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

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

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

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

Violence and discrimination

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

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

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

Identifying myself

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

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

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

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

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

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

meanwhile 

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

Peace & tolerance

H

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

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

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

The objectives of Parents Month for this year include:

To celebrate and recognize the achievements of our parents and guardians

To create opportunities for parents to further develop their parenting skills

Support the strengthening of the home-school relationship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Think on these things

Peace & tolerance

H

Reminder: sexual orientation & gender identity are different, Trans Awareness Week

November is Transgender Awareness Week running from the first week in the month, usually the 13th to the 20th culminating in the Transgender Day of Remembrance, TDOR, remembering those who have been taken from us tragically. 

There is a piece of intellectual dishonesty as described by some and downright deception in my eyes of labelling and unqualified diagnosis of transgender persons as ‘mad’ the chief protagonist of it all is none other than Dr Wayne West in his latest round of public advocacy; he has been redirecting the criticism of his outfit Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS as ‘Crazy’ and affiliated groups namely Lovemarch, Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, LCF aided and abetted by radio platforms such as Trinity Broadcasting and other non traditional media. Dr West’s recent references on LOVE 101FM specific to the pending transgender or gender neutral bathroom case slated to head to the US Supreme Court. He claimed in his unabashed support of Donald Trump’s attempts for the Presidency he claimed that transgender persons were ‘crazy’ among other things and went for the gender dysphoria diagnosis although he is not trained in psychology. He then sought to redefine in his mind that ‘normal persons’ in his trademark Trinidadian accent are not ‘confused’ and know who they are, definite male or female and nothing else.

When questioned by the host of the show on supporting a man (Trump) who is accused of some serious infractions and his fitness to run the most powerful government in the world (though slowly losing some credibility) Dr West quickly tried to adjust his position despite Trump is NOT anti LGBT as he has relatives who are so and indeed some of his mid to high end properties do allow same gender couples stay and wedding services, in fact there is word that he made a killing post the gay marriage SCOTUS ruling, notice Trump has not touched gay marriage all that much in his campaign for the Presidency although he has touched the business of the vacancy on the said SCOTUS with the thrust of replacing the deceased judge with another conservative; Dr West claimed to use moral equivalence to say out of the two both of whom as bad choices Trump is the better despite the obnoxiousness that has come to rub persons worldwide the wrong way.

West and others have sought to and continue to lump sexual orientation with gender identity so suggest the LGBTQI global advocacy is to impose new philosophies whilst silencing Christian voices which is not true, all this while having unfettered access to multiple traditional and social media platforms and more misguided public protests on said matters but barely as vocal and strident on other societal ills, they only respond to such when it really looks bad such as the recent Jamaica College student phone murder; one wonders of the one day protest in black was a honest response or was being used to right size the selectivity criticisms by myself and others. It makes for short work to continue to otherize LGBTQI people and they have even gone as far as pushing for intersex children to have surgeries long before they have the ability to give consent as to reassignment surgery where applicable.

West’s designation of sexual orientation as a misnomer in order to legitimize homosexuality has not gone unnoticed he claims that rigidity is the order of the day so one is either heterosexual or homosexual complete with name calling as per usual despite his so called Christian position. He totally ignores the concept of non binary gendering and has expressed fears that the upcoming SCOTUS hearing of the gender neutral bathroom matter may go in the favour of the applicants as the silencing campaign of persons like him continue, the usual victimhood ploy with is so overplayed. People such as West’s allies Betty Ann Blaine has made it her life’s work to label asylum seekers even with legitimate cases of homophobic violence outcomes as liars without any serious evidence shows the level of desperation these folks would go to in the name of God.

Remember these?:

see Gay Jamaica Watch: May 27, 2013

The Gleaner carried: 

'We're Not Crazy' - Local Lobby Defends Anti-Homosexuality Views; Rejects 'Homophobic' Label

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics

When did anyone ask for gay marriage rights in Jamaica when we can't get basic tolerance ......... more smokescreen to deny recognition

Continued misconceptions of adult homosexuals being paedophiles and Is this a joke .... Church group denies gay bias and Healthy coalition nonsense! indeed

So let’s right size some of the deception and nonsense here egregiously done in the name of some misguided or misplaced fanatical Christianity, and note the difference between the two:

Sex? Gender? These two words are often used interchangeably, but there are distinct differences.

Sex is commonly understood to be based on a person’s genitals and reproductive organs; these anatomical details are thought to define a person as male or female. Gender is often understood to refer to gender identity, meaning your internal sense of yourself as female, male, or other, regardless of biology.

Truth is what is ultimately going to come to some middle ground on this mess frankly, despite the late in coming change of the position on the buggery law from repeal to decriminalization for example as court challenges are pending, said fanatics also use the deception of a push for a full repeal to give strength to their advocacy and then claim to subscribe to God centered principles which speak to forgiveness, true tolerance and such.

Nuff said

Peace & tolerance

H
also see:

JCSC Highlights Danger Of Debate About Buggery may lead to strife

Jamaica CAUSE issues Veiled threat to Govt to keep the buggery law or else

Another St Thomas Pastor Accused of Rape ....... where are these same groups?

Gay Lobby May Have Lost Potential Allies (after the JFJ sex education saga)

Church Cherry Picking on Issues again

Oh really! ............ Penile/anal penetration is NOT Sex Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society?

Anti Gay Religious group launches pro buggery DVD

Dr Wayne West’s continued intellectual dishonesty ...

Jamaican Pastor says the LGBT issue is not about rights but acceptance of lifestyle

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with more deception added

Anti Gay Religious group launches pro buggery law DVD

Uncomfortable with Endocrinologist explanation of the case of the intersex infant

In a previous post (Jamaican Intersex (ambiguous genitalia) baby case a cause for concern part 2 ) I mentioned the push by a certain endocrinologist on early surgery of an infant who was featured on CVM TV some time ago. He has been interviewed since and has seemingly steered clear of suggesting surgery on a baby as an option, but I am not comfortable at all.

Here is an excerpt of the article involving the gentleman:

For thousands of years children have been born with what’s called ambiguous genitalia — a condition in which there is incomplete development of the external genitals, and at birth doctors are not able to clearly define a sex. Last week, Dr Leslie Gabay, consultant paediatrician and paediatric endocrinologist, addressed the biology of the condition. This week, he speaks of stigma and social repercussions.


WITH regard to the social repercussions, the sex of a baby is usually the first question friends and family members have after a birth, Dr Gabay said.

“Generally, I recommend that the parents say the infant is undergoing tests to clarify the sex due to incomplete development of the genitals,” he advised.

“If we do this, then there is no stigma. Stigma occurs only when the child goes home with one sex and this is subsequently changed. Hence the importance of early diagnosis.”

Dr Gabay said stigma has to be dealt with by family support, parental education and counselling, where necessary.

He pointed out that it is important to note that the physical development of infants (sex) has nothing to do with the psychological development (gender).

“When we’re looking at the conditions, we’re looking at developmental disorders of sexual maturation. That can give us various issues. When you talk about gender, you talk about how people feel about themselves,” he said. “I may have testes, I may have XY chromosomes, but psychologically I feel like a female. When there’s a disconnection between the physical and the psychological, we call that gender dysphoria where somebody is feeling one way, but has a phenotype that is opposite to how they feel.”

A paediatric endocrinologist looks at what can and can’t be corrected, which is whether your hormones have the capacity to complete your development as a male or female.

“So, for example, we will have an XY male who has testes and is actually making male hormones but he doesn’t have the receptors for them to work on, so he can’t get a complete development into male external genitalia. We sometimes have those same individuals with XY and testes, but their genitals look like females because the testosterone they’re making cannot work to convert the genitals into a male. So there are a number of different medical conditions which all fall under the disorders of sexual maturation, which can give you a disconnect in terms of your chromosomal sex, your gonadal sex and your phenotypic sex,” he said.

He added: “The difference between Caitlyn Jenner’s case, for example, which is a psychological disconnect between the psychology and the physicality of sex, versus when a child has a disorder of development, is vast. So, for example, if you are a boy you have XY, you have testes, you make testosterone but your tissues can’t respond to testosterone — you look like a girl. There’s nothing that I or anybody can do to make you into a boy. So you’re a girl by how you look, except that you won’t have a womb to have babies and therefore you may be able to get some sperm to do IVF, but you’re not going to carry a baby.”

Dr Gabay said most people don’t know what their chromosomes are, so definition of sex is mostly phenotypic — how you look.

“Until you have a baby or get pregnant you don’t know that your ovaries can make eggs, but all along you’re walking through school as a girl. Your chromosomes don’t make you a girl, the fact that you can make eggs or have a womb doesn’t make you a girl,” he said. “When I met you I thought you were a girl and that’s because of how you look. That’s how people walk around looking at individuals. So how we socialise in the world is based on how we look — our phenotype.”

He added that when we want to reproduce and move forward for another generation, that’s when our chromosomes, sperm and ovaries become important.


“I can’t say at six weeks of age how you will feel at five years old. But I can say at six weeks whether your hormones have the capacity to complete your development as a male or complete your development as a female,” he explained.

ENDS

Intersex activists have been advocating to delayed surgery decision making on the pat of impacted individuals with proper engagement in terms of education.

Also see:
Jamaican Intersex (ambiguous genitalia) baby case a cause for concern part 1

Transphobic & paranoiac nonsense from The Breath of Change ConnectPray radio show

firstly let us make that clear .........

It’s amazing how some persons and groups who profess Christianity yet are so bitter and spew most times hate and division ever so easily while celebrating vain salvation. 

So it is bad enough we had to stomach a so called concerned citizen statement on May 15 International Day of Families from Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS and others based on some fora held at churches targeted in part to bringing down transgender visibility. When said anti LGBT groups run out of targets they simply move to something else; now comes transgender advocacy internationally; of course the usual embellishments are included or lies and such relying on the their own deceptive strategy that of the bloated magnitude of unsubstantiated charges in order to make said charges and accusations appear convincing, then these same religious crackpots claim the LGBT lobby collectively are dishonest but find it necessary to do the very strategy they accuse us of.

After listening to the show the tenets presented goes against the very tagline that groups such as JCHS carry: "Straight Without Hate" which for all intents and purposes sound ridiculous to me.

The usual on the fly terms as ‘sexual anarchy’ ‘sexual revolution’ (the latter which I thought had occurred so many times before) and so were repeated constantly on the Connect Pray show on the TBC radio hosted by Phillipa Davies linked to the JCHS, Lovemarch, Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship and other anti gay groups went to town for just under three hours on declaring transgenderism as insanity on the part of persons who declare that their brain sex differs in their minds from their physical sex and wild accusations and claims of paedophiles everywhere and reputable researchers work as part of some sneaky plan. Miss Davis also in her preamble sought to dismiss the bathroom bill push in the United States as an imposition, ‘being free with your sexual expression regarding of consequences’ and usual ‘exposing deceptions & lies’ Davies also claimed that gender neutral bathrooms will have predators in them to rape women (in a bathroom!); this is indeed sad and laughable but very serious indeed.

Absolutely no mention was made during the three hour show of trans/bi/homophobia (as if it does not exist) or the violence associated or discrimination with it; the vast time of the show was condemnation after condemnation (in the name of righteousness) sadly. Religious fanatics can destroy societies I swear. I was of the understanding that ostracism was never a part of Christ’s agenda lest some forget the alabaster box story. There was repeated referencing of ‘Stop War on Children’ but the documentary only seems to address so called feared sexual education and not the present day atrocities even committed by pastors were totally left out. As May is child’s month I would have thought more emphasis would have been placed on just the sheer numbers of Ananda Alerts (named after a murdered child in the 90s) that appear on television and announced on some radio stations; these religious fanatics are blind to the visible atrocities yet strive so hard to find conspiracies real or imagined in dark places; not to mention the kinds of money that is being spent in the respective campaigns including retaining lawyers for the ongoing buggery case in the constitutional court. Children’s’ homes, places of safety, psychiatric facilities and related outfits have been screaming for help in cash and kind and the assisted housing or relocation of wards of the state or abandoned mental health patients in places such as Bellevue but groups like JCHS or Miss Davies do not see or ignore these concerns. Sex change regrets were also discussed as it to suggest those who do engage such avenues are and will be mistaken.

I thought Christ’s message included inclusion and true tolerance but I am mistaken it seems or my expectations are too high with sheer idiots who make the rest of the church look as paranoid as they are.

Unsubstantiated paedophile accusations

Phillipa Davies

“So that the nature of the man; bisexual, supported paedophilia, engaged in sadomasochistic acts; created pornography films (she quoted Matt 18:7) so this is Kinsey the root, the ideological root of the sexual rights agenda and comprehensive sexual education ..... please understand that corrupt sneaky education came from this sick man; going into children’s homes and places of safety to spread the mind of this sick man; 

removing homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973 came from this sick man; repealing of the buggery law in the UK and the sodomy law in the US was influenced by this sick man; legalizing abortion was influenced by this sick man; calling for respecting sexual orientation arises out of this sick man; Digicel and other businesses in the ‘Respect Jamaica’ campaign want you to respect and endorse this sick man; the sneaking of sexual orientation into the civil servants staff orders for Jamaica civil service to prop up this sick man; the CVCC and the other groups and the University of the West indies firing Professor Bain to hide the truth and keep alive the lies of this sick man; 

the gay activist bringing the challenge to the buggery law is based on the lies from this sick man; and any politician from any party any government official of this sexual so called rights campaign he or she is propagating the madness of this sick man; and any referendum on the buggery law is this question, will you Jamaica endorse this dead pervert and let his warped philosophy become the basis of the laws or will your laws be based on the philosophies coming from the one true living God ....? Listeners I hope you’re catching my drift .............”

Listeners were also asked to pray for the bathroom bill in the US to fail (I find it strange that such a cal should be made when we have our own issues to address via said prayer) and pray for other things not worth annoying God in my view when we have a brain to gain understanding and to practically act. I was not surprised as her mentor Dr Wayne West of JCHS has schooled her well as she performed on point; the issue is though most of what were said in effect lies as she and others like to blast LGBT activists of telling. 

Then came the prolonged blasting of Dr Alfred Kinsey’s work describing his conclusions as ‘sexual fraud’ the fear if not hysteria is just astonishing to me; it is one thing to have a hardened position but totally another when it passes the norm to hyperventilation via the airwaves; then the guest attempted to link Dr Kinsey as a paedophile based on his work on realizing young children even toddlers can have orgasms; the guest also suggested that that was where the recommendation of buggery in schools began without making the link as to how buggery and orgasm in toddlers equate to homosexuality or anal sex at that age. He was accused by Davies and her guest one Dr Reizman (who made all kinds of spurious charges) of influencing the Wolfendale committee on changing the buggery law in the UK in 1957 (later in 1967 after the conservative govt was voted out) and also prostitution and abortion. Davis kept saying the buggery law was “repealed” when it was not but the act was decriminalized with a different age of consent as heterosexuals; the equalization came in the 80s onwards with advocacy from folks like Peter Tatchell. Reizman claimed that Kinsey died from “venereal disease and or damage to the genitals which he was doing all the time to himself; to violent effect on his organs, so that’s the man you have been learning from.”

“The fraud is meant to really cripple the children” Phillipa Davies claimed without proof that Kinsey was a paedophile and went on about the lies as disguised as comprehensive sexual education. Davis also claimed that children were not having sex at young ages in days gone by without qualifying her statement in anyway and again relying on the magnitude factor in order to sound convincing, sadly the few comments on Facebook as the show progressed showed how gullible some folks are. Of course with the advent of Facebook, sheer increase in the nation’s population and so on things once seemed hidden will come to light but apparently Miss Davies is too dumb to see these things.

Kinsey scale

I was of the thinking that a qualified clinical sexologist or related psychological expert would be the ones to determine a paedophile in the face of no victims coming forward and reporting the accused but paranoid antigay voices just wave wild allegations. Then came the shocker that Playboy magazine Hugh Hefner was a virgin until he was 22 until he read Kinsey then he received startup money to spread flawed sex education again without any proof, Davis then linked the home and family life HFLE book as an extension of the way to brainwash children. International Planned Parenthood is also a part of the ‘deception’ in her eyes. She then referenced the 2008 guidelines of sexual education and she named the Nation Family Planning board and accused even the Peace Corps of such good reputation as guilty as ferreting the comprehensive sexuality education; impugning coercion by the organization and some attached to it. I wonder what would the Peace Corps would say and do if they heard the nonsense from antigay religious groups who see conspiracies everywhere.

A representative from the Ruth Institute also added more paranoia to the show which I decided to listen just to prove to myself the nonsense I have been hearing about on the show. The RI guest by phone claims the UN has been infected by those who have an agenda to change societies and cultures and the ‘natural order.’ The interview waded between misconstrued feminism, sexual identity and fear-mongering on terminology such as gender based policies and that such terms are forgetting boys and linking neutrality to the present societal challenges as if LGBTQ and reproductive health agitations are anti Christian and anti family. Not to mention the interspersed selling of either books or previous shows on CD that came too repetitiously for me to stomach.

Then came the usual victimhood ploy claiming the church has been affected by the sexual revolution and the moralizing effect has been or is being polluted if not weakened by the LGBT push with the latest being the transgender visibility agenda; in other words the usual freedom of speech choking deception that these very anti gay religious groups (who make the whole church look bad) a strategy from the Professor Bain matter has worn itself out so the target has now changed. Want more fear-mongering then came the twinning of HIV prevention messaging with so called sneaky ways to impose homosexuality in particular, a penchant Miss Davis the host has and verbalizes it at every chance she gets. Then the repeated and implied fallacy that Jamaica is at war with big countries/ such as the US, EU, Canada et and that they are trying to suppress ‘free speech’

A so called former transgender individual named Walter Hyatt guest joined the show by phone who claimed he realized although he was assigned male he had the surgery but regretted it as he found out it was a disorder (gender dysphoria) and that his grandmother dressed him up as a girl so that caused him to feel feminine, then came the unqualified diagnosis or Bruce Jenner now known as Catilyn Jenner who had issues since his brother’s death after he handed the keys to him and so on. The kind of misinformation that is going out there as legitimate is disturbing and even both persons on the show that Caitlyn is not actually transgender or transsexual as he has not done the surgery; then came the references again to Dr Kinsey and again he was described as a paedophile activist without giving any proof or justification for the listeners. Then came the re-description of LGBT to mean “lambasting God’s biblical truth” and that such persons need to be stopped (he did not say how).

Davies went on another rant claiming the family is being destroyed and to think the entire thing ends in prayer! Even after spewing such hatred, somebody needs help.

Then the repeated “homosexual lifestyle" references which dotted the show, frankly envy of the apparent freedom of LGBT people could be called ‘freedom envy’ in my view. The role of freedom envy in the anti LGBT crusade is confirmed by the repeated and emphatic reference to “the homosexual lifestyle.” This is left a vague generality, as though it were something everyone already understands. The so called “homosexual lifestyle” is associated with a US view of homosexuality and dates back to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and stories of bath houses in places such as San Francisco; hence folks like Dr Wayne West of JCHS uses it as well to vectorise gays in his antigay advocacy. There is no such thing as a ‘homosexual lifestyle’ just as there is no such thing as “heterosexual lifestyle” heterosexual live on a “lifestyle” continuum just as homosexuals do. The continuum includes people in decades long monogamous relationships, people who live in social isolation, people who in into bar scenes etc people who move from relationship to relationship.

Let us put to rest the silliness about “homosexual lifestyle” once and for all; as a phrase it is pure propaganda, a gossipy generalization and completely unworthy of a Christian who, following the counsel in Proverbs seeks understanding and insight into life and people. As Christians some will have to decide if we are going to partake of divisive “party spirit” that racked the church at Corinth or follow Christ as discerning attentive principles – to that still small voice and sharpen concerns for the ostracized instead of creating more strife.

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

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Let me end here for now but I did this post just to show the madness coming from ignorant folks who in an information age refuse to accept the reality. If I may use the JCHS’s own biblical quote they end their newsletters with:

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9: 2 KJV

Bearing in mind King James in whose name the most popular English translation of the Bible is in was actually bisexual; pity the goody King would not have foreseen the work put in would be used as a destructive weapon hundreds of years later.

although the Catholics have a lot to answer for in terms of clerical abuse (more anon) but the message is clear thus far.

Peace & tolerance needed indeed.


H

also see:

Impossible to be gay and Christian

I don’t want to peep in your bedroom ... oh really now

Gays are welcomed! oh really now

More madness from Miss Davies' mentors? then check this one: Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's Shirley Richards says lesbian sex should be criminalized as buggery ....... 2012

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

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

the related photo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Teen boy love, getting caught & exploration

Teen forced to change schools following outing incident

Male student accused of spying in boy’s bathroom attacked

Effects of childhood bullying on mental health of adults

Urgent need for sex & sexuality to be discussed nationally

Sex-ed does not say have sex — NFPB head

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

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

Jamaican Intersex (ambiguous genitalia) baby case a cause for concern part 2 #learning moment

See part one HERE

A reminder - What is the difference between a TRANS, transsexual or transgender person & an intersex person? INTERSEX is not a part of transgender because intersex is not about gender. Intersex is about anatomical differences in sex. Also the word ‘hermaphrodite’ is no longer an acceptable term in discussing such issues since 2005. Sadly a sociologist who hosts a show on Nationwide had fun using the term disparagingly. She is the same sociologist who featured in this previous post: Aphrodite’s P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ tackles gender identity, transgender misconceptions & an ignorant sociologist ......

now to pressing matters:

So part two of the series regarding little baby ‘Angel’ and the associated ambiguous genitalia issue garnered several comments on social media where it was shared on CVM TV’s Inspire Jamaica Facebook page. The feature has been growing on the minds of Jamaicans as the stories carried therein as very positive and host Kerlene Brown has certainly grown since her appearance on television several years ago; Miss Brown obviously did some research on the matter as she also raised the issue of the timing of the surgery whether it should occur at puberty or not; my beef is not with the show itself but the decision by the goodly consulting gynaecologist & endocrinologist Dr Gabay to rush to surgery as he suggests when baby ‘Angel’ get to 18 months after the birth. Bear in mind the mother though while seemingly obedient to the suggestion has not said a full yes based on the interview. This entry is in no way questioning the competencies of persons such as Dr Gabay but the principle if not ethics regarding addressing sex and gender specific to ambiguous genitalia.

There seems to be mixed positions on whether to take the early surgery route versus waiting until after puberty. Some experts suggest it maybe too late in some cases as developmental trends may preclude such reassignment surgery or post hormonal treatment courses.

also see: Chilean officials oppose “normalization” surgery for intersex children! 2016 (OII)

The push by intersex activists worldwide but especially in the United States, Australia and Canada have all pushed that early surgery is not the way to go and that issues to do with chromosomal changes can occur even after initial tests may shoe XX as in this case and a uterus but no undescended testicles suggesting male features or the lack thereof. I still suggest that no surgery be done to little ‘Angel’ and allow the baby to develop to puberty (age 18 as our age of majority) and then allow the adult person to make a decision based on more test now that they have matured.

Intersex Issues and the International Classification Of Diseases

The ICD revision and reform process has a key relevance for the intersex movement. Diagnostic categories play a central role in expressing scientific understandings, establishing medical approaches, informing clinical protocols, defining surgical, hormonal and other treatments. Diagnostic categories defining intersex bodies reify differences between stereotypical female and male bodies on the one hand, considered to be healthy, and bodies that vary from female and male standards on the other hand, considered to be “disordered”, Or “abnormal”. Current Classifications therefore contribute to stigma and discrimination against intersex people; they endow appropriateness to medical attempts to “fix” Or “normalize”

Intersex bodies through surgical and hormonal means. They play a direct role in determining how intersex bodies are treated in society at large.

Everywhere in the world, people born with intersex traits are subjected to “normalizing” procedures, including clitoridectomies, labioplasties, vaginoplasties, gonadectomies, hypospadias “repair”, and treatment with steroids or sex hormones.

Many of these procedures are performed during infancy and early childhood when intersex individuals cannot provide their informed consent. Intersex babies, infants, children and adolescents are also subjected to related practices in medical settings, such as continued exposure. In different parts of the world, treatments also include socio--‐legal measures, including a lack of birth certificates; at least in this case according to part 1 of the video the mother explained the process she was told that she could get the changes made at the Registrar General Department, RGD. Most of these treatments have lifelong consequences: they produce sterility, genital insensitivity and impaired sexual function, chronic pain, chronic bleeding, and chronic infections, post--‐surgical depression, and trauma (in many cases associated with the experience of rape), massive internal and external scarring, metabolic imbalances.

These procedures have been internationally denounced as institutionalized forms of genital mutilation.

They reproduce and reinforce the cultural sense of intersex bodies as disordered and shameful; they produce coercive social environments. Such a hint came through loudly when the goodly doctor spoke to the possible embarrassment by the parent(s) and inquisitive family members where lies are told to cover up or deflect the scrutiny. Given what we now know I believe persons can be allowed to mature with the right psycho-social interventions and some medical monitoring but not medicalizations as seen before.

Vaginoplasties are another common feminizing treatment, performed on girls affected by CAH, by complete or partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, or by Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser Syndrome.

Vaginoplasties, as well as other associated genitoplasties, seems to be the recommended course in this specific case and which are also performed to feminize intersex bodies when an infant has been assigned female at birth –for example, in cases of penile agenesis. Early surgical interventions are known to have significant negative consequences:

In children with ambiguous genitalia assigned female, vaginoplasty is commonly performed during the first year of life even though the child will not menstruate for a further 10 or so years and is unlikely to be sexually active until after puberty.

High rates of introital stenosis of up to 100% have been demonstrated as well as frequent requirements for repeated reconstructive surgery in adolescence before tampon use or intercourse. Given that there is no available data to suggest early infant vaginoplasty has a better long-term outcome than a later delayed surgery, vaginoplasty in infancy is, then, chiefly to create a reassuring appearance for parents and clinicians’.

Vaginoplasties usually require regular follow--‐up treatment through dilation, a procedure that has been repeatedly identified as an experience comparable with rape by intersex people forced to undergo it after non--‐consensual interventions, or following interventions where consent was not fully informed. The latter cases are characterized by inadequate or incomplete access to proper information regarding follow up treatment and long--‐lasting consequences.

Dense scarring and the closing of the vagina opening are common complications [in addition to] chronic pain during intercourse, excessive vaginal secretion and total closure of the vagina”, complicated by other factors “including poor communication, inadequate follow--‐up, humiliating encounters with health professionals including medical photography, poor treatment outcome, and inadequate psychological support.

Given the occurrence of long term failures, long--‐term follow up is rare, for example, because pediatric urologists do not follow patients into adulthood, and because patients “have been shown to be reluctant to seek further medical advice despite significant distress”; clinicians acknowledge that such data are necessary “to provide an honest and meaningful account” of results.

Given the limitations of such data, a “common weakness of the existing literature is that most studies have been based on surgeon impressions of outcome, as opposed to patient satisfaction”

Other concerns
Prenatal Treatment

Dexamethasone, a steroid, is used to prevent homosexuality and physical “virilization”in infants with CAH assigned female. This is defended as a means of preventing post--‐natal elective surgical treatments, and is considered to be of greater benefit than established cognitive and physical risks to the children exposed to such treatment. Dexamethasone treatment does not address the more critical issue of salt wasting associated with CAH, an issue which may necessitate urgent medical attention to ensure the health of an infant. Genital variation is seen as a social emergency.

Sterilization

Sterilization is a consequence of treatment rationales related to tumor risk. The fertility of persons with intersex variations is not valued in the same way as that of other persons – and sterilizations may not be viewed as such if a child’s capacity for fertility does not match a gender assignment or reassignment removing a person’s only route to biological parenthood.

I hope some gentile persuasion can be brought to bear on this and a rushed decision is not enter into on the part of the mother for this baby; Dr Gabay did say in the video that the department which he is a part sees on average five to six cases per year.

What isn’t intersex ?

A point from OII Australia with whom I totally support:

INTERSEX is not a sexual orientation. Although nearly all intersex have a sexual orientation, we are no different to other people in this. It is unknown if our intersex influences our sexual orientation and intersex resist efforts by researchers who seek to link the two. We do this because we hold the view that it is a back door way to find the gay gene. We hold the view that this effort is essentially homophobic.

Peace & tolerance

H

Str8 men who watch lesbian porn ..................

The homosexual component of lesbian porn is what it appealing to heterosexual men I feel. While heterosexual men are increasingly accepting of gay people in society, I believe that many men still retain feelings that homosexuality is "wrong" or "taboo." This is not to say that these men are disingenuous when they express their support for gay people/rights. It is simply an acknowledgment that most American men (even young ones) grew up in a society that was intolerant of gay people. That experience has left an imprint on them which they have retained, even though they have overcome that imprint in many of their conscious thoughts and activities.

Lesbian porn provides men with exposure to homosexual activity in a manner that is acceptable to them because they do not feel like they are homosexual for watching it. Many people's sexual fantasies involve activities that are considered taboo by societal standards. In the case of lesbian porn, heterosexual men are able to engage in taboo activity, even though they are not gay.

Here is a question and answer exchange on the issue, I do not agree so much with doc's answer and the answer should have explored a little more the issue of attraction and orientation.

My Husband Went To A Lesbian Show

Question: 

Doc, my husband recently visited Prague in the Czech Republic on business. He came back and told me, with some embarrassment, that he and his colleagues went to a 'lesbian show.'

At first, I was very angry and ready for divorce, because I thought he was going to say that while he was at this theatre, he had sex with one of the women. But to my relief, that was not so.

However, I am still pretty mad at him, because he said that he and his colleagues sat in the front row and eyed all these girls who took off their clothes while dancing on the stage.

What really infuriated me was that, apparently, the main item of the show was a sort of 'lesbian display' between two beautiful women who stood there stark naked and kissed each other - and then did all sorts of rude things to each other's bodies. There was also some oral 'sex kissing'.

He said that all his colleagues got very excited by this. But he claimed to have just 'appreciated the artistic side of it'. I asked him if he was trying to be funny! Then I locked myself in the bedroom for a few hours, and refused to speak to him.

Doc, I would like to ask your advice on this matter. Why do men go and look at naked women performing sexual acts on each other? And why on earth did my husband go along with this? After all, he could have got up and walked out.

Finally, do you think he achieved sexual excitement from such a gross and indecent spectacle?

Answer: 

I am sorry that you got so mad about this. Obviously, you are very upset about the idea of your spouse watching a lesbian show - and (worse still) perhaps getting excited about it!

In recent years, the historic and beautiful city of Prague has become famous for this sort of stage show. Large parties of men (and some women) go to watch.

I have stated in this column before that when you have a group of men who are away from home together, there is a certain 'peer pressure' which makes them feel that they have to join in with what is going on. So it probably would have been difficult for your husband to have walked away from the rest of his group. He was in a foreign city, where he presumably did not speak the language, so it might have been difficult for him to get back to his hotel.

Now you ask me whether he 'achieved sexual excitement' while watching those lesbian frolics. Well, I have to admit that it is quite possible. But my advice to you is not to pursue such questions as to whether he got an erection or not. I think discussing that would only cause trouble.

As you rightly suggest, it is curious that so many men do get excited by the idea of lesbianism between very attractive women. No one has ever come up with a very satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon. At the moment, Google has 600,000 websites which attempt to explain it!

Personally, I cannot provide an answer. But perhaps it may be with the well-known male belief that 'four breasts must be even better than two'.

Anyway, I think we must just accept that your husband and his colleagues went to this silly show together. Nothing will change that, but I hope that he won't do it again, in view of the distress which he knows it has caused you.

But there is one good thing to concentrate on. As far as we know, your husband did not have sex with any of the women afterwards and that, at least, is something to be grateful for.

ENDS

Some quick stereotypes comes to mind for example:

Why do straight men like lesbians as friends?

Some like having women friends who will always be just friends

Some value diversity in their social circle

Why do straight men feel attracted to lesbians?

Straight men are attracted to women

Lesbians are women

Why do straight men specifically chase lesbians?

Some think lesbianism is a phase

Some think they can get any women they want

Some think their infatuation is enough to overcome her disinterest

Some think this is their ticket to a threesome

Keep talking folks.

also see:

Why do some lesbians or bi women like gay male porn?

Peace & tolerance

H

Gay “Cures” Are Harmful And Don’t Work, Says World’s Largest Body Of Psychiatrists

I hope folks such as Pastor Aaron Dumas see this; only days ago I posted my concerns regarding his disregard for the DSM and the suggesting to the public of restorative or reparative therapy in his weekly column; this news now could not have been more timely.

see more on that: 

There goes 'Tell me pastor' again pushing reparative suggestions to a bisexual woman

meanwhile:

The World Psychiatric Association has condemned so-called conversion therapy and called on governments around the world to decriminalise homosexuality.

The largest international organisation for psychiatrists is to publish a statement condemning conversion therapy as unscientific, unethical, ineffective, and harmful, BuzzFeed News can reveal.

In a wide-ranging call to reduce the stigmatisation, discrimination, and resulting worsened mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) will formally announce on Tuesday its opposition to any attempts to turn LGBT people heterosexual – known as “conversion therapy” or “reparative therapy”.

“There is no sound scientific evidence that innate sexual orientation can be changed,” says the WPA’s position statement, which has been supplied to BuzzFeed News.

“Furthermore, so-called treatments of homosexuality can create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination flourish, and they can be potentially harmful. The provision of any intervention purporting to ‘treat’ something that is not a disorder is wholly unethical.”

Although many psychiatric organisations in Western countries, such as the UK and the US, already publicly oppose conversion therapy, the WPA represents over 200,000 psychiatrists in over 118 countries, many of which criminalise homosexuality and, in some cases, condone attempts to “cure” it.

The WPA’s statement, which will likely be seen as controversial by many of its members, says: “A same-sex sexual orientation per se does not imply objective psychological dysfunction or impairment in judgement, stability, or vocational capabilities.” It continues: 

“[The WPA] acknowledges the lack of scientific efficacy of treatments that attempt to change sexual orientation and highlights the harm and adverse effects of such ‘therapies’.”

The WPA also calls on governments around the world to scrap laws against homosexuality:

“WPA supports the need to de-criminalise same-sex sexual orientation and behaviour and transgender gender identity, and to recognise LGBT rights to include human, civil, and political rights.”

But to reduce the suffering and mental ill-health experienced by a disproportionate number of LGBT people, governments and psychiatrists alike need to go much further than decriminalising homosexuality and banishing conversion therapy, the statement says:

“[The WPA also] supports anti-bullying legislation; anti-discrimination student, employment, and housing laws; immigration equality; equal age of consent laws; and hate crime laws providing enhanced criminal penalties for prejudice-motivated violence against LGBT people.”

It also cites research demonstrating that countries that liberalise laws around homosexuality – and provide equal legal treatment – see a resulting improvement in the mental health of their LGBT citizens.

And in a radical move that goes much further than its British or American counterparts, the WPA says psychiatrists have a duty to fight discrimination against LGBT people.

“Psychiatrists have a social responsibility to advocate for a reduction in social inequalities for all individuals, including inequalities related to gender identity and sexual orientation,” it says.

The WPA will publish the statement in full on Tuesday and email it to the heads of all member organisations shortly after.

full Buzzfeed article HERE

UPDATE:

See sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch for the full statement:

WPA Position Statement on Gender Identity and Same-Sex Orientation, Attraction, and Behaviours