs to go. Also the UK has moved from a theocracy essentially to more civil legislative environment, as an attorney Mr Thwaites ought to be more balanced and indeed honest when making such remarks. He ought to also know that the buggery law when first promulgated was more about the smear campaign in the UK under Henry VIII to give effect to the English church reformation while extirpating the Catholic church and replacing it with the church of England which is the dominant denomination today in the UK; with subsequent re-enactments and amendments to 1967 when the forward thinking parliament decided the law should go and they were on good ground.

Then there are others in support are ascribing motive of imposing homosexuality and whether such flags are flown in US Embassy in Saudi Arabia for example and or ‘double standards’ as opposed to Jamaica and that the US would not do it; while ignoring the fact that that it is a different jurisdiction and that the death penalty under Sharia law as homosexuality is illegal but homosexuality is NOT illegal in Jamaica but buggery is despite the gender of the receptive partner(s) involved. Double standards are indeed needed in such delicate diplomatic relations especially with states like the Saudis; there are implications on world affairs that are too delicate to infuriate the fickle relationship. Some people just don’t think these days. Lest we forget who were murdered sadly in Orlando and the Attorney General in my view is saying indirectly LGBT Jamaicans dare not put up a flag to celebrate what we are about.

Why is the term ‘alternate lifestyle’ still being used in modern times to describe sexual orientation or homosexuality? Thwaites cannot bring himself to speak directly to the issues openly it seems. Let us put to rest the silliness about “homosexual lifestyle” or “alternate lifestyle” once and for all; as a phrase it is pure propaganda, a gossipy generalization and completely unworthy of a Christian who, following the counsel in Proverbs seeks understanding and insight into life and people. As Christians some will have to decide if we are going to partake of divisive “party spirit” that racked the church at Corinth or follow Christ as discerning attentive principles – to that still small voice and sharpen concerns for the ostracized instead of creating more strife.

Bear in mind that there is a reference in Luke 17:34 where Jesus in a teaching on the rapture makes what appears to be a neutral non-discriminatory reference where it read (King James Version):

Grooming when last I checked is not about an external influence as remote as a flag that can just influence someone so simply; as if to say children are going to get up and have sex as a rainbow flag denotes homosexuality and they will try it out. This grooming argument is not new and I had done an entry on the subject to try to decipher the phenomenon as untrained as I am but just sheer common sense is enough. Grooming involves a more personal one on one contact with the intended victim over time usually in an unbalanced power differential situation as the groomer seeks to psychologically imprison their target. A rainbow flag could not have any serious impact to those who do not have any understanding of what it signifies; what it denotes to the US and by extension the global struggle for LGBT rights and recognition. 

See:  The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics to Promote Their Hysteria
Also let me remind us all that we have had rainbow flags in public spaces before and no one has died or simply become gay on sight due to the bright colours or some hypnotic powers emanating from the symbol. The fear is palpable. 

kites such as these have been sold by men at stop lights all over the island I imagine to students as well, are we to assume by Thwaites position that such rainbow kites will also groom children in a 'particular lifestyle?"

I have to agree with Mutabaruka in a sense, in his opening shot on his Stepping Razor show on the matter where he sided with Mrs Forte in principle but is alarmed at how Christian voices are saying either the shooting was retribution by God or that it was justified; he also questioned how a God who is represented in the Bible as a kind God is being presented to uphold barbaric principles? He then in patois of course mentioned the other abominations that are contained in Leviticus and highlighted the selectivity hypocrisy and the death penalty in Sharia law alongside the suppression of women’s freedoms.

“..... If you remove the Bible what would they (antigay Christian voices) do?”

he mentioned that he was contacted by one of the antigay groups who wanted him to sign a petition to remove the flag to which he seems to have ignored; he also reiterated a point I have also said that no government is going to be bold enough at this time given the push back will chance amending the buggery law by their own recognizance. He mentioned that fact that if one left the Muslim faith one may be punished by death.

“...the Bible supposed to be the book weh a show you a way to peace and justice and love and generosity and dem ting deh; and it mek people so hard inna dem heart?” he said in part.

“Mi nuh hear nobody a seh mek wi demonstrate ‘gainst adultery, wah happen to the church, cause most a de parson dem a adulterer ...... parson a look sista Dinah .... sista Dinah I’ve been watching you for a while ......... how de church nah preach ‘gainst adulterer?” he continued “the whole a wi would a dead.”

He concluded:

“Tell me, who is without sin mek dem cast the first stone”

Peace & tolerance is really needed in these times.

H

also see:

Urgent need to discuss sex & sexuality part 1 and part 2 and 

Rainbow Flag Controversy @ US Embassy Jamaica... 

Schoolgirl booted for taking same sex kiss with another girl, ignorant school officials ......

A ST JAMES schoolgirl who was photographed kissing another female cannot be sanctioned for her actions, the school's principal has said. Apparently it was a joke but also a dare to show she is secure about where she is going, if not experimentation. Teenagers often experiment with same gender sexualised behaviour of some sort and then move on as they age. 

the related photo

A photo has been circulating on social media which shows the girl, in school uniform, lip-locked with another female, who was in casual clothes.

The principal told THE STAR that any student found guilty of bringing the school's image into disrepute could be suspended. He, however, said that the uniformed female in the photograph was no longer a student at the school which he heads. He said the child left the school more than a year ago, but did not state the circumstances of her leaving. So if it is not disciplinary reasons or poor academic performance that caused her expulsion from the school then we can safely say it was because of misplaced homophobia, indeed lesbophobia then.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education told The STAR that its policy has always been that "we do not condone or promote sexual activity among adolescents, whether the behaviour is of a homosexual or heterosexual nature". A kiss is seen as 'sexual activity' by the Ministry! this just shows the phobia inside that organization as the experimentation bit in my opening suggests; a kiss does not neccesarily needs to full on sex gay or not. But I am not surprised as the minister himself has expressed said fears of 'grooming' and other such nonsense.

"Through the Health and Family Life Education Curriculum and guidance programmes, abstinence from all forms of sexual activity is emphasized," the ministry said.

The ministry said that adolescents found engaging in sexual activity should be referred to the relevant guidance counsellor for further guidance and counselling and external referral, where necessary. Problem is these sessions have a reparative ambit as opposed to a delay or abstinence thrust as if to 'change' the students from exploring or growing into their sexuality.

"Where these issues are identified in schools, targeted interventions are also implemented to address the issue of the inappropriate sexual behaviour," the ministry said. Just because of a kiss! the most that should have happened here is warning to her not to go so public as there maybe legal implications; as well as abstinence messages and refer her to the relevant outfits for follow up.

Sad another case of a teen's growth impacted by ignorant adults; living in a world they did not make and left taught stigma & discrimination.

When can we move forwards on this issue of sexual orientation?

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Livin' in a world they did not make: A second student rescued from homophobic attack at school

Parents' Month under the theme 'Parents: Today you guide. Tomorrow they lead' .... as for Gay 2010

3 Schoolboys face the court for beating other male student allegedly for calling them "battybois"

Viewers condemn kissing female students ...... yet again

Early initiation, gay sex, comprehensive sexual education and the real world

Girls Now Charged for Having Sex with Minors as Boys, Do Adults Ever Speak to Them?

The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics 

Teen boy love, getting caught & exploration

Teen forced to change schools following outing incident

Male student accused of spying in boy’s bathroom attacked

Effects of childhood bullying on mental health of adults

Urgent need for sex & sexuality to be discussed nationally

Sex-ed does not say have sex — NFPB head

Education Minister dismisses counsellors LGBT students issue, says it’s a 'minority' matter.

Ronnie Thwaites’ rubbish on flying rainbow flags grooms children into “particular lifestyle”

International Transgender Day of Visibility 2016 #TDoV #MoreThanVisibility #Ally

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual observance occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide. 

The observance was founded by Michigan-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall in 2009 as a reaction to the lack of LGBT holidays celebrating transgender people, citing the frustration that the only well-known transgender-centered observance was the Transgender Day of Remembrance which mourned the loss of transgender people to hate crimes, but did not acknowledge and celebrate living members of the transgender community.

Locally we have had a long ardious journey raising awareness with not only John Public's understanding of transgender issues but sadly back then the very advocacy structures including JFLAG; invisibility/omission were the biggest challenges to overcome but there is some growth within the last couple years. It was an uphill battle to get the outfit to finally start acting on more inclusion in the narrative nationally. 

There were days when even persons left transgender individuals to be seen as confused persons and this blog was one of the few spaces then in the late 2000s to begin to change that thinking. Then there was the conflation of transgender issues with drag/transvestite culture and certain words usage such as 'tranny' and such which etymology was from drag queen culture and not meant to stigmatize our transgender colleagues. See: The difficult task of separating drag culture from transgender identity 2013

shot from Taboo Yardies documentary with Moyette Morgan and Laura Garcia at the time which was screened in Jamaica in 2013, see more HERE

Sean Claude Neufville an APJ Seizmic participant explains her/his journey

Groups such as Colour Pink, Transwave and my affiliated Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ coupled with some enlightenment from HIV agencies such as JASL finally of which I am pleased things are looking on the up.

If only in the homeless/displacement department there can be some more intensive work and opportunities for a way out; despite some of the aforementioned agencies not acting on the full knowledge over forty years of the consequence of stigma and discrimination is evidenced in forced evictions and homelessness.

view it HERE

A recent study also showed how some three hundred plus persons felt about seeing asylum as a way out of Jamaica with more than 70% surveyed agreeing. APJ has been doing work in conjunction with groups and individuals and on Human Rights Day 2015 launched our website to add to the awareness thrust.

APJ's website HERE

see previous posts on APJ from this blog HERE (newer posts will appear first.)

In 2014, the holiday was observed by activists across the world — including in Ireland and in Scotland. In 2015, many transgender individuals participated in an online social media campaign on websites including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. Participants posted selfies, personal stories, statistics regarding transgender issues and other related content to raise awareness and increase visibility.

I wanted to highlight for today a previous case I had dealt with way back in 2008 when I was in crisis interventions at JFLAG and Admin/Finance and her progress since in evidence of resilience and such. Lady Moyette as I called her then was a stone's throw away from being murdered as this previous post shows, see: Transgenderism in Jamaica: A victim's ordeal before and after photos show the journey since.

Before:

After (a couple days ago)

I am so happy she is OK and still quietly working though not in Jamaica anymore.

Live up and a huge thanks to Laura Garcia of APJ and others from the old guard whose push over the years helped to change the narrative towards more tolerance and acceptance.

Peace & tolerance

H

LGBT adolescent & teen suicides a cause for concern

During the brou ha ha involving the new president of the previously constituted Guidance Counsellors Association of Jamaica or now known as JAGCE Jamaica Association of Guidance Counselling in Education it was revealed that a female student from a prominent Kingston all girls school had committed suicide the same week as the controversial statements made by the goodly president came through. Nadine Dixon had revealed that such an incident occurred when she granted an interview to anti gay President Helen Coley Nicholson of Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship fame and tried to reshape her original revelation of counsellors who are not engaging LGBT students. She never however said if it was because of such non engagement specific to that case was the reason as well for the student taking her own life.

also see: 

Ian Boyne: Gay-Friendly Counsellors For Students?

Truth or Not: Guidance counsellors not discriminatory

A reliable source upon seeing my previous post on the subject has revealed that the young lady was being seen by the school’s counsellor but was since referred to another professional eventually which did not seem to resolve the matter. The deceased had expressed her frustration to various outlets but to no avail and now she is dead. Two other matters have since surfaced one involving an adolescent female who has been struggling with family members for the past year or so. A near displacement outcome also sent her into depression for some time but thankfully her summer job affording her some income made possible her payment for private consultations with a psychologist. She had attempted suicide by pill overdose but her cousin who made a surprise visit found the bottles scattered on the ground and ran to her aid eventually taking her to the hospital. She survived.

She was continuously told she needed to change her ways (typical) by her father who was adamant he wanted no lesbian or nasty person (words to such effect) in his family as God burns them out. He also went as far as to threaten withdrawal of any financial support given she is also pursuing tertiary education via a popular university college. She is on her way back to some semblance of normalcy in her life and is being closely monitored and the requisite professional on the case as well. She has also since moved in with the supportive cousin who has played an important role in this case.

Male suicide attempt

A gay male adolescent aged nineteen took things into his own hands earlier this year; he took a social media announcement route prior to taking action via attempted poison and according to him pill overdose as well. Both apparently did not work but days before he had been expressing via a series of status messages of his displeasure with life and just wanting to end it all.

The typical response from friends list is he was talking nonsense and such and some tried to dissuade him from such thoughts or status messages. He has since deleted or at least made his profile inactive and has been assisted by persons who got in touch with two NGOs where the requisite referrals and professional interventions are now active I am reliably informed. Thankfully this one ended on the up and up. Pity the aforementioned young lady did not make it. There are other unconfirmed reports of such attempts successful and unsuccessful.

Gay male teen tried hanging

A fifteen year old male described as a ‘troubled teen’ who has had run-ins with the law and who also is struggling with sexual orientation/identity issues tried to hang himself in June 2015 at a place of safety/rehabilitation centre for boys in south central Jamaica. You will appreciate I cannot go into too much details or name such matters given we are talking about a minor and laws govern such reporting of such matters. The teen however tried to end his life according to my impeccable source by using his sheet on his bed to hang himself but failed in the attempt as the light fixture he tried to tie the end to broke free from the ceiling due to his weight.

Despite his more masculine demeanour which may have deflected some homophobic profiling he has been touted by other boys for being a battyman and a previous incident allegedly at another facility with another boy involved in some sexual activity has not helped any as the issue is spread as a rumour by other boys who were close to matter. Then there are other matters attending with family members who say they simply cannot manage him as his rebellious behaviour is too much for them.

I am concerned as there seems not to be any serious outlet or sustained intervention residing anywhere to address teen and adolescent suicides and attendant issues of identity, self esteem and so on. Despite the high social media visibility in recent years that certainly my generation and previous never had and faces now added to the LGBT struggle with private LGBTians also slowly coming out persons still seem not able to find solace or comfort in the knowledge that as we edge forward to a very slow and painstaking acceptance. Added to the pressures that said social media places on a desire to conform or ideals and goals that are unrealistic young persons find themselves placed in a spin to find themselves. The aspirational themed social media interventions and some workshop activities by some do not seem to be reaching the right people and this is not only a lower socio economic class matter as is the case in the more earthy and often violent homophobia; those efforts seem to be only reaching the already converted or persons lulled in a false sense of security until their own truths catches up with them then disaster.

In a previous post I had highlighted a young lesbian’s attempt to end her life and her subsequent recovery or the road to it; she is now doing very well and has since moved on while ever so slowly mending the family ties that were shattered and led to the attempt in the first place.

Peace & tolerance

H

Insensitive parents & Displaced MSMs part 2

In part 1 way back in 2009 we looked at some cases and reports that came to light then and a flashback story that was disturbing where a father outed his son at a prominent high school only to watch other students beat him mercilessly fortunately he was rescued by some staff members present and a few well thinking students who literally used their bodies to block or absorb some of the blows.

See more Here: Father encourages students to maul 'gay' son at Dunoon Tech

Also Here: Insensitive Parents & Displaced MSMs part 1

In recent weeks a series of complaints and expressions have been forthcoming from mostly early male teens and a couple of same gender loving females as well with one case reaching a drastic point where a nineteen year old woman was forced to leave under the watchful eye of her stepfather, others have not gotten so bad in the ladies department but persons are uncomfortable in their family homes or places of shelter with other siblings. The age old problem of improper monitoring and securing of cellphones, personal computers/laptops and blackberries have also contributed to unwarranted outings and exposures with one male being prayed for in earnest by a weeping mother and the good book thrown at him while she insists his life is all wrong and he must accept God or burn in hell.

Hope remains while company is true and another 20 year old has been fortunate to have a good circle of friends who offered temporary crisis shelter as he makes the transition from a "bitter" set of parents while fortunately landing a job recently, he was outed due to prying eyes on his computer where his brother glanced male images scantily clad and made a report to their mother. He said he has been meeting hell ever since and was glad when he reached out he got the response from "true" friends, a type he said was hard to find in times of trouble. Privacy is a major problem even in the family home and as previous posts have brought to bear it is an issue of protection of ones space and equipment and others around are questioning,

"why don't you have a girlfriend (boyfriend)?" as the case may be

"why are you always on your computer?"

"when you on your phone why are you whispering?"

One other male was unfortunate as he was caught in the act of a version of phone sex which led to a heated argument and hence the rest of the family having him off as the "nasty battyman" or black sheep of the brood. At some point I believe we all have our "outing" moments but for some it comes pretty early and they do not know how to cope in most instances. Another new entity in advocacy is already seeing it's fair share of displacement drama as it is not only lower to middle income homes that have this perennial problem although the outcomes maybe less dire than those of their lower socio economic counterparts, exclusion from a will, trust found or funding for a car or tertiary education maybe removed or given with great hesitation are miles away from an embarrassing community move in full view of onlookers jeering or a full homophobic attack with persons suffering blows.

Some sort of sensitization program must be in the works either through JFLAG albeit their stewardship is under serious criticism or the new entity The Underlined Response which seems more geared towards grassroots work in seriously marginalised populations. Outlining how persons can cope with displacement, networking, psycho social support and other avenues where persons can turn to must be in the back of the community's mind where stuff hits the fan.

So far as hinted above the informal community crisis interventions response works well but I still say we need a fixed residential typed space for temporary sheltering for individuals displaced or made full on homeless with the proper amenities, staff and support systems for rehabilitation and assimilation to general society. There was once a short lived group of Parents for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays PFLAG Jamaican chapter/version where it has gone we may never know, it was designed to include supportive parents and guardians for LGBT children and adolescents with some outreach to parents who engage in displacing their own children due to Stigma, homophobia, intolerance of suspected orientations and perceived lifestyles, there was also a small mentorship idea that was floated during the former life of the GLABCOM, Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Community steering committee as forming part of the peer education drive under targeted interventions division of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, whether such programs still exist they must be a secret.

Talk therapy was also suggested by a Psychologist when the matter of interventions for this group was raised some years ago in the PFLAG/GLABCOM talks specifically on a pro bono basis as recovering displaced persons may not have the financial resources to offset private sessions. These are ideas that can be floated again either in existing structures if they are willing to accommodate them or new entities seeking solutions. Let's continue to watch and thanks to the persons for contributing to this post. through sharing aspects of their stories.

Peace and tolerance

H

Insensitive parents & Displaced MSM

Many Jamaican adolescent gay men are the victims of displacement and or ostracism by family members and others when they are found to be gay. A most recent case that came to my attention is that of a 23 year old male who frequents his family home and stops in to supervise his other siblings. According to him in a recent conversation his mother demanded he leave the home as she told him she found out about his lifestyle after years of rumours and suspicions of his orientation. She told him that she doesn't intend to share even utensils with him thus he cannot stay in the home.

Suprisingly his father is much more understanding in this case as usually fathers are much more angered by their son's homosexual lifestyle. The difficulty with stories like this one is that many of the displaced males are usually in their teens and who find themselves in difficult situations to eek out an existence for themselves, they are taken advantage of by other gay men who prey on their weakened positions and often use them for sexual favours.

It is an admission that many in the GLBT community don't really want to discuss directly and sad to say there are very little social intervention strategies that can capture these young men and women who fall through the cracks. Lesbians tend to fear off better as there support systems are usually emotionally connected and they tend to be nurturing thus outcomes yield more positive results. Another reason also could be that lesbianism is tolerated much more than male homosexuality so the girls can "survive".

Other accounts speak of parents checking emails of teens while they may have left the computer, browsing text messages of cell phones without the victims knowledge, scrutinizing phone calls and listening in on conversations. There was an incident several years ago where a father allegedly handed his gay son to students at his school to be beaten but was rescued by compassionate ancillary staff who took several blows to shield him and called for police intervention.

Jamaica Observer article 19/02/04: Father encourages students to maul 'gay' son

"According to students and teachers at the school, the boy's father apparently found pictures of nude men in the boy's school bag.
Infuriated, he turned up at the school yesterday with the pictures and encouraged the mob to turn on his son. As students began to maul his son, the man is reported to have driven away."

In notoriously homophobic Jamaica gay men can hardly expect protection even from their parents - as was made very clear yesterday.
A father, concerned that his son might be gay, turned up at the Dunoon Park Technical High School in east Kingston and apparently encouraged other students to beat the boy, an eleventh grader.

"Them bruck up desk and bench and beat him up badly," one Dunoon student told the Observer. "Him get nuff lick, box, kick and thump from boy and girl."
The boy's name was withheld by school officials and the extent of his injuries was not immediately known. But whatever they were, it would have been worse were it not for the intervention of ancillary staff.
According to students and teachers at the school, the boy's father apparently found pictures of nude men in the boy's school bag.

Infuriated, he turned up at the school yesterday with the pictures and encouraged the mob to turn on his son. As students began to maul his son, the man is reported to have driven away.
In the frenzy, students hurled stones at police who were called to the school to restore order, in the process damaging police cars and motorbikes. The police eventually were able to rescue the youngster from the other students, most of whom wore uniforms, and whisked him off the campus.
According to a teacher at the school, people from outside the school joined in the fracas.

"They were intent on killing him," this teacher said. "They were like a pack of wild animals who had smelled blood and if it wasn't for a staff member who jumped on top of him, you would be reporting on a mob killing."
The teacher described the behaviour of the student's father as "careless".
"A me save him," an ancillary staff member told the Observer. "Me have to jump on him and shield him cause them was going to kill him. Me get a whole heap of licks, but me push him in the office and lock him in."
School authorities were forced to call the Elletson Road police to escort the boy off the compound when the angry mob became uncontrollable.

But the cops were also attacked, leaving some with minor injuries. After calm was restored, at least a dozen Dunoon students were taken to the Elletson Road police station where they were given a stern warning by officers from the station's Criminal Investigation Bureau before being released.
"We went to the school to calm down a situation and protect the students and they turn around and fling stones on us," an Elletson Road police office complained. "What has the society come to?"
The parent who has been accused of ordering the students to maul his son, reportedly drove away from the school as soon as the fracas started.

Read more:

I don't know where to begin as to how to address this issue, why cant we just be tolerant and try to understand the issue of homosexuality before cursing it?

Peace and tolerance

H