#IDAHOT2017 ...............

IDAHOT-IFED 2017: Celebrate Family Diversity

International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT)

International Family Equality Day (IFED) 2017

“LOVE MAKES A FAMILY”

Families are at the heart of all of our lives. Whether it’s the family we grew up with or the families we have built as adults. Whether they are families of biology or families of choice. We are all part of “families”, and those families; however we define them, influence all aspects of our lives.

In 2017, the focus on “families” will particularly spotlight
- The role of families in the physical and emotional well-being of LGBTIQ people
- The social and legal recognition of Rainbow Families, the families where at least one parent is LGBTQI

Families of LGBTQI people

The situation

The family constitutes the very first environment of any person, including members of the LGBTQI community. This is the place where values are shaped and transmitted, where security and safety is provided, and the place where self-esteem and confidence are constructed. Families, therefore, have great powers … and great responsibilities in the moral and physical well being of their members.

Family is especially critical in environments where members face rejection, stigmatisation and sometimes bullying in the “outside” world, in which cases the family constitutes the only available “safe haven”.

This sense of family happens “naturally” when the cause of stigma is shared by all members, such as in instances of race or other ethnic identity and economic status. Unfortunately, when the sexual orientation and/or the gender identity of a family member differs from the rest of the family and/or their perceived “social norms”, the overall family experiences a conflict between the loyalty to the family member and the compliance of the norm.

When the balance strikes in favour of the norm, the family might become the first perpetrator of rejection and violence where members meet non-conformant gender expression or sexual orientation with rejection. Children are of course the prime victims of this violence. All too often parents become their children’s first bully, allow or even support bullying by siblings, and even expel young people from the family home, exposing them to homelessness and all the dangers a young person is confronted to on the streets.

In Canada for example, the association of Parents and Friends of LGBTQI people P-Flag reveals that 26% of LGBTQI youth were told to leave home. Locally the evidence of forcibly evicted persons especially youths aged as low as 14 is as clear as crystal. Groups such as JFLAG, Colour Pink, Dwayne’s House and others still cannot seem to get their act together or make themselves one to begin to properly address this growing problem.

Families, especially those under the influence of radical religious movements, might chose to impose so called ‘conversion therapies’, which not only constitute a human rights violation in themselves as they constitute forced treatment, but often include degrading and harmful practices, both psychologically (aversion therapies, humiliations, etc.) and physically (deprivation of food and sleep, electroshocks, etc.) Considerations for coming out so to speak to children of bisexual parents as well is crucial geared towards understanding, bearing in mind that many persons had relationships for varying reasons; persons entered in arrangements to normalise themselves in the eyes of other family members and siblings.

While children are of course the main targets of this family violence, exclusion also hits other members, for example when family members who come out are being excluded from family gatherings, denied contacts with other family members like nephews and nieces or grandchildren, expelled from family property, etc.

Elders who are LGBT are also particularly vulnerable to abandonment, mistreatment, isolation and abuse, a phenomenon I used to see oversees but as life expectancy in Jamaica continue to extend in the post HIV epidemic era boosted by sustained ARV/HAART/CHART treatment. Other lifestyle diseases are showing a slowing down of mortality rates such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease to name a few are a good sign as the choked health systems struggle to meet overwhelming demand based on the supposed ‘free’ healthcare systems and drugs as dispensed by outlets such as Drug-Serv. Families with progressive social values, while they will not display hostile attitudes directly, often lack the necessary tools to discuss sexual and gender diversity. The silence surrounding the issue contributes to creating a climate of exclusion and, in any case, does nothing to alleviate stigma and discrimination endured outside of the family setting.

Like anybody confronted with unknown or unusual circumstances, families who include members with non-conformant sexual orientation and/or gender identity need support, education and resources. Attention to the needs of families must be given by social and educational authorities, by LGBTQI organisations and their supporters, and by mainstream family organisations. Re-integration programs are so essential but seem not to be happening at the speed and urgency that are required. Families must be able to access correct and unbiased information, psychological support and adequate resources to help them deal with the situation in the respect of all their members.

The actions

For May 17 and definitely onwards, possible actions include:

For LGBTQI organisations to ensure that
· Voices of parents, friends and allies are given special attention
· Specific resources for parents, friends and allies are developed
For parents, friends and allies of LGBTQI people to
· Join an existing organisation
· Form an organisation of parents, friends and allies of sexual and gender minorities

For educational authorities to

· Develop a specific educational pamphlet on sexual and gender diversity for parents, or to include sexual and gender diversity in existing resources

· Provide adequate support to families in dealing with sexual and gender diversities.

For legislators, to
· Introduce bills that respond to the specific needs of families, friends, and allies of LGBTQI people.

Rainbow Families
The situation

In many countries, Rainbow Families, that is families where members are LGBTIQ, are faced with unsuitable domestic laws, if not a total legal void.

This lack of proper recognition of Rainbow Families exposes their members and especially their children to all sorts of legal risks. These families live with the thought that if a tragedy touches their life, for instance, the death or accident of the legal parent, the bond of the social parent to the child may not be recognised by the Law and basically their family life can be severely disrupted.

Children being raised in LGBTIQ families are denied legal ties to their parents, putting them at risk. For example, when LGBTIQ parents are prevented by law from creating legal ties to their children, these parents may be unable to pick up their children at day care, may be unable to advocate for their children at school, and can be denied the ability to make critical healthcare decisions for their children.

The lack of legal ties also creates undue financial burdens for LGBTIQ families, and can place children at economic risk when parents’ relationships dissolve, when a parent dies or becomes disabled or when seeking access to government safety net programs during times of economic crisis.

Formal recognition of same-sex relationships gives couples the tools and the security they need to build a life together. For committed same-sex couples with children, relationship recognition provides both legal and economic security for the entire family. Denying this recognition robs children of crucial support and stability, and ultimately leaves families unprotected, which makes creating and raising a family even more difficult.

Adoption is one of the primary ways that parents who are LGBTQI create families, whether through the public foster care system, a private agency, or simply a second-parent adoption of a partner or spouse’s child. However, in many countries LGBTQI individuals and couples still face barriers to adoption, making it difficult or sometimes impossible for these loving, qualified people to create families.

Studies show that alarming numbers of students with parents who are LGBTQI report experiencing bullying, harassment, and discrimination at school because of who their parents are and how their families were formed. As a result, these students are deprived of equal educational opportunities and are too often left with few or no avenues for recourse. Research shows that unchecked bullying and harassment negatively impact student achievement by decreasing interest in school, increasing absenteeism, and decreasing concentration levels for students. Leaders in the fields of education and child welfare agree that positive school climate and culture is a critical condition for promoting students’ academic success.

In addition, lack of recognition of LGBTIQ families leads to second parents often having to conceal their parenthood at work, creating untenable tensions between their careers and their parental life. In case of professional moving of a person in an LGBTIQ family, the needs of their family members will not be taken into account. Uniting LGBTIQ families is even more of a challenge when these families have been formed across borders. The lack of recognition leads to families being unable to unite, or having to leave existing homes, which means uprooting children from their schools, friends, communities, and extended families.

The non-recognition of LGBTIQ families also means that their housing needs cannot be properly addressed, especially in the case of families who are on welfare programmes. In the private sector, LGBTIQ families are prone to discrimination in access to rental or property, with hardly any protective measures effectively in place worldwide

Social stigmatization and legal discrimination of LGBTQ families forces children to stay in a closet that is not even their own. One of the greatest challenges reported by youth with LGBTQ parents is a sense of isolation, loneliness, or feeling that “they are the only one”. Furthermore, for Trans people, the family encompasses also other issues, like forced divorce that Trans people have to undergo to gain legal gender recognition in many countries. Another crucial issue is of course the forced sterilization still imposed by almost all countries in the world for legal gender recognition that takes away opportunity and choice to have biological children and family.

· Ensure that children with a same-sex parent have the same protections as children with married heterosexual parents, including the security of legal ties to both parents. The Child Care & Protection Act however limits what can be said indeed done for LGBT youth in Jamaica and fearmongering fanatics once such work is attempted go screaming claims of ‘grooming’ as if to suggest activists and organizations are trying to ‘homosexualise’ children in the ‘lifestyle’

· To remove existing barriers by defeating legislation, policies, and practices that restrict parenting by those who identify as LGBTQI; promoting and passing new laws that promote LGBTQI parenting such as second parent adoption; and promoting policies and practices that are inclusive of LGBTQI parents.

· To gain recognition of same-sex relationships and to fight off attempts to deny recognition to families who are LGBTQI.

· To ensure that all children have the same opportunity to thrive – which requires that they feel safe, supported and valued in school and are able to attend without fear of bullying, violence, harassment, and discrimination because of who their parents are or how their families were created.

May is also child’s month and the abuse of children is so frightening it boggles the mind while in the same breath children who are not gender conforming continue to find themselves the brunt or stigma, merciless teasing at school, forced evictions and feeling lost as to which way to turn.

Other reports continue to surface such as:

2 cases of forced evictions due to social media (mis)use

• Death threats in one of the inner city spaces of a young gender non-confirming male
• Man booted from church after sustained profiling church officials for not having a woman as a potential wife
• Parents continue to try to change their suspected gender conforming children in a bid to reshape their orientation
• Fallouts from poor or mistakes made from social media usage 
• Sex tapes gone viral which leads to verbal and physical abuse of the suspected parties involved

The struggle continues and it may feel a bit daunting sometimes but not pressing on is not an option.

Peace & tolerance

H

Lesbophobic landlord clash with woman after illegal eviction attempt

The Hagely Park Road area nearing Lewis Villa Drive was the scene of a clash between a woman who had been renting a single bedroom flat on April 23, 2016. The expletives from both sides were what greeted the other tenants and the small cul-de-sac on what would have been a quiet Sunday morning. The landlord has been known to be troublesome overall as he has had clashes before with tenants in general as he is accused of using the proximity of the property to most major business points and shopping zones as he tries to capitalize on the advantage with adhoc rental increases and sometimes impromptu rules and guidelines including demanding two months deposit prior to handing over the keys according to the woman and arguments from others including another former tenant who moved out and is now residing in another house on the same avenue.

The impacted woman had rented the flat from December of last year as she said it aided her to get to school, the area is quiet relatively and the flat was cute given the area it is in; I should know I too used to live near the same avenue for two and a half years. The landlord of the woman would make unannounced visits and asking questions with inane subject matter, then he advised her that the flat water rate she was paying would be increased whilst an electrical problem with an outside light socket having a short-out she had complained about was not fixed as she comes in from work under dark at times and needs light to see, a repair the landlord had promised to address prior to her moving in. The relationship had been slipping slowly over time as the woman became irritated she expressed her displeasure to the man’s unannounced visits when it was not time for rent payments. The landlord according to her did not take kindly to the boundaries she wanted set and it allegedly became the subject of gossip with another woman next door who allegedly told the man the impacted woman did not have a ‘man’

Despite the fact that the woman’s rent was on time save and except for March 2016 which she settled later in the month as it was due of the 3rd of each month she was floored with a surprise notice to quit with no proper explanation as to why she was being asked to quit. The landlord had only had another nasty argument and eviction of a long time tenant of some ten years who hardly was at home given the type of job the man was in yet he too was served with a notice to quit. Many suspect that he is capitalising on the aforementioned proximity to business areas and raising the rent at every cycle with a new tenant. But in this case lesbophobia was clearly a part of the reason as evidenced during the shouting match the man referenced repeatedly with disparaging remarks of the ‘lesbian’ and that fact that she did not have a man; as if to suggest a single woman is an anathema. But the landlord is a senior man estimated in his seventies or older so he may not be ofe with the new dispensation, sinically many surmise that maybe the landlord was trying to make the moves on the woman but he resoluteness and insistence on boundaries was what turned him off.

Interestingly the other residents nearby came in large part to the woman’s defence as the quarrel spilled over onto the avenue; especially from a group of persons who occasionally play dominoes under a tree regularly at the end of the road. The landlord felt justified but it turns out the notice to quit was too short in the required by law as it allotted below the thirty day minimum as the standard. The breach was discovered by the woman and as she showed it to others in the uproar it caused a backlash from the supportive persons who demanded she must not move and if necessary let him take her to court; the courts normally would give an additional thirty days and owing to the fact she has two deposits paid she may be entitled to live them out.

The woman is hunting for a new spot after the argument cooled and a tense calm is now in effect, she has been encouraged to peacefully make her way out of the flat and by extension the situation, the stigmatizing landlord has been bitter ever since as reported back-handed comments have been rumoured but the woman is not perturbed and says she intends to live out her deposit until it expires before moving and is prepared to go to court and explain her situation in fairness.

I wished her all the best in her endeavours and encouraged her to report the matter if it gets out of control to the relevant bodies namely the rent board and other LGBT related outlets if needed.

Peace & tolerance

H

Insensitive Parents & displaced Adolescent MSM part 4

Insensitive Parents & displaced Adolescent MSM

So two more cases of forced evictions have come to hand involving gay males and their parents who simply do not want to endure their own siblings simply due to their sexual orientation and a pervasive homo-negativity that has come to dominate our attitudes towards homosexuality.

The first case involves an 18 year old who is described as slightly effeminate but somewhat soft spoken; he has been meeting some challenges according to him for some time in his younger days at school as his demeanour raised the suspicion level with other classmates. His non participation in male orientated sports such as football and cricket whilst not selecting other sports mostly female oriented sports as an alternative; those being netball or so he was ridiculed sometimes on the grounds as a sissy or too standoffish. Such antecedences are too common place in many crisis interviews with subjects who make reports. His mother had been asking him about a girlfriend similar to my own upbringing and veiled warnings about making sure that he was not funny or being gay.

This case also had a social media element to it as his Facebook profile was supposedly seen by another person close to his mother had been feeding her information that he has several males on his friends list and it looked suspicious. I do not know how many times I have carried entries on this blog and GLBTQ Jamaica of outings due to misuse or poor usage and monitoring of Facebook and other platforms with siblings or strangers who comb through for clues in their eyes about person’s sexual orientation for supposed proof so as to enact their stigma and hate.

The young man was eventually forced to leave the home and was assisted by a professional linked to a youth group who in turn reached out to JFLAG and others. My spare room is already occupied so I could not assist when I was contacted by Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E Jamaica APJ who originally handled the case. He has since settled thankfully at a temporary shelter arrangement as is the case these arrangements have expiry dates and how he will fear afterwards is unclear for now. His mother has been engaged but she is impatient to hear any consoling words and is adamant she does not want him back at home ad that he should find his way now he is an adult in her eyes seeing he has now 18 years old. Efforts are still in train to enable some sort of dialogue and re-integration with the mother; other family members are said to be mum with one uncle siding with the mother on the stance she has taken.

Case 2:

19 year old gay male forced to leave after gay nonfiction book was discovered in his bedroom.

In this case a best friend has offered accommodation temporarily as he is pursuing a short course at a skills training institution.

A simple book burrowed from a colleague that has no suggestive photos or such imagery on its cover was scanned by a relative which in turn led to a series or conversations within the family; there was some history before of tense situations with his mother as evidenced in arguments where she would hint that he has no interest in women and she knows. They say mothers always know and by all accounts with regards to this case it is true.

Her repeated hints to the 19 year old made him uncomfortable and as if he spotted the forthcoming doom he had already dropped hints to friends that he wanted to leave the house as he is not so steady. It was that forewarning that made a way open for him so soon as opposed to other cases where persons struggle in the initial displacement or forced eviction. Family member’s reaction since his removal from the home has been mixed; more so negative than positive with one relative residing overseas blasting him by phone claiming that he and his kind want to impose homosexuality as in the US where she lives but Jamaica will have none of that she reportedly shouted at him or words to such effect.

Beds are hard to come by these days as many persons simply clam shut their assistance for newly displaced as the image of homelessness is not so good a near complete dismissal to engage such is the easier way out.

Hope that both cases can be dealt with some long term resolve.

Meanwhile Kingston's Mayor is claiming she has recieved death threats:

Oh boi will this ever be solved? even with all the aspirational social media posts and announcements of projects but no serious answer yet.

In a previous post this video was featured:

Trina Bo$$ Bitch is her own boss, but suffers in a country that has no LGBTQ rights. Find out more on GAYCATION Jamaica tonight at 10pm.
Posted by VICELAND on Wednesday, March 16, 2016

also see:
Ellen Page's Gay Imperialism is Not Activism

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:
Gay homeless return ‘HOME’ … say housing promises were not fulfilled


Insensitive Parents and Displaced MSMs Part III 2011

Accused Gay Killers of Megamart employee still at large

Homeless gays accused of Megamart employee murder

Clash of cruisers & homeless again

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

Case update: Chopping incident, relocation, truth telling & unneeded attention

from: Woman assumed to be a lesbian chopped viciously allegedly by neighbour  2015

Once I find out that a case has too many clouds surrounding it and it cannot be substantiated based on the original report then my support will vanish, as simple as that, we must be as truthful as possible as reports be they in mainstream media or alternate ones it does have an impact on the hearts and minds we want to change or evolve on LGBTQ life.

When I and many others read the article in the Jamaica Observer complete with photos of a young lady earlier this year we were left almost siding with her and concluding that the matter was a horrible lesbophobic one. Upon reflection and perusing the story several times over it was clear something was off. Some were up in arms about the matter suggesting she did not deserve the attack by another tenant which also included myself hence my posting of the story in full on the incident at the apartment complex in Kingston one the Boulevard to be precise. The moral of the story is just to speak the truth from the beginning, if persons expect support and assistance it cannot be on the grounds of embellished stories, all out lies and irresponsible behaviour, then one claims victim-hood afterwards.

Chopping her may have gone to the extreme and I am in no way condoning her attackers or giving justification to the violence despite the cloudy nature surrounding the victim but one must be careful sometimes not to attract unneeded heat.

The LGBT community/advocacy collectively is already bedevilled by accusations of lies by antigay voices and homophobes and a poor but all important credibility factor in crisis communication from public advocacy and such twists and turns do not help any, we MUST be truthful to all concerned including the alleged report made to a NGO as well. Do not for one minute believe that a story in a newspaper and other platforms help to paint a greater picture of the struggle and hence affecting the very tolerance and rights we demand. Credibility in the all important crisis communication component of public advocacy is still seriously damaged and need all the help it can get.

However new information has come forth that seems to put the case in a whole new light and the subsequent removal of the ‘victim’ and her partner on Friday July 3rd who she is also accused of physically abusing as evidenced in loud arguments and multiple visits by other parties and police from other precincts. The court case seems to have fizzled as persons who once supported her have simply pulled back, the accused woman (an introverted person) has since kept the cameras in the all access points on the passageways and had threatened to sue the ‘victim’ for all kinds of things. The victim has been also accused of being a known troublemaker when it comes to rent payment and poor social skills from other apartment complexes she once resided. She has been named a troublemaker prior to this matter.

With that track record I am not surprised as previous occurrences with other persons in a similar vein with cloudy track records and tainted socialization histories have only sought to cause challenges for themselves and others. The very police officers who turned up in the initial chopping furore were not from Half Way Tree’s precinct as is relevant but instead were from Portmore’s 100 man station who turned up for a favour requested by the victim as one of the female cops owed the young lady some $40,000, so in lieu of payment they would adjudicate the matter but since that the cops have neatly removed themselves from the issue after seeing her behaviour and learning of her history and perceived sexual orientation.

The victim now removed from the complex is also accused of removing without clearing her rent obligations owing for some several months but other residents were said to have literally rejoiced as she left claiming the place will be quiet again. Sad that some of us sometimes attract unneeded heat to ourselves and then when we get into the heat itself we try to play the victim card. Several other run-ins and ghastly unmentionables have been leveled at the now relocated victim as well which are hard to substantiate but it does not auger well for her case as I hinted to above persons who were on her side and who also reside on the complex have since changed their minds in the negative. The smoke surrounding this matter has made her case untenable in my eyes and she will definitely not get my support in as far as her twisting of her story.

While it is understood navigating life in Jamaica is not easy as LGBTQ persons it was a bit strange at first when I saw the initial story in the Observer of all places as same gender loving women never normally are so abused outside of corrective rape but not as choppings of attacks but I guess one should have taken the accusation with a grain of salt.

Each case must be taken on its own merit and proper investigations as best as possible done to establish truth telling and hence strengthening the cause and correctness. It was only late last year a group of MSM sharing another apartment in Kingston also had to relocate most quickly as loud behaviour, multiple visitors and poor social skills lead to a clash with irate neighbours who complained their residency was obstructed by their actions. We must understand that persons are not obligated to “accept us” and because one resides in a middle class neighbourhood it is assumed persons will do so mimicking an American middle class construct.

Again the moral of the story is sifting for truth and lies, if we want tolerance we must also live and let live, respect goes where it comes from, do not do things to further sully the look and feel of the struggle overall.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Peace and tolerance

H

suggested additional reading:

GAY & BISEXUAL INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENTS & CRISIS COMMUNICATION 2014 from sister archive blog on Wordpress.

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

Concerns about continued MSM/Trans displacements & forced evictions in 2015

Since one of my last posts in July 2014 3 LGBT Forced Evictions in Clarendon a Cause for Concern on displacements (Gay Jamaica Watch) and other unconfirmed, corroborated and other dismissed reports as made up on the issue of forced evictions and displacements continue and in fact seems to be on the rise. We already have an islandwide challenge of homeless MSM/Transgender population mostly seen in Kingston at the Shoemaker Gully in recent times but as that group has been forcibly removed by the police and the authorities I fear the problem has been simply relocated to somewhere else. Spanish Town’s group has also grown upon my last check and a house some of them had captured (yet again) has since been emptied leaving them exposed.

The weed whacking project started by an interfaith group including myself is still struggling with equipment challenges and dwindling interest by the participants as they feel demotivated.

As per usual whenever LGBT issues are on the mainstream in terms of discourse there is some corresponding spike in incidents usually already in train via profiling, verbal abuse and the final blow comes with physical attacks and or evictions.

Most of the matters seem to have a profiling motive attached to them and while persons are encouraged to formally file reports to the police (even if the precinct officers refuse to take the statement of this nature and by extension to groups such as JFLAG noting the refusal, some persons prefer to private absorb the shocks and move on avoiding any publicity. I fear this refusal or hesitation in making reports hints to a long suspected challenge of under-reporting of infractions.

I still do get reports via Facebook mostly these days via referrals and via emails and phone calls for verification, (will not share all of them as requested by parties making them) thankfully social media has assisted in reporting homo/lesbo/trans/biphobic incidents and persons do not have to necessarily use phone/text/walk in office ways which can delay possible restorative responses to such matters as in the old days where it was more paper based incident taking exercise.

Here are some reports that have come to hand that have me concerned, thanks to persons for granting some clearance in sharing the relevant details.

Report 1: via Facebook

Teen told to leave the house by month’s end – in October 2014 in East Kingston, Rockfort to be precise after a series of verbal homo-negative encounters with a sibling based a perceived sexual orientation mantra finally ended in a fight and threats of a mobbing to have the teen removed if he did not comply. Profiling by family members seem to be the springboard for this one. After a prolonged tense relations the ultimatum was issued, the teen as others in a similar position get help from friends but for a short period.

To date he is still ‘kotching’ by a friend but is seeking a job while doing evening classes.

Report 2: via phone

Man forced to relocate (another such case yet again since my tracking) after assisting or accommodating an effeminate man for a short time in Portmore. After offering some kindness to another man who is said to be “real” (our term for effeminacy) he found himself being profiled and accused of bringing his ‘woman man’ to his home and suggesting the community has been poisoned by his actions. Community members insisted they did not want him to remain in the housing scheme and he has reported that he was literally being watched over a period of months prior to the advise/warning given to him by a nearby neighbour.

There was a similar incident I carried on sister archive blog on the wordpress platform where a man had helped a displaced man and found himself in major challenges while forced to leave his home but thankfully with police protection. The man via his Facebook status has since publicly declared he will not assist anyone else as he is now in trouble, this has garnered much response from persons on his friends list who are in agreement.

The tone of the comments suggest out of protectionism persons are cautious or refusing to offer any type of informal crisis intervention via the assisted shelter. This is a blow in that department I feel as this community level each one reach one typed help has been instrumental for decades in Jamaica as persons rally around persons genuinely concerned in working towards closure. I have also seen where persons offer assistance under deceptive guises too which also when made public have an impact of such avenues for closure as mistrust drives refusal.

Report 3: via Facebook(a very lengthy one)

Transgender teen told by mother she does not want a child who is gay in her house in St Andrew, while the separation process was not violent as the mother claimed she loves ‘her’ she says for safety reasons for her part (not her child as was expected) she wants her out of the house so as to avoid problems with neighbours and other family members. The teen has since found temporary refuse via a friend but for how long one is not sure as such help has time limits and costs financially speaking.

For example I would love to help more persons in my spare room as I have done before in my home but apart from an incident I had with one such persons two years ago where I had to take a break in doing so financially it costs to have another mouth in house to feed. This is a sentiment expressed by the few these days I am aware of who will help in this department in shelter assistance, seeing that no formal shelters for MSM/Trans persons currently exist (despite we have had our expectations raised by state and none state actors) this avenue is a viable option. During my tenure at JFLAG I had formalized a rent cheque/shelter assistance stipend for persons opening up their homes to offer such help but it does not seem it is in effect or if so in a new form.

Some complaints from persons who have engaged the goodly J for such assistance and maintaining same for let’s say two months which was the maximum I had allowed suggest that they were not afforded such benefits and instead it was reduced to one (financial issues maybe or limited funding) this is of course outside those more serious cases that require asylum for closure. The first month rental deposit cheque for example seems to have died down and just a stipend for groceries and such personal effects, JFLAG too based on unconfirmed reports seem to have been encouraging or continue to encourage the community based shelter assistance avenues for displaced or threatened persons.

Report 4: Gay man given illegal notice to quit property (September 2014) via phone

St Catherine my home parish was the place for this one in Portmore (Waterford) to be precise, there seems to be a spike in recent times in the surburb (historically so despite its unique mostly while collar working middle class demographic) The man has only just settled after the forced eviction issues verbally by the landlord of the property as he claimed he has been informed by phone that he the victim has had too many men coming to the property and again as above neighbours are grumbling.

Profiling has been always a challenge as previous entries on this and on Gay Jamaica Watch bring to bear, persons especially gay men worst yet when they have effeminate traits are scrutinized closely, their socialization patterns are monitored and discussed over the dinner table, the corner shop, verandas and so on and where such persons claim to have ‘evidence’ of their suspicions then it is converted into in their minds justifiable action normally planned homophobic attack of some sort or forced evictions. In this case the landlord literally came with a notice form but it was not written and served properly. After a lengthy and tense conversation with the young man according to his report the landlord went to his car and returned with the partially completed notice form which he slipped under the door despite the fact the tenant was present in house so it was not served properly in my eyes.

He has had to send his furniture and so on all over with other friends and suffer the inconvenience of prolonged travel to work and costs with very little recourse for some time. He has since found a new rented spot and has settled but says he is far more circumspect about his neighbours and has curtailed visiting activity by friends.

Report 5: via Facebook

Gay man in fight at workplace over battyman comment, photos were available via his Facebook profile but have since been removed in January 2015 (not sure the actual time/date of the incident but it seems recent, again profiling is the chief springboard for supposed justified homo-negative attack. The status message that was visibly public and not limited to friends garnered some comments from other users mostly negative ones. I suspect the man did not know how to navigate the privacy setting on FB, a problem I have seen for years leading to fallouts and such. Apparently it was this lack of knowledge on FB that got the attention of the offending co-worker apart from the in house subtle bashing or influenced it so much so that it got physical and the man defended himself.

The man has since reported the matter to the supervisors who have since tried to separate or reduce the level of opportunities for contact between the offender and the victim which seems to me as a temporary fix as anything can happen outside in public or during breaks.

What about other co-workers is unclear in the public post but it seems as previous cases show miscreants always have company or support to carry out their quests.

Report 6 via Facebook then followed up by phone

Butch identified woman relocates after concerns raised when she has been repeated verbally attacked by men in her former community on the corner shop. The actions by the men has a chief instigator who was in prison and absent from the area for some time and upon his return with misplaced bravado tries to reassert his dominance as it were in the community so he targets persons including this woman.

The woman made initial contact via Facebook (I suspect a group I am in) then she made a friends request to which I responded she then proceeded to lay her case in a lengthy message and a chat thread where she released what she described as pent up worry.

She claimed she has been living as a hermit in her home and only venture out when it is absolutely necessary she has since in order to avoid her pending fears coming to reality she asked a relative to assist but her true home (occupied with other family) is where she wants to be and be comfortable, to relocate for safety reasons is just too much for her she fears.

There are other cases that I am not able or have been able to confirm and those made to other groups and individuals, I have no doubt but the under-reporting, hesitation to formally make such reports and avenues for closure are concerns for me yet still after all these years.

Even though the discussion around homosexuality is ever so slowly becoming more sensible in large part the homo-negativity, old perceptions and mistrust towards LGBT advocacy still have an impact on tolerance and understanding that ought to exist.

Please be safe out there, vigilance is required for personal safety especially social media privacy or monitoring is key.

Peace and tolerance

also see some previous entries on here and on Gay Jamaica Watch:
Lesbophobic Rant on RJR’s Afternoon Flagship Program by Broadcasters

More Jamaican LGBTQ displacements & homeless challenges in 2014
Some considerations ..... would you assist someone who has been displaced ??? (podcast from 2011)

Same gender loving sister clashes with bus crew in Half Way Tree


Schoolboys in custody for assault of soft spoken male student

Man Bites Another in Argument after Allegedly Called a Battyman 

Jamaican Transgender Activist Turned Away From Bacchanal

Women Accused of Assaulting Teen with Bottle to be Tried in September

KSAC working to clear streets of homeless people, will the LGBT populations be assisted as well?

Bisexual Teen Killed due to her Sexual Orientation? ......... Father says yes

Woman assumed to be a lesbian chopped viciously allegedly by neighbours

Lesbophobia: Woman chased and beaten after being called sodomite

You Can't Catch Being Gay ................ Excellent Letter to the Gleaner Editor

ON THE DOWN LOW: MEN SLEEPING WITH MEN – ANOTHER VIEW

Inmate attacks alleged gay prisoner

Montego Bay Male Sex Worker misses a beating at popular sex site 

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

Bisexual teen faced psychological prison, told not to tell anyone or else ..............

H

also visit Google plus HERE

Recent Homophobic Incidents CLICK HERE for related posts/labels from glbtqjamaica's blog & HERE for those I am aware of on Gay Jamaica Watch.

also one of my latest podcasts on the crimes of passion issued tied into homophobia in Jamaica

Bad Man Nuh F*** Batty (Masculine Men Don't F*** Ass) (The Fear of The Feminine in JA ) 16.04.15

older podcasts for a historical context:

Woman assumed to be a lesbian chopped viciously allegedly by neighbour

* sorry for the late post on this but thought it relevant to share it here, originally a Jamaica Observer story on January 4, 2015. As this story shows the ease at which persons can be attacked (in their homes) just by an allegation.

also the case update HERE

A young woman was allegedly chopped by her neighbour just over a month ago, and has, since then, been spending most of her time away from her apartment with friends and relatives, because she no longer feels safe at home.

She told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview that it is apparent something is wrong, she just does not know what.

"Apparently she has an issue with me, I don't know what it is really. She is making all kinds of assumptions," the victim disclosed. "Because I live in a two-bedroom house with another female, she is automatically assuming that I am a lesbian."

Questioned as to whether there was any truth to the assumptions, she responded: "But me being a lesbian or not being a lesbian has nothing to do with me being chopped and that's what this is about. My sexuality has nothing to do with it, whether or not I am straight or gay, people can assume; I have nothing to say, no comment on that."

The victim told the Sunday Observer that the matter should now be before the courts, but she is questioning whether it is a situation where her case is being stalled, because when she turned up for the initial December 12 court date, she found out that there was no case file.

The situation came to a head on November 21, according to the victim, when she was involved in a tussle with her neighbour, after which she received chop wounds.

She related that everything started on November 16. She said she got into a scuffle with her housemate, who is also her business partner, after which she turned the music in her apartment on. The victim told the Sunday Observer that she heard banging on her door and when she opened it, her neighbour from the apartment in front of hers was standing there.

She said her neighbour complained that her music was too loud, so she turned it off. She said about 15 minutes later, the security guard for the compound knocked on her door and told her that a complaint was made about her music. She said that she then left the apartment and went for a walk, only to return sometime later and was told that the police had also visited her apartment.

"Nothing happened on Monday. Tuesday evening, usually after work I have school. I wasn't feeling well, so I decided that I was going to wait at work a little bit, until my business partner was finished working; we also work for the same company, that's how we got into business together," she explained.

She told the Sunday Observer that when she eventually got to her apartment, which is on the third floor of the compound's fifth block, she was greeted by a high-smelling substance.

"So I reach for the light and I am slipping at the top of the staircase in front of my door, almost burst my face. I turned the light on and there is gasolene or kerosene oil in front of my door and all over the door, not sure what (substance it was), but some high-smelling substance," the victim stated. "At first, I was thinking 'what the hell', until

I noticed the matchsticks and newspaper pushed underneath the door. So, the paper burnt all the way up under the door and there were probably about six or seven matchsticks at the door."

She said by then she was furious, and contacted the landlord and property manager, as well as informed the security guard. The police were also called to the location. She told the Sunday Observer that people living on her block were also upset because their homes would also have been affected if there had been a fire.

"They were saying we need to have a meeting about what was going on," she said. "I understand that there have been some scuffles that probably the neighbours have overheard from my apartment, and my music."

She said she found the situation stressful and decided to take the remainder of the week off from work.

"So I am doing some business, working on my loan company at home, and a client comes over on Friday. As I was about to go downstairs to let him inside (the building), that's when I noticed some white, powdery substance; apparently somebody was trying to get rid of the scent of the kerosene oil or gasolene, so they had poured some powder-like substance on the handle of the door, on the door, in front of the door.

"So I am trying to push the key into the door and there is now a barrier. I can't lock my door to go anywhere now, so if I have to leave my apartment I have to leave my door open. Now, I am a businesswoman, I have my files all up in my house, not to mention my furniture, my electronics, I can't leave my house open. I am worse upset more than ever," said the victim.

She said that up to that point, no one had heard her 'go off' and things just kept on happening. She said that she went downstairs and spoke to the security guard as well as contacted the property manager who told her the matter would be looked into.

She said she was so upset she contacted one of her friends, who is a police officer, who advised her to contact the police.

"I was on my way upstairs and I was so upset I got to my door and I hit my door three times and was like, 'what the hell is all of this? Mi tyad a this, anybody messing with me need to stop it'," she explained, adding that she might have said an expletive in the process.

According to the victim, it was while she was inside her apartment with her client that she heard talking outside her door. She said she opened her door and saw her neighbour speaking to the security guard.

"My door is ajar at this time. My client is in my house. I head towards my kitchen to get some water," she stated. "About two minutes or so, drinking some water doing whatever I am doing... And I hear talking inside my living room.

"This woman is on her phone and she is screaming at me in my kitchen, and she is in my living room," she shared. "So I am like, 'what the hell, what are you doing in my house, get out my house'. The security (guard) was outside my door, just standing there. So, I went over to my door, still with the bottle in my hand because I was shocked.

"I was walking over to her and the woman grabbed me in my chest, inside my living room, tore my shirt down the middle," she continued. "My first response was to throw the bottle, it caught the security on the shoulder, he was standing behind her.

"A fight started and I kicked her out my house... mi never inna nuh fighting mood, is a bigger woman for me, so I am not going to fight her like that, or the way she wanted me to fight her; granted I did hit her back when she hit me," the victim related.

She said she eventually got control of the situation and told the security guard to hold onto her neighbour. By this time, she said her client, who was inside her house, came outside to see what was happening.

"So the security is holding her and pulling her, but she is pulling me, so it's two people pulling me," she explained, adding that she asked her client to hold onto her. She said her client managed to pull her inside her apartment but the neighbour ran up to the door and they had to brace it in order to lock it.

According to the victim, she later heard banging on her door but by this time she had already contacted her landlord and the police.

"I had spoken to the police before, so at this point the fight was done. I had not got injured or anything; we fought, I had a few scratches, she tore off my shirt, but it was done," she insisted.

"I called the police because I wanted them to come and see what was going on at my door, I was tired of it. She put her hands on me, came into my house and started a fight," she continued.

She said when her landlord, who was coming from Harbour View, got to the compound, some time later, this was when she decided to unlock her door and exit her apartment.

"My client comes out ahead of me, I change my clothes and she is standing over there talking to the security guard, cool and calm as ever," the victim recounted. "And as I exit my door, she reaches for something on her little side table, obviously it was there before, and I just saw her coming and before I could think, my first instinct was to run.

"My client started to run and I started to run and as I entered probably about the first two staircases, I heard the security yell out and I turned around to see her coming down with a cleaver, a chopper... she chop me and it was straight underneath my boob, about a four-/five-inch chop on the left side, and I moved my arm and she chopped me in the back of my neck," she continued to relate. "And she was still swinging and I just ran down the stairs.

"All I know is that I am downstairs and I am feeling warm," she recounted.

She said that the police took some time to get to the location but that when they got there, her neighbour allegedly related another story of the incident.

"So that's how I got chopped. An incident that started on Sunday and ended on Friday, and I did not provoke this woman or trouble this woman any at all," the victim insisted.

She said that when she went to court on December 12, she learnt that there was no case file.

"She was not served a summons to come to court, I was informed after going over to the police station to try to get the file, that there has to be a summons issued. But I am wondering, how does she know of the court date and 10:00 am for the time, how do I know about it, if there was no summons?" She questioned initially. "If proper protocol was not followed, how are we aware of all of these things and what happened to the file?"

The case file has since been found and, according to the victim, attempts are now being made to serve her neighbour with a summons.

"I don't understand what I did to this woman for her to feel like she had the right to come into my house... My mindset is out of place, I wake up at 1:00 or 2:00 am in pain," she disclosed. "I look over my shoulder every sound I hear, she doesn't understand what she has done to me."

She is adamant that she will not stop until she gets some justice.