Homeless Awareness Month 2016 issues part 2

It is indeed a sad state of affairs when after some forty plus years of some kind of organized LGBT advocacy from Gay Freedom Movement to present, to include the HIV years in the 1990s and slow periods yet with all the hard and anecdotal evidence of stigma driven displacement and homelessness there is no proper response to same. The fundamental question as to why this is so is yet to be properly and honestly answered.

In part one on sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch the home of this annual feature the focus was on MSM and transgender to a certain extent, seeing that women never normally feature in forced evictions and or homelessness under the LGBT populations label. However as hinted in part 1 the growing challenge with women is evident more so than ever coupled with the under reporting or late reporting sometimes years after the fact; persons feel the available systems and or NGOs will not be able to identify with their issues so they supposedly suffer in silence or keep the information in a close network of friends.

Apart from the two women who have been struggling to find permanent accommodations linked to the ongoing weed whacking project in St Catherine most same gender loving women who find themselves in challenges tend to rely on a closely knit network of friends; as mentioned before on this blog women being the naturals social creatures they are tend to recover from these matters way better both generally and SGL specifically, the trust factor is way stronger between lesbians and bisexual women to a certain extent despite biphobia and bi-invisibility as highlighted in a previous post on Bi-visibility Day.

Unconfirmed reports also speak to an arson matter in St James as well after thugs have been demanding the woman and her roommates should move as they (the thugs) want the house, coupled with that are reports of persons being either forced to sell their properties under some form of duress or undue pressure via visits to push the deal/sale through and sadly supported by high powered attorneys-at-law. The hesitancy in reporting those issues is quite stark specific to that case as the feeling is the NGOs and those who serve them are too young to understand the complexities or may not be able to identify with the issues as the class divide comes into play as it does and have been doing for decades.

Numbers suggest an increase in reports as some five reports involving women as outcomes of forced evictions and death threats, as per usual confirmation is a challenge but sources in the police have been helpful.

Standout cases:

Lesbian in her twenties in St James forced to relocate from her home nearing Glendevon in St James and other residents as well as thugs declare war on other lotto scammers and a recent deportee who is intent on cleaning up the area of all ‘fish’ (derogatory term for effeminate men) and ‘man royal’ (derogatory term for masculine acting women) an earlier shooting of a man and his friend in nearby geography seems to suggest a festering of this recent surge in shootings in broad daylight; the pressure from the police, US diplomacy (with an FBI office now fully present) and or the lotto scam task force seems to be causing in fighting with factions employing gunmen to protect their interest; avenues for scamming dry up and LGBT persons either directly involved or not but are identified as such can and have been finding themselves in challenges.

LGBT event planning to a certain extent has not escaped the effects of the growing crime tinged with homophobia, a small bar and club (not Bubbles Bar private membership that I am a resident DJ at in Discovery Bay) operated by an older lesbian for her friends and visitors by the old and short lived Calabash Club location has had to close its doors and extortionists have paid her visit and claimed they are aware of the patrons who support her whilst demanding some $100k a month in exchange for protection. The operator has since closed since July especially after a shooting incident several miles away of a sixteen year old scammer at a birthday party he paid for of a two year old; the alleged perpetrators were part of the crew who attempted to extort the woman.

A small guest house also was visited by three men aboard a white car some time ago according to a Facebook post now deleted in August which caters to a myriad of guests including LGBT visitors looking for rustic scenery was forced to employ stronger security measures as the men were demanding money, deep mistrust with the police only adds more fuel to the issues, the rotation of police personnel only confirms that mistrust so impacted folks simply move so as to avoid any problems.

A recent shooting incident in early September of a male call centre employee who was gay has only sought to muddy the waters regarding what is really going on in Western Jamaica, he was cut down as he exited a taxi and had been according to reports a target of verbal abuse, threats and pressure to either get involved in scamming or do more for the thugs who were aware of his association to the call centre business.

I found myself despite financial challenges offering some temporary accommodation to two persons since this year in one month stints each. They both encountered difficulties culminating from prolonged tense relations with community, family members and in-laws.

Even as this issues attend reports of forced evictions are around, mistakes on social media and or poor monitoring if not scuttling of online profiles lead to unintended outcomes. The use or misuse of older homeless persons for all kinds of things by some is so distasteful including photo shoots by foreign photographers; while the men as subjects for the most part remain homeless struggling to eek out a living mostly by commercial work and said photographers and so called pro-lgbt artists get paid via royalties but somehow it does not trickle down to the homeless used as subjects in their work. Repeated clashes with female commercial sex workers especially with the CSW explosion overall in New Kingston yet again proves the urgent need for proper interventions from both governmental and NGOs who are as in recent times very well funded yet not on the ground results. Said clashes also have traversed to Portmore’s infamous hip strip as we say ‘more water than flour’ groups and individuals clash for ‘business’ and with the appearance of a novelty of cross dressers openly operated assigned females feel threatened in a sense coupled with transwomen as it were who use inappropriately birth control pills and so on to feminize their look as they cannot afford legitimate hormonal courses.

Kingston's Mayor Burke receive Death Threats... so she claims yet with all her optics with JFLAG and such claiming she is concerned she cannot deal with homelessness citywide; some over a 1000ft westwards from her Church Street Mayor's office, infront of all places the Supreme & Appeals court also seen as the hallowed halls of justice buildings as seen below. 

homeless man on bench

How is she therefore going to address MSM/transgender homelessness that requires specialist interventions when the very JFLAG isn't showing any forward momentum on this for so many years?

Immediate service needs attention are not enough.

Proposals sit idly, unused with good recommendations conceptualised by then eager volunteers but as is the issue on a national scale reports abound but the action items or recommendations do not get the light of day. It seems as if some just want to use the homeless for superficial reasons for photo reels on Facebook yet no real change comes by way of the impacted persons. Asking a homeless person to be a part of some online campaign as this person as to either suck a dick to find the next meal or such whilst offering mere tokenistic gestures by way of feeding programs that only foster a dependency is so unethical. If the populations feel that Aunty so and so or Uncle so and so are coming with a care package or cook food then how can the groups feel to move towards some self efficacy? A recent so called small business effort where snacks and such were offered for sale to some of the persons has since fizzled and I am worried that such dependency driven responses can lead to entitlement issues later and as history has taught us breaking of attention can have disastrous effects.

The wave of outlets who claim to be registered as NGO such as Dwayne’s House, Larry Chang Centre names after JFLAG co-founder whom I and some others have lost faith in and Colour Pink where it founder found it necessary to run away from Jamaica all seem dead in the water. One can understand the funding constraints and resource challenges but sheesh all of them are linked to powerful NGOs yet no cohesive response, again as asked in my opening on this entry why this so, why is isn’t there any serious interest? The focus seems to be the more combatively attractive law reform focus or atheism to justify opposition to antigay religious fanatics while a visible outcome of the very homophobia outfits so designed to address just keep homelessness on the periphery. Instead such stay in the comfort of social media as it is way easier to manipulate whilst lulling persons into a false sense of security with superficial hash tags, tweets and such that really matters none in the final analysis.

Mayors have made grandstanding pronouncements on social media and elsewhere of concerns for LGBT homelessness whilst carrying out removal exercises of same, yet we are to believe that a mayor like their predecessors who could not address city wide homelessness as it exists some 1000 ft literally from the office in Kingston expects us to believe that a marginalised group often underground and who require specialist interventions will be addressed by said office! Even as the group the mayor was seen at and made the announcement is not interested in direct interventions, who do these folks, think they are fooling?

Finding good solutions as these many years has shown is still problematic when the persons who control the cogs of HIV and LGBT advocacy simply do not care, they do not have to worry about where the next meal will come from or whether if it rains or a storm as we are in the hurricane season will re-displace them, as for the rest of the LGBT populations some have dismissed homelessness as someone else’s problem. But hope remains while company is true as some forward thinking is still resident out there, despite the slow disappearance of those who would help due in part to the media pigeon-holing of the Kingston populations some are seeing the issues for what it is, urgent.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

VACANT AT LAST! SHOEMAKER GULLY: DISPLACED MSM/TRANS PERSONS WERE IS CLEARED DECEMBER 2014

the CVM NEWS Story HERE on the previous eviction/raid taken by the police

Housing Minister seeks funds for Shelter from NHT Money ....... Will the LGBT Homeless be Assisted?

also see a flashback to some of the troubling issues with the populations and the descending relationships between JASL, JFLAG and the displaced/homeless GBT youth in New Kingston: Rowdy Gays Strike - J-FLAG Abandons Raucous Homosexuals Misbehaving In New Kingston

also see all the posts in chronological order by date from Gay Jamaica Watch HERE and GLBTQ Jamaica HERE

GLBTQJA (Blogger): HERE

see previous entries on LGBT Homelessness from the Wordpress Blog HERE

May 22, 2015 update, see: MP Seeks Solutions For Homeless Gay Youth In New Kingston yet to date: NOTHING! 

must read: And we continue to reap the world-wind for not addressing homelessness when it was manageable

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

New single-tablet HIV treatment Genvoya wins FDA approval

The US Food and Drug Administration have approved a new single tablet as a complete treatment for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in people aged 12 years and over.

The new single-tablet HIV drug contains a new form of the powerful HIV inhibitor tenofovir.

The new treatment, called Genvoya, from Gilead Sciences, is a fixed-dose combination of elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.

It is intended for patients aged 12 and over, weighing at least 35 kg (77 lbs) and who have never been treated forHIV before, or for infected adults whose HIV is currently suppressed.

The drug was tested against other HIV treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in four clinical trials involving a total of 3,171 participants. Results showed that it reduced viral loads and was comparable to other treatments.

Genvoya contains a new version of tenofovir - a powerful HIV inhibitor - that has not been approved before. Gilead say that because the new version (called TAF) enters cells - including HIV-infected cells - more efficiently than the previous version (TDF), it can be given at a lower dose that results in 91% less tenofovir in the bloodstream.

The new drug was developed to reduce side effects, and the trial results show it appears to be associated with less kidney toxicity and reductions in bone density than previously approved drugs containing tenofovir.
Suitable for patients with moderate kidney impairment

The FDA note that while Genvoya is not recommended for patients with severe kidney impairment, those with moderate impairment can take Genvoya.

However, the US regulator also comments that "patients receiving Genvoya experienced greater increases in serum lipids (total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein) than patients receiving other treatment regimens in the studies."

The drug's Boxed Warning says it can cause lactic acid to build up in the blood and lead to severe liver problems, both of which can be fatal.

The most common side effect is nausea, and serious side effects include new or worsening kidney problems, reduced bone mineral density, fat redistribution and changes in the immune system.

The warning also says Genvoya should not be given with other antiretroviral drugs and may interact with a number of commonly used medications.

Dr. Edward Cox, director of antimicrobial products in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA, said on Thursday:

"Today's approval of a fixed-dose combination containing a new form of tenofovir provides another effective, once daily complete regimen for patients with HIV-1 infection."

Estimates suggest around 1.2 million Americans aged 13 and over know they have HIV, and more than 150,000 others are infected but do not know it. In the last 10 years, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable.

HIV-1 is the predominant strain of HIV that causes the vast majority of HIV infections worldwide. When people refer to HIV, they usually mean HIV-1.

Earlier this year, Medical News Today reported on a study that suggests drugs already being tested for the treatment of cancer could reawaken dormant HIV in cells of patients treated with antiretroviral drugs to allow complete eradication of the virus.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

ENDS

Video from Loop: VIDEO: Homeless gay men, rejected by their families, beg for place to live

With images such as that one above of one of our homeless MSM and the obvious emaciated state more evidence of the lack of interest in addressing homelessness and HIV/AIDS. I am reminded of when friends, colleagues and party patrons at my parties I DJ or promote used to drop like flies in the early nineties; when one would wonder who will be off the scene this month or week or if someone is missing the guess would be they are in the hospital; then when one actually finds them they are mere skin and bones. Sigh

We are told repeatedly of promises to deal with it or flimsy excuses that a space cannot be found etc, see: 

Homeless Awareness Month: Flashback to New Kingston's Displaced MSM 2013

MSM/Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard Oct 2015

MSM Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard 04.10.15. by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud

Homeless Awareness Month 2015 ..... Recap & Concerns 07.11.15 by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud

Homeless Awareness Month 2015: Displaced MSM/Trans versus Cruisers

The Quietus ......... The Safe House Project Closes

And we continue to reap the world-wind for not addressing homelessness when it was manageable 2013

Reported homophobic cases: January - October 2015

Where is that "I am Not a Fish" documentary?

MSM/Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard

Complaint of "Freaky Gays" Harassing New Kingston Residents 2011

And The Machinery ...... The murder of Charms 2011

Hypocrisy from the pulpit on homeless MSM in Jamaica? yet the populations continue to languish while the priveleged religious and LGBT simply move on. Remember also that JASL received a major donation for such work, 

see: 

JASL Receives US$99,738 grant from the Embassy of Japan for HIV Prevention

Health Minister Says Boldness Needed to Change Buggery Laws for HIV Prevention Work to be Effective with at Risk Groups 

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy

Health Ministry To Reach MSM, Commercial Sex Workers Through Church 2015

Caribbean Region Must Change Mindset About HIV/AIDS – Dr. Ferguson

Health Minister Ferguson on WAD '13 & FBOs fear of a Buggery repeal with future parachuted gay marriage

Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again) says Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

YOUNG MSM/TRANSGENDER WANT TO BE TREATED AS CITIZENS NOT POTENTIAL HIV/AIDS VICTIMS

Gay Men Are Receptive to Sexual Health Info on Hookup Sites says Scottish Study

German Study: Gay men who discuss HIV status with sexual partners are less likely to acquire HIV

St. Kitts and Nevis PM Douglas defends PANCAP’s Justice For All programme

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

Jamaica Increasing Funding For HIV/AIDS Programmes

13,328 Jamaican MSM Reached by HIV Prevention says report on National HIV Program ........ but

New Efforts To Halt Spread Of HIV Among Gay Jamaica Men

Concerns for HIV prevalence rate in MSM in Jamaica & connected matters

Incestuous messes, poor NGO monitoring & ever deepening mistrust about "gay rights"

Why did CVCC & JFJ not Fund a Project/Home for Homeless LGBT Youth in New Kingston instead of the Children’s Home Fiasco ...........

YOUNG MSM/TRANSGENDER WANT TO BE TREATED AS CITIZENS NOT POTENTIAL HIV/AIDS VICTIMS from March 2014

Health Minister Ferguson on WAD '13 & FBOs fear of a Buggery repeal with future parachuted gay marriage

Major disappointment in assisting our lesser colleagues

Peace & tolerance

H

Homeless Awareness Month: Flashback to New Kingston's Displaced MSM

A detailed look at some of the older populations of displaced and homeless MSM and their challenges from as early as New Kingston's business district came to being.
recorded November 7th

November is seen as homeless awareness month in some parts of the world and parenting month here in Jamaica but parenting ideology that seems to ignore LGBT youth at varying levels; case in point the recent comments by the Family Planning Board albeit they have merged with national HIV program. MSM homelessness is an ISLANDWIDE problem not just limited to the New Kingston business district that now is the target of a new kind of LGBT crisis reporting to use them to collect data in light of the upcoming buggery case in the Supreme court slated for November 2014, where were the present so called concerned all this time?

Taken from a recent Observer article:

Dr Sharlene Jarrett of the National Family Planning Board said the constraints in providing direct sexual and reproductive health service to gay teens is the same as reaching the wider adolescent population because of the clash between existing policies and the law.

"There is a serious barrier in terms of what we can provide to MSMs," she told the Sunday Observer.
As such, she said these gay teens have to be reached at the treatment sites, albeit that this is usually after they have become infected with a sexually transmitted disease.

"For MSMs our national HIV programme doesn't have data in terms of the age range of these teens coming to the workshops which we have been having for the past three years to link them to support services," she said, noting however, that what is being done to reach these gay teens is just not enough.
"There are limits to where you can carry a group of young men to give them a service which will help them," she said.

Chief executive officer of the Jamaica Family Planning Association, St Rachel Ustanny, also agreed that services for gay teens are limited.

With the conflict between law and policy preventing the wider youth population from accessing contraceptive services such as condoms, Ustanny said the problem must be large within the sub-population group of MSMs.

Ruth Chisholm, country programme manager for Population Services International/Caribbean, said the current environment makes it very difficult to provide information and counselling to these gay teens.

"There would be less demonisation if dialogue started in the home as this is a key solution to some of the challenges," she said.

But this dialogue has not started in the home for gay teens, as the Jamaica Forum for all Sexuals Lesbians and Gays (J-FLAG) Executive Director Dane Lewis said it is becoming an increasingly common practice for some parents to turn out their children when they self-affirm or are suspected of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).

JFLAG in the meantime continues to pass the buck on the issue by demanding that government get involved when we know fully well that they are in no way interested or want to see directly addressing this in fear of loss of votes, simply put while no direct programs are being developed within the last four plus years of the very public challenges with the ever changing populations. Homeless MSM have always been in New Kingston mostly migrating from downtown from parks or old buildings. 

The very former JFLAG office and parent NGO Jamaica AIDS Support for Life Office on 4 Upper Musgrave Avenue (above now demolished) was squatted on long before both groups moved in the nineties as the building was empty for some time. The men at that time shared the house with female commercial sex workers while charging them fees as well to use the room while the younger men would use the water supply to shower and cook. Other former open spaces turned buildings and parks such as Emancipation Park had men staying over night on many occasions, other spots now turned town houses also had this occupation problem.

The sudden interest by some in this population especially post the Safe House Pilot project closure in 2009 is interesting to say the least even as the men themselves hung around the old office prior to the landlord taking action by an eviction notice. 

There are three major waves I can recall the main one had both the causation becoming the very thing that diminished the numbers that being HIV/AIDS and related infections, many persons in that 80s era were evicted due to discrimination as AIDS related diseases then were far more visible than today with less sophisticated antiretrovirals around. Then came the second major wave of younger displacees who in turn were distracted by other not so legal activities where some of the men got themselves involved. However since the down turn in the economy, the not so legal activities losing grip and the increase in forced evictions over time caused the present third major wave to include the dubious closure of the Safe House opened under Jamaica AIDS Support, JAS in 2009 which sent the men into New Kingston itself joining others who were already on the road and the subsequent police crack downs and public clashes. 

Other spaces in the business district to name a few that housed or were illegally occupied by displaced MSM include:

emancipation park under construction was used when it was an open lot 

the old Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation building when it was closed was occupied by a myriad of homeless persons including MSM now turned the Ministry of Works office.

The new UK visa/document pick up once an old unoccupied house

An old hotel on Trafalgar now turned Scotiabank's Card Center and so on

Unfortunately homelessness has not risen to the level of importance as decriminalizing buggery has so the men are just data collection material and recipients of tokenism by more privileged advocates. Why has this not gotten the attention it deserves folks your guess is as good as mine as HIV prevention and MSM advocacy trumps the welfare issues. We keep hearing of upcoming shelter ideas, donation drives that die as soon as they are born and just side-lining of this group for so long.

also see some previous post from as early as 2009:

On homelessness, evictions, hypocrisy & now JFLAG's own displacement ...............

The Safe House Project background from the conceptualizer …………………

The Quietus ……… The Safe House Project Closes

The Ultimatum on December 30, 2009

And MSM continue to be ready material for data collection

Street MSM Stone J-FLAG – After Being Cleared From Gov’t Property

Kingston’s Homeless MSM challenges scream for proper attention

And we continue to reap the world-wind for not addressing homelessness when it was manageable

Utmost hypocrisy , J-FLAG

A claim on How to help homeless LGBT Jamaicans ..... let us not forget it was the same Jamaica Observer who accused JFLAG of abandoning the homeless MSM specifically in New Kingston in an older editorial:

Marauding homosexuals and J-FLAG (Observer Editorial) ……………………

Homelessness, rape and HIV (Observer)

Think on these things people, lots of our lessers have fallen through the cracks right under the very noses of the ones who shift responsibility and just basic concern and well funded agencies who simply do not care. All this happenings when exactly a year ago in a town-hall meeting JFLAG's Executive Director said a space was identified yet no follow up to actually tell the community the deal fell through due to legal challenges.

also see: Homeless impatient with agencies over slow progress of promised shelter (with a podcast included)

Interfaith group treats homeless MSM in St Catherine

Here is a video from 2007 CVM TV where a party I was supposed to be at in Llandovery St Ann was captured by a video crew but the DVD ended up on the streets thus leading to the influx of homeless from mostly rural Jamaica meeting up on existing populations. Hence the large numbers and new cases added to the mix.

a 2009 Word Focus report also touched the matter:

The history of the major population explosion of homeless MSM/transgender occurred and references to the party DVD that was leaked to the bootleg market which exposed many unsuspecting patrons to the public (3:59), also the caustic remarks made by former member of Parliament in the then JLP administration.

The agencies at the time were also highlighted and the homo negative and homophobic violence met by ordinary Jamaican same gender loving men.

The late founder of the CVC, former ED of JASL and JFLAG Dr. Robert Carr was also interviewed.


At 4:42 that MSM was still homeless to 2012 but has managed to eek out a living but being ever so cautious as his face is recognizable from the exposed party DVD, he has been slowly making his way to recovery despite the very slow pace.

Peace and tolerance

H

In The Life: Finding Home ... Homeless Awareness Month

This month's In The Life series I could not be late with posting it as it touches an issue that is close to me as you may have gleaned from the previous homeless posts and concerns shared, featured is the new True Colours home launched by Cyndi Lauper lending her support via celebrity and song of course her biggest smash "True Colours" Our poor advocacy on this issue and the use of the population as involuntary martyrs is just so unethical and smacks a kind of apartheid system well oiled and self protective systems. Lets look at best practices and see what we can get from this. November is Homeless Awareness Month as made known to us via this clip and is a recognition being used worldwide now in looking at this problem. A small shelter or at best a drop in centre would be a start for this fledgling group of mostly men, one hardly hears of same gender loving females fully homeless but maybe displaced for temporary periods.

There are an estimated 1.6-2.8 million homeless youth in the United States, up to 40% identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. IN THE LIFE examines the plight of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness.

True Colors Residence (00:09:15)

 Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Residence is the first permanent, affordable housing for at risk LGBT youth in New York City. IN THE LIFE meets the young people who are making it home

 Kicked Out (00:15:23)

 IN THE LIFE travels from New York to Illinois and California for a stark look at LGBT youth who are kicked out of their homes.

here is the Youtube version

also see: From The Pen of one of our homeless brothers

and

Please also see:
Hypocrisy, Continued damage control via stands or a genuine call for inclusiveness in western Jamaica?

The dark side to the homeless issue .............

3 more brothers displaced teetering on homelessness

Hypocrisy, Continued damage control via stands or a genuine call for inclusiveness in western Jamaica?

Some background to the homeless issue
As we continue to highlight a dark chapter in our LGBT history that on the face of it some would rather kept hushed this matter of homelessness among our same gender loving males and teens has created deeper rifts between supporters of the established LGBT organizations Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays its parent Jamaica AIDS Support (for Life) and others in the trenches both NGOs were set up originally to deal with and included in their mission aspects of front-line activism for seriously marginalized individuals or groups, sadly the systems have seriously fallen down in that department with a glaring absence of psycho social interventions and at least a resident social worker to deal with the psychological and behavioural problems that has beleaguered the aforementioned NGOs from the men but what does one expect if there are no behaviour change mechanisms in place? 

see related posts on the subject as well.

Settle the Score on CVM TV’s Live @ 7 (26.08.11)…the JFLAG ad campaign

Attempted censorship from the advocates towards views on the JFLAG Ad campaign??

Rowdy gays banned by J-FLAG, JASL ………. (Jamaica Observer)

Blow to gay ad – TVJ rejects J-FLAG’s PSA ……. J-FLAG says rejection of PSA unfortunate

Doing ‘business’ in New Kingston … Jamaica Observer on MSM Homelessness ….. JFLAG should be ashamed

Complaint of “Freaky Gays” Harassing New Kingston Residents ……..

The Quietus (Safe House Project Closes) (from 2010)

Gay Ad angers Clerics 

JFLAG/AIDSFREEWORLD unimpressive show at community meeting

Very few of our homeless brothers since the civil disobedience action in August 23 and 24 2011 have been able to survive sensibly, there are some small inroads made in terms of some cash and one or two have found a job but otherwise they are still struggling, only Wednesday evening I was approached by a few at a meeting on sexuality at a popular bar where they expressed their struggle, small pocket change dole out is NOT enough. The behavioural problems also continue to be of concern.

Peace and tolerance

H