Trans activist wants to legally change status .........

Neish McLean, a Jamaican, who was born a woman but now identifies as a man, wants the Government to allow transgender persons to change the gender on their legal documents to match the one they have identified with.

McLean, executive director of the transgender organisation, Transwave, wanted to be deemed a man despite being born with female genitalia.

McLean told THE WEEKEND STAR that it is imperative that transgender individuals be given this opportunity to reduce the likelihood of them being exposed to violence.

Violence and discrimination

"I wish to navigate the world as I see myself, so if my ID does not match as I see myself, then that exposes me to violence and discrimination," McLean said. "For example, going through the airport, that can expose people of tran-experience with undue scrutiny and discrimination and when receiving services at different spaces because my ID is reflecting who I say I am."

McLean competed at the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run in February as a male.

"I didn't identify with the gender I was assigned to. I just didn't feel as if I fit in. I didn't know how to term it," McLean said. "It is not a matter of changing, it's just a matter of internal feeling. I just felt fully accepted into my adulthood and felt comfortable expressing my gender as I do."

Identifying myself

Now 32, McLean told THE WEEKEND STAR that feelings about gender have never been an issue.

"I was never afraid to share how I felt with my family. It was really more a matter of me accepting who I was and who I was comfortable being. For my family, it is more so of my safety that they were more concerned about than my gender identity," McLean said.

McLean said that apart from wearing a tunic to school, pants and shorts were the preference.

"I didn't grow up in an environment that was very strict in terms of me identifying myself as a girl. My gender wasn't policed. It was a few years back when I actually told them that I wanted to be identified as a man. They are not very expressive, so I don't know how they are truly feeling," he said.

McLean said Transwave is currently arming itself with the necessary information to place a solid argument before the Government.

McLean also said the group has had discussions about engaging medical professionals to provide a framework for transgenders to undergo medical transitions in Jamaica.

meanwhile 

Outside of the Star News report older folks such as Laura Garcia of Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica already got her identity papers after much fight and trips to the Registrar General's Department RGD in order to change her birth papers and by extension her driver's license. The RGD has always had a reputation of Pentecostal nepotism in hiring staff so gender non-conforming persons with sometimes harsh transphobic language in the customer service experience was a problem. I hope the younger folks engage well experienced folks and resources to good use.

Peace & tolerance

H

Transgender in Jamaica radio show highlight

Last evening on the progressive radio station Nationwide News Network, NNN Co-founder and friend of mine from Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ appeared on the Love & Sex weekly show hosted by Dr Karen Carpenter. Satiba her pseudonym has made radio appearances before with the same host who is a board certified Clinical Sexologist and operates the possibly only professional clinic for assessment for transgender persons alongside other issues such as intersex matters, sexuality concerns and as far as erectile dysfunction.

The discussion overall was edifying and bearing by the quality of the calls in the call back section and the questions asked, some change in thinking seems eminent, given the resistance by way homophobia and the confusion if not conflation between gender identity and sexual orientation issues. The other guest on the show seems to display that quite nicely as the individual was not sure if they were transgender or not as while presenting as female they declared that they were not considering surgery to remove his penis or any re-assignment surgery as such. The longstanding issue of gay, bisexuals or gender neutral persons who present as androgynous also seem to label themselves as transgender without accessing or confirming same with a requisite professional. Some concern had been raised elsewhere but not on the show as I expected, on the lumping of other identities and sexual orientation as a way of reprieve from homophobia; as the heightened visibility given social media and such makes it seem attractive to some who self diagnose as transgender.

While the term transgender was explained by Dr Carpenter as an umbrella term to include persons who do elective surgery for cosmetic reasons without having any issues with gender identity, such as transsexuals for example or persons in the sex trade/porn industry (the old 80s she-male phenomenon in the US) some more emphasis should have been placed on addressing the conflation with homosexuality versus gender matters and advising persons what the differences are. Some effort was made at the near end of the two hour show to look at the difference in fairness to the guests and host but it was a little too late for me although the tail end of a radio show tends to be remembered by listeners than the beginning unless some memorable occurrence was in play at the top.

I was also expecting some emphasis on the re-assignment surgery bit as people need to understand that such procedures when it comes to genitalia cannot be simply reversed and one cannot ‘switch’ from one gender to another; the younger guest on the show seems to believe the aforementioned as they espoused they were interested in a butt lift, breast implants and other enhancements, all this while keeping a penis although they identify as a woman. Transgenderism is more about the mind of the individual and not necessarily the anatomical considerations as not all persons who feel they are ‘born in the wrong body’ can even qualify for re-assignment surgery.

The pre-surgery assessment that is usually conducted prior to ascertain the fitness and hormonal levels for so identified persons can also reveal much as to the continuation to full transition or not. There are persons identify as transgender but who cannot go all the way to surgery as their biology would not accommodate the full hormonal treatment/interventions, seeing that said treatment courses are for a lifetime so as not to reverse to the assigned gender and physiology of the party involved.

The mentioned assessment for children who display opposite gender traits by a requisite professional was commendable as Satiba drew on her own experience as she never had the family support in her transitioning journey. As highlighted on this blog and on sister blogs on Wordpress organizations such as JFLAG and others did not take these issues seriously in the early days although the coined term “Allsexual” appeared in their name. Satiba like so many others had to effectively fend for themselves; she sought out information on her own and after moving from doctor to doctor finally found one who was aware of the matters arising. Dr Carpenter mentioned the clinic at the University of the West Indies and asked interested persons to go via the Love & Sex Facebook page and on Twitter. I was expecting however some clarification on the gender non conforming behaviour in children and that that in and of itself is not a marker for someone to be deemed transgender.

Some 1500 persons are believed to be transgender living in Jamaica according to Satiba who referenced a research project that was conducted some years ago and documentary evidence supports. Overall it was a good show but given previous opportunities like this that still are too rare far more was delved into in a shorter air time and given this was a two hour show more should have come forth in my view. I hope Dr Carpenter will do a follow up sometime in the future. Thankfully the calls were civilised this time around as evidenced before terms such as ‘mad’ have been used by some to insult and belittle transgender folks who go public.

Finally the use of certain terms while commendable for those already in the know versus opening the knowledge base of those we want to win simply flew over the heads of the latter; terms such as transvestite, gender neutral (which was explained when a male caller asked for an explanation) and others were barely glossed at, I guess due to the myriad of advertisements and breaks that came during the two hour show (advertisers like the show I imagine) but the breaks sort of broken the flow of the discourse with recaps to (re)connect the audience. Maybe the structure of the show when discussing LGBT issues needs to be rehashed or tighten given the sensitivities involved.

Peace & tolerance

H

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

Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ Launches website

visit the site HERE 

the website was made possible by donations from individual supporters in 2015 via fundraising activities

 

closing ceremony of Seizmic Project training, also see: Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica's 'Seismic' Project wraps .

audience members at website launch chat a bit before the screening and after discussions

Founded February 14th 2010 by a group of lesbian and transgender individuals and straight allies with some thirty years experience combined to address the then invisibility of said groups in the general sphere of representation on community issues and TBL advocacy.

the aims included in its original outlook:

About Us

We are Aphrodite’s PRIDE. We operate as a Non-Profit Organization in Jamaica focusing on issues as they relate to the Jamaican Lesbian, Transgender (M→F & F→M) and Female Bisexual (LTB) Communities. 

Our Mission 

Our Mission is to create an environment conducive to positive intra and inter-community relations, encourage personal development (AGENCY) and improve self-esteem and create behavior change. We hope to achieve this by utilizing various methods of engagement and interventions. 

Our Core Values 

We are guided by our core values of Ethics & Integrity, Accountability, Mutual Respect, Compassion, Social Responsibility, Empowerment, Team Work and Balance

Our Priorities 

Our priorities include but are not limited to issues as they relate to Outreach, Personal Development, Enterprise Training, limited Crisis Intervention & limited Healthcare within the Lesbian, Transgender & Female Bisexual Communities. 

Our Core Competencies 

We seek to address intra and inter-community relationship issues by trying to find creative realistic solutions while promoting the celebration of our diversities. 

Our Impact 

We acknowledge the importance of thinking ‘Outside the Box’ in terms of achieving our goals; so through programs and community education we hope to set important precedents which will help our efforts in creating an environment conducive to such. Also, by encouraging involvement in sporting & cultural activities we hope to promote healthier lifestyles and encourage more social responsibility. In creating a Safe Zone it is our hope that we will positively influence the lives of all in our community; particularly survivors of isolation, marginalization, discrimination, victimization or silenced by society’s restrictive gender norms and socialization. 

visit their website HERE 

Peace & tolerance

H

Arson attack @ lesbian’s home in East Kingston

photo provided by impacted lesbian

As November is Homeless Awareness Month and also the 16 day count down for International Elimination of Violence Against Women which commenced yesterday and to end on Human Rights Day December 10; here is further evidence (above photo) of some of the challenges faced by LGBT persons in Jamaica; especially our same gender loving sisters who in recent times have seen a spike in threats and indeed attacks directed at them with disastrous outcomes. I am presently housing a young man who was outed via a smart phone and social media prying by family members. July 15, 2015 will never be the same for a 35 year old woman and her two children in the Rockfort area when her rented flat for some ten years was firebombed by thugs after a tirade by another woman who effectively outed her. She lost nearly all her personal possessions to include: a 2 door fridge, deep freeze, 4 burner gas stove; microwave oven; 2 blenders; sandwich maker; clothes; bedroom furniture; living room furniture; 4 televisions; component set; sound system; desk top computer; lap top computer; 4 cellular phones.

She made her living by operating a small business for herself to support her children and she also lost a certain amount of cash in the blaze. Profiling is the trigger factor in this matter as her more masculine features/aesthetics fed the perception and hate eventually. In her own words in her report she said among other things:

“I was at home asleep with my two children at about 10:30pm, and I smelled smoke and heard a lot of noise and excitement outside my home. My daughter got up and started to cry and so I grabbed her up an then I woke up my son I told him to run outside. I went outside and started to ask people to help me to save items and no one helped. I heard them sayin’ a long time di sodomite fi gweh!

A long time shi fi liff up and lef’! I tried calling the fire brigade but I wasn’t getting through. I don’t know who called them eventually. By the time they arrived I had lost everything. I started asking around to get somewhere for my children to sleep but no one wanted to help the ‘sodomite’. Even my mother was unwilling to help. She said to me if I didn’t think it was a sign for me to leave the lesbian life.”

Thanks to the assistance of kind persons who offered shelter assistance intermittently but the disappointing part of it is that such help cannot be forever and the reality is she has to move on. Some engagement has come via Aphrodite’s PRIDE Ja but some other challenges have since come to the fore as she temporarily stayed with a family member in rural Jamaica where she was physically assaulted as the news got to their ears as to her challenges. She is also concerned for her children as any mother would be as they are elsewhere in not so comforting circumstances. One LGBT agency she approached told her they could help her to asylum if she can find $100K but how would that be possible when most of her possessions were destroyed in the fire including cash she had that was not lodged to a bank account?

The belief that Jamaica is more tolerant and that the images or aura coming from some quarters to suggest all is well is NOT so and is in fact a farce. The pre-occupation with LGBT advocate/NGO image on the eyes of international agencies and funders via social media and tweets of the privileged is a piece of effantry towards impacted persons such as this woman and bearing in mind this is the third such arson report that has come to hand in recent times. 

former sleeping area now laid bare as the other old building space was attacked in July of this year so the guys are on the move again with very little help

I conducted a site visit to a previous secret spot for some 5 homeless MSM in downtown Kingston on November 21 despite clashes with other sub groups including cruisers who used to use the space where it was invaded in the men’s absence and destroyed by thugs as the men’s existence was exposed. See: Homeless Awareness Month: Possibilities & Challenges

The murder of longtimer ‘Franky’ at the once popular “Boil up” behind a West Kingston community earlier this year has also had a deleterious effect on safety by not only cruisers but homeless MSM/trans who pass through. Thugs now actively patrol certain areas and old buildings hence the exposure in July and barring the cover that was once offered by some of the gangsters any unusual face seen in some parts of town may land one in serious problems. Franky was warned by not only me but others not to traverse certain parts of town as those spaces are no longer in vogue for that kind of activity but he never listened and has effectively paid for such with his life.

Privileged folks especially those in advocacy all have visas and can leave at a moment’s notice, what happens to those who do not have those privileged gifts to leave indeed some have left under dubious circumstances under the guise of asylum but somehow have managed to travel in and out of Jamaica; while some are concerned about stories going out simply delivering the truth instead of a manufactured tolerance image; even as we see the full exploitation of homophobia by politicians in the election silly season and the ongoing Sexual Offences Bill review seems dead in the water. So many other unconfirmed cases are out there as well plus those who do not make reports at all and prefer to suffer in silence and keep it quiet and move on.

All who have eyes to see do see but sweeping things under the rug won’t help anyone.

See more homeless issues on Gay Jamaica Watch HERE (newer entries will appear first, scroll down to view)

Stem the culture of intolerance (Gleaner letter) ... but what about intolerance from within? 2011

Photos from August 10th firebombing incident in Clarendon 2008

Photos from August 10th firebombing incident in Clarendon part 2

Man flees business after firebomb threat 2011

More MSM Homelessness Issues while agencies shift responsibilities 2013

Case Update - The August 10th Clarendon Firebombing Incident 2008

newer podcast:

Homeless Awareness Month 2015 ..... Recap & Concerns 07.11.15 

MSM Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard 04.10.15. 

Peace & tolerance

H

Transgender Awareness Month .......... Diva Whitney & more

As November is seen as transgender awareness month I decided to highlight Miss Whitney Bowen and the other children with a glimpse of her journey as she now resides away from us (sad face) but life goes on.

She was featured in a video campaign two years plus ago where she came out and spoke to her journey:

whitney by glbtqjamaica

Then she also was an active participant in the Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica Seizmic Small Business & Personal Development Training cohort 1:

cute lol

APJ's Seizmic Training

also see: 
Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E. Jamaica Seismic Project Summary 2014


Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica's 'Seismic' Project wraps ......

good times in her new life below

realness in the DAYTIME baby!

Trans lives matter they say but I am saddened that we are losing the open voices to migration where they are forced to leave. 

Tiana Miller also featured in a video some time ago as well:

looking stunning as ever nowadays

Just Tiana archive video

Tiana speaking at APJ's training

Thankfully JFLAG has finally gotten its act up on transgender issues  and with involvement of the senior lady Satiba from APJ in recent training exercises hope remains while company is true.

Ashley aka Borefoot from back in the day is doing quite well nowadays, mi feel good

 here she is (right) when Nina Flowers performed in Jamaica at the now defunct Loft LGBT Club, diva Kerry is on Nina's left

Follow Ahsley's blog HERE

not to be left out is legendary Miss Poochie Lue ... performer at Club Heavens and Kling Kling party days. She too is abroad now.

also see:

Transgender Awareness Week: Taboo Yardies Screening in Kingston 2013

Peace & tolerance

H

please donate:

if the button does not work then go ........


by HERE (it should like as the picture above) or HERE

Lesbian profiled & pepper sprayed by cops

A huge thank you firstly to Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ for granting permission on this one and for the documentation as well.

As we continue to track, document and share where possible or permitted to do so homo(lesbo)phobic and indeed trans, Biphobic & gender non conforming incidents another one involving the police abuse has come forth; let alone those that do not make it to either LGBT crisis interventions outfits, the police complaints arms or even LGBT networks as some persons absorb their extra-ordinary events and try to move on their own. The latest incident involves the practice as espoused by dancehall acts such as Beenieman of the “Manroyal” or masculine acting or looking female profiling of the victim. Other posts with the ‘Manroyal’ stigmatization: HERE:

Woman Labelled “Man Royal” Forced to Relocate from a St Catherine Community

3 LGBT Forced Evictions in Clarendon a Cause for Concern

Lesbian construction worker profiled told not to return to worksite

Concerns about labels & abuse towards same gender loving women 2011

The Butch Dynamic/mystique becoming a problem? 2011

Lesbians Rushed ……….. Left with a warning 2009

The present case:

On July 27 2015 a young lady who was making her way to her home in West Kingston around 11:35am in the morning, upon approaching an intersection nearing a food shop in the Regent Street area she came into view of a police detachment who as it turned out were in the outskirts of another matter as a crime scene cordoned off with yellow tape. The police at that location though visible their numbers were not so clear as they were some distance away. According to the victim’s report of the incident and corroboration from other persons. The primary motives identified here is that the woman’s aesthetic features and how she presents in terms of dress coupled with the abusive nature in police culture in that part of town and their residents and on the backdrop of the ongoing commission of inquiry and the negative labeling of West Kingston overall as a nest for criminals and their supporters, there is some licence that cops tend to have to abuse citizens.

The woman came into engagement with the cops who demanded she not take the route she was about to take to get home which was far closer and less inconveniencing for her; the cops offered no assistance or accompaniment to pass or circumvent the cordoned area; yet the rude cops with one hiding his identifying vest number which is required by law to be visible at all times when on duty or engaging the public insisted she take the long nonsensical route just to get home. The young lady in her report said in part “Mi neva have no hat down inna mi face or anything like dat. And him seh ‘yuh gwaan like yuh a man… soh mi agoh handle yuh like a man’…” (I never had my hat down in my face or anything like that and he said you are acting like a man so we are going to handle you as a man) for all intents and purposes reinforces the aforementioned abusive cops or squaddy culture towards persons from that side of our geography and hence justification for same abuse often left unattended, under or not reported or unsolved.

She alighted from a taxi at the time to make her way into her avenue when she was beckoned by the two cops, she ignored the call at first as she thought it was not directed at her and other persons were also in the space; she continued “. I stopped and looked while answering ‘mi nuh inna yuh way, it nuh mek nuh sense.’ (noticing something had happed on the other road) he then quickly said that I should walk around on Spanish town road, I then said it makes no sense because it’s just right up the road I live that’s where I live why should I walk around and am not even walking through then scene a mean mi did( 20)feet away from dem on a different road .

Then he swiftly ran towards me and grabbed me by the pants and pulled me over to where the crime scene was a then started harassing and then while he was pepper spraying me me said ‘yuh gwaan like yuh a man so mi ago deal wid yuh like yuh a’ man’. He pepper sprayed me 3 times before letting me go. I stood there trying to get badge numbers but I was only able to get the number for one of them (093), as the other person was hiding his. While I was standing there he said ‘why yuh a’ look pon i?!’ (Why are you looking at me?) and mi seh a yuh numba mi want. One of the two was telling me to calm down and if I don’ calm down him agoh lock mi up. So mi turn to him an’ seh ‘lock mi up fi wah? Mi nuh do nutten’ (Lock me up for what, I have not done anything) he had a book in front of him an’ him tell mi fi sign it but I did not sign it, mi jus’ walk off.”

She left the scene: “I stopped at a small shop and was sitting down and telling them what had happened and dem tell mi fi go up and wash off. A little bit later mi go home and tell my mom. An’ when mi tell har she ask mi why it happened and I explained her him tell mi seh fi walk all di way round on Spanish Town road and mi tell him no, it don’ mek no sense because a jus’ right up di road mi live. So mi nah put myself inna nuh danger.” In other words she explained to her mother after stopping at a corner shop and she washed off the contents of the pepper spray; she told her mother that she was being forced to walk the very log route to get home and because she resisted verbally while none violently as she did not want to put her life in danger, she was pepper sprayed.

A police report had not been made at the time of the preparation of this blog entry as she has declared intent to do so. Also a special thanks to the lesbian for allowing usage of the material with a view to highlighting the corresponding issues same gender loving women face as us as gay, bisexual and ever increasing transgender directed atrocities by both agents of the state and publics.

Injury /remedy taken status:

Burning of the eyes and skin,

Temporary blurred vision and some respiratory discomfort evidence which was relieved at the time of washing her face and hands.

Thankfully this one did not go any further than this and she has since settled is moving on though cautious of cops in and around her community.

Peace and tolerance

H

Study shows Disparity in Jamaican LBT media coverage vs MSM

I just got a chance to read the document created by a new women’s empowerment group for same gender loving persons and the first question that came to mind is where are previous entities/bodies such as lesbians in action (LIA), AJAWO (Jamaica Women’s Wheel), Couture Elements, CE(party element discontinued),

 Womenforwomen (a derivative of LIA), Underlined Response(sister to CE) and other same gender women centric outfits that simply come and die or go dormant after a short run with continuity towards visibility and or change. Could someone also tell me where is PRIDE in Action?

Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ with which I will declare interest as its volunteer Outreach Assistant has been quietly working on the ground but with very little help from the more established outfits, this disjointed advocacy overall has been our major downfall in addressing several issues including homelessness and the very overlooking of SGL matters. I hope Women’s Empowerment for Change (WE-Change) is not another limited time wonder as others before and simply go away when the activists get bored or fizzles. Frankly speaking as a gay man with some over twenty years experience in advocacy and working or partnering with women’s groups I am tired of short term advocacy and indeed oversight by the very main LGBTQ advocacy itself namely JFLAG.

Some examples via my previous rants and podcasts:

2 SGL WOMEN LOST, CORRECTIVE RAPE & VIRTUAL SILENCE FROM THE MALE DOMINATED ADVOCACY STRUCTURE

ARE SGL MEN HERE LESBOPHOBES CONTINUED 

LESBIAN OVERVIEW IN JAMAICA 2009

For too long the focus has been on MSM matters, homo-negativity and homophobia with law reform as the major goal as welfare and cohesive community development is secondary in the groundswell so urgently needed. We have seen serious issues hitting the L & B in the LGBTQ population grouping and virtual silence from JFLAG and others; the oversight has to be solved internally first before other needed investigations can occur, be that as it may let us review what was found by WE-Change eh. It is understandable that SGL women do not go through the kinds of incidents and visible outcomes as their MSM counterparts but recent incidents in the last three years; just by observation suggests butch identified women in particular are having a rough ride especially as LGBTadvocacy goes mainstream with a face to boot and not as previous years when it was faceless.

Anyway the group describes itself excerpted below:

Women’s Empowerment for Change (WE-Change) is a rights-based, women-led, community-based advocacy group committed to increasing the participation of lesbians, bisexual and transgender [LBT] women in social justice advocacy in Jamaica and the Caribbean. WE-Change was founded by twenty LBT women out of a need to strengthen the women’s movement within the LGBT community given LGBT advocacy spaces in Jamaica have been largely controlled by, and focused on men, which has inadvertently marginalised and invisiblised women. In May 2015, the organisation was officially launched in Kingston, Jamaica.

Our Vision

WE-Change envisions a society where the rights of every person are recognised, respected, and protected, and where duty bearers and caregivers commit to creating an enabling environment for every person to contribute to the sustainable development of Jamaica.

Our Mission

WE-Change is committed to

 increasing the participation of LBT women in local and regional social justice advocacy;

§ creating alternative and safe spaces for LBT women;

§ reducing homophobia and transphobia among duty bearers and caregivers.

WE believe that empowered women transform communities, and are guided by one of the tenets of the 1995 Beijing Declaration, that:

‘Women’s participation in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process, and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development, and peace.’

Executive Members:

§ Associate Director - Latoya Nugent, MSc., PGDip, BA.

§ Research & Advocacy Officer - Paige Andrew, BA.

§ Community Mobilisation & Outreach Officer - Nicolette Bryan, BSc.

§ Monitoring & Evaluation Officer - Rochelle McFee, MSc., BSc.

ABSTRACT

This research investigates whether a disparity exists between media coverage of issues related to gay men and those related to lesbians, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women. Over a four-month period between May 2015 and August 2015 Women’s Empowerment for Change (WE-Change) undertook a media content analysis of the two most trusted and widely read electronic versions of print media in Jamaica. It was found that a considerably wide disparity exists between media coverage of LBT women and gay men. Matters specifically concerning LBT women were rarely discussed over the period, while those related specifically to gay men populated the media in significantly more numbers. WE believe that this research and its findings can be useful for organisations that work with, and for LBT women, and for raising awareness about the unique challenges faced by this invisiblised and vulnerabilised community. More information in traditional and new media can assist with the education of Jamaicans on issues pertaining to LBT women and this has the potential to change the attitudes of many Jamaicans towards the LBT community and the attitudes members of the community have toward self.

INTRODUCTION

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement in the Caribbean has always been dominated by gay men. Unfortunately, the issues which are brought to the forefront by activists and covered by traditional and new media tend to make lesbians, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women invisible. Issues such as sexual violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights and intimate partner violence (IPV) in LBT relationships are rarely discussed. This lack of information on LBT issues has an impact on both the attitude many have towards LBT women and the attitude LBT women have toward self.

The formation of Caribbean women-led groups for LBT women such as WOMANTRA (Trinidad), United and Strong (St. Lucia), Women’s Way Foundation (Suriname) and Quality of Citizenship (Jamaica) have ensured that issues relating to LBT women have become part of the discourse in the region, and have made information about issues affecting LBT women more easily accessible. However, it is important to note that the LGBT movement is still heavily focused on issues concerning gay men and by doing so, inadvertently silences LBT women. Given the role of media in society, it is plausible that inadequate coverage of LBT women’s issues in media may correlate with the invisibility of LBT women’s issues in the LGBT community and wider society.

Many persons rely on media as the primary source of information in any country, therefore, if the LBT community is rarely topical, it will have an impact on the knowledge level of the general population about the community, and even the knowledge level the community has of self. This is in keeping with the Agenda Setting Theory that

The power of the news media to set a nation’s agenda, to focus public attention on a few key public issues is an immense and well-documented influence. Not only do people acquire factual information about public affairs from the news media, readers and viewers also learn how much importance to attach to a topic on the basis of the emphasis placed on it in the news (McCombs& Shaw, 1972).

We share the view of Agenda Setting theorists that media entities influence what we think about and how we think about it; this, we believe is also true about the media’s role in how Caribbean people perceive the LGBT community. If media do in fact pay more attention to issues relating to gay men when compared to those that affect LBT women, this will have an impact on the discourse surrounding LBT

This study seeks to investigate the extent of media coverage for LBT women’s issues and whether a disparity in fact exists between the media’s coverage of gay men and LBT women. The study also delves into how the media present different groups, the general nature and tone of the articles written, and the stories covered. Over the four-month period May to August 2015 we surveyed the Jamaican electronic version of the print media, and investigated media coverage of issues relating to Jamaican LBT women and gay men. We believe this study can potentially give organisations that work predominantly with, and for LBT women, scientific evidence to support anecdotal claims that there is a lack of adequate coverage for LBT women’s issues in Jamaican media, and where LGBT issues are covered they more often than not focus on gay men. The study will quantify the disparity in coverage of gay men and LBT women, given the media entities were monitored on a daily basis over the four-month period. It is expected that these findings will encourage organisations to increase their media output about issues that (uniquely) affect LBT women, which are largely ignored or addressed in traditional media spaces, and find innovative and effective ways of sharing information about the LBT women’s community.

METHODOLOGY

From May 1, 2015 to August 31, 2015 the electronic versions of the Jamaica Observer and Jamaica Gleaner were monitored daily for articles specifically about LBT women, gay men and issues relating collectively to the LGBT community. These two (online) newspapers were chosen because of the wide reach they have individually and collectively across the island, within the Caribbean region, and among the Jamaican Diaspora. Both the Observer and Gleaner have wide readership. In fact, the Gleaner’s website is the most visited local newspaper website in Jamaica (The Gleaner Company Annual Report, 2010) and the Observer enjoys a high readership of its print newspaper, and is regarded by 43% of the population as not only the primary source of news, but the most credible source (Readership Survey, 2008).

A total of 103 articles were monitored and analysed over the four-month period for their content and tone. Notice was also made of the section of the paper which the majority of the articles were found, as well as the nature of the coverage - whether it dealt with the legislative framework, sociocultural, or psychosocial issues. Articles that spoke about general issues concerning the entire LGBT community such as same-sex marriage, homophobia and human rights were labelled as ‘articles where entire community is mentioned’. Articles that focussed on issues concerning LBT women such as rights for transgender women, or spoke directly about LBT women, were labelled as ‘articles where LBT issues are mentioned’; articles that focussed on issues concerning gay men or spoke directly about gay men such as the rights of gay men or the rate of HIV and AIDS among gay and bisexual men were labelled as ‘articles where gay men’s issues are mentioned’.

In cases where articles did not fall neatly into the thematic frames established, the researcher placed them under the theme that would have some relationship with those variables. Such articles were explored in the discussion of findings as they amplify the ways in which overgeneralizations invisiblised and silenced other issues and voices, particularly the voices and issues of LBT women.

Read/download the rest HERE

Now that the recognition of invisibility has been formalised yet again let us see where this leads to real representation of such matters pertinent to our sisters. A case of a chopping incident as carried in the Jamaica Observer and here and the subsequent follow-up was not mentioned especially after the revelation of other side of the equation leading to the incident. It was also posted on this blog, go HERE.

Peace and tolerance

H

related/previous entries:
Lesbian Longs For More Respect via Letter 2014

Continued oversight or deliberate overlooking of Jamaican SGL Women in HIV Prevention?

A most uneasy discussion on Transgenderism in Jamaica......stigmatizing terms repeatedly used