Jamaican TV Stations TVJ and CVM Sued for Not Airing Ad Promoting Tolerance Towards Homosexuals

by Dionne Jackson Miller

Attorney-at-law Maurice Tomlinson has filed suit in the Supreme Court against Jamaican free-to-air television stations TVJ (the 1st Defendant) and CVM (the 2nd Defendant), claiming breach of his constitutional rights for refusing to air a Public Service Announcement (PSA) promoting tolerance towards homosexuals. He has asked the court to make declarations stating that by refusing to air the PSA the stations breached his constitutional rights. He is also asking the court to order the stations to air the ad, and has asked for damages.

This case, if it goes forward, will be an important test of the new Charter of Rights, and could be a significant test case for freedom of expression and the gay rights lobby.

In his court papers, Mr. Tomlinson says that homophobic laws, policies and attitudes throughout the region discourage homosexuals from seeking effective HIV prevention support and treatment.

Against that background, the PSA, dubbed “Love and Respect PA,” is said to be part of a campaign to promote tolerance for Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and homosexuals. The 30-second ad is described as depicting a man and his aunt, in which the man (played by Mr. Tomlinson) tells his aunt that he continues to try “to get Jamaicans to respect (his) human rights as a gay man.” The aunt tells the man that she loves him even though she does not know why he is gay.

The sections of the Charter of Rights on which Mr. Tomlinson is relying are as follows:

s. 13 (1) (c ) which states that all persons are under a responsibility to respect and uphold the rights of others recognized in this Chapter;

s. 13 (5) which states that the Charter binds natural or juristic persons if, and to the extent that, it is applicable, taking account of the nature of the right and the nature of any duty imposed by the right;

s. 13 (c) which sets out the right to freedom of expression;

s. 13 (d) which sets out the right to seek, receive, distribute or disseminate information, opinions and ideas through any media.

Photo by www.freedigitalphotos.net

The Claimant says that under the Charter, private entities as well as government have an obligation to protect the constitutional rights of citizens. He says TVJ and CVM therefore had a duty to respect his rights to freedom of expression and to seek, receive, distribute or disseminate information, opinions and ideas. He states that the companies should have aired the ad because:

airing a paid advertisement with public interest content can be described as a public function;
the broadcasting licences which the state granted to the companies place an obligation on them to operate in the public interest;

it is in the public interest that MSM are free to receive and distribute information to enhance public awareness about homosexuality and the national HIV response;

TVJ and CVM operate Jamaica’s major TV stations, and therefore have “immense power over the information, opinion and ideas that are disseminated and distributed to the public;”

free speech is guaranteed not only to media owners and workers but also to members of the public who wish to use the media to share their views,

the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech can be enforced against private media owners since they control mass media and provide a service under a government license.

Mr. Tomlinson says there was no justification for refusing to air the ad as the Broadcasting Commission had stated in writing that the ad did not breach any broadcasting regulations. By not airing the PSA, therefore, he says that the stations abused their “power over the dissemination and distribution of ideas and opinions via television.”

ENDS

NB: Miss Jackson is employed to the the TVJ or RJR Communications group.

Here is the video:

Like its predecessor the quality of the video in my eyes would not qualify to be run on a television station, also see Big Blow to JFLAG ad from August 2011

Here is an older audio/podcast I had done that time as well:

here is the older ad which was far better in production value.

Here is the second problematic ad with the "High Coloured" folks who many LGBTians rejected as spokespersons supposedly on our behalf.

You decide

Meanwhile AIDSFREEWORLD cries fowl but why are they taking on this and where is JFLAG are some of the questions being asked as this unexpected ball from left field now comes, some say it's a diversion from the homeless msms issues, I tend to agree as the men are still out on the streets despite a recent media interview saying a shelter will be open. 

AFW claims the following:

Crippling homophobia drives gay Jamaicans underground, away from HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support interventions. It also prevents the government from properly targeting HIV services to the population most at risk. This contributes to a vastly disproportionate HIV prevalence among Jamaican men who have sex with men (MSM) of 32.9% as against 1.6% in the general population. An effective way to end homophobia is to provide positive images of Jamaican MSM in national media. AIDS-Free World therefore produced an advertisement aimed at increasing tolerance for Jamaican MSM, however the two major television stations have effectively refused to air it. By supporting this case AIDS-Free World will demonstrate how to respond creatively to debilitating homophobia and help to end the stigmatization and discrimination against gays which contribute to the HIV epidemic.

see more HERE

I say BULLSHIT if JFLAG, Jamaica AIDS Support through its GLABCOM(gay, lesbian, bisexual community) programs and others were doing their work over the 14+ years on the ground, listening to the various committees set up that dealt with among other things homelessness and providing leadership we would not be here today, Mr Tomlinson was once a board member of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life the once leading private entity reaching MSMs and others now it has been relegated to a mere struggling NGO hobbling behind the ministry of health's HIV programs as funded by Global Fund while he attached himself to foreign groups, MSMs are also now being reached by some four other non LGBT agencies I might add with HIV prevention as part of their outreach yet AFW continues to use old programmatic narratives to make itself relevant when the legal advisor himself does not reside here nor is he in actual touch which these said marginalized men on whose behalf of which he so eloquently writes and speaks. 

This is NOT the first time we have seen Mr Tomlinson using old programmatic language to try to justify things, this newcast on CVM TV in August of the eviction of the homeless men from Cargill Ave had condoms displayed by the movers at 1:06 yet in a subsequent interview on the same station after he said gay men do not have access to condoms, so how did these men get condoms eh?
check this podcast for more:

Hypocrisy here folks and "activists" as it were filling the vaccuum left by a sadly gullible LGBT community who may not speak out directly on issues and who fall for hero worship of narcissistic individuals.

also see from last year: Jamaicans weigh in on rejection of gay ad ......

In the previous ad fiasco unsolicited advise was given from an expert from the Caribbean Institute of media and Communication, CARIMAC 

in the form of Dr Livingston White and also a representative from Women's Media Watch, see Settle the Score on CVM TV's Live @ 7 (26.08.11)...the JFLAG ad campaign

Also hear my commentary on recent disturbing displacements etc:

Peace and tolerance

H

LGBT History Month: Allies & Friends Posthumous Recognition 2012

Remembering an ally Shawn or Sean Macfarlane who was taken from us in questionable circumstances, here is the Gleaner article that carried the story:

Former House Orderly Killed

THIRTY-EIGHT-year-old Sean Anthony McFarlane, a former orderly and records clerk in the Houses of Parliament, was brutally slain recently.

McFarlane, who spent some 13 years working in the legislature, was severely chopped all over his body at his home in Greater Portmore.

The Gleaner has learnt that the former parliamentary records clerk was apparently killed by persons known to him. However, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) was unable to confirm this.

Reports from the CCN are that residents in the community heard loud noises coming from McFarlane's home on October 3 last month.

According to the CCN, two men were reportedly seen running towards a white Honda Civic motor car and sped off.

McFarlane's body was found in his house with multiple chop wounds.

The Gleaner has been informed that at least three teenagers have been held in connection with McFarlane's killing, but the police could not confirm this yesterday.

A senior parliamentarian told The Gleaner yesterday that he was aware of the killing of the former parliamentary worker.

He, however, pointed out that the House did not acknowledge his untimely passing during its sitting because the tradition was for tributes to be paid only to former parliamentarians.

The legislator indicated that condolences had been made by the staff of Parliament to McFarlane's family.

ENDS

He contributed in his own way during his life to the community though indiretly but importantly non the less as a key ally in the Parliment's library he was instrumental in providing us and directing us to hansard notes on key bills.

Older bills laid on the house floor and which were hard to come by in days gone by long before there was a parliamentary website and even then the public had to wait inordinate periods to see key public materials, Shawn was always ready to assist my requests and that of other organizations who wanted to have vital debates and white/green papers sometimes that were tabled on our house floor. He was key in gathering the notes on the Sexual Offences Bills when they were debated and amended and also the problematic Charter of Rights Bills and associated hansard notes especially the presentation by Hyacinth  Bennett at the time.

He was also a loyal friend although he laid low and out of sight to avoid being labelled as gay seeing he was married with two beautiful children.

Another unsung hero and one who served though quietly but importantly.

Peace and tolerance

H

Current Legal Cases Challenging the Criminalisation of Homosexuality Supported by the Human Dignity Trust

Belize: A Constitutional Challenge to the Laws Criminalizing Homosexuality in Belize

The Trust is involved in proceedings brought in Belize by Mr Caleb Orozco. At a regional consultation convened by the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) in Montego Bay, Jamaica 28 August 2011 under the PANCAP Global Fund Project, leaders from more than 20 Caribbean organisations representing the LGBT community and other human rights entities unanimously voted to support their Belizean counterparts in the legal challenge.

The Trust is appearing as an interested party in the proceedings, along with the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (“CLA”) and the International Commission of Jurists (“ICJ”) and is providing submissions focusing on international and comparative law. Each organisation is appearing as an interested party with the consent of Mr Orozco, UNIBAM, and their legal representatives. The Trust, the CLA and the ICJ are represented pro bono by Godfrey Smith, the former Attorney General of Belize, Lord Goldsmith QC, as well as Lord Goldsmith’s firm and one of the Human Dignity Trust’s legal panel members, Debevoise Plimpton LLP, Tim Otty QC (Chairman of the Trust) and Allison Jernow (Senior Legal Advisor at ICJ).

Northern Cyprus: Petition before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)

The Trust has lodged a case before the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of an anonymous applicant supported by the local LGBTI organisation, Queer Cyprus (formerlyHomofobiye Karsi Inisiyatif (Initiative Against Homophobia)). The Trust is working with a Northern Cypriot lawyer, Oncel Polili, and is supported by Taylor Wessing from our Legal Panel. Nigel Pleming QC (39 Essex Street) and Tom Mountford (Blackstone Chambers) are counsel. Jonathan Cooper, the Human Dignity Trust's chief executive, was interviewed about this case on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Monday, 6th February. Read press release here

Jamaica: Petition before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)

The Trust has lodged a petition on behalf of Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) and Mr Gareth Henry (a founder member of J-FLAG) before the IACHR in order to seek (without limitation) a declaration from the Commission to the effect that the maintenance and enforcement of certain laws by Jamaica in relation to private consensual sexual conduct by adult males breach Jamaica’s obligations under international law, and specifically under the American Convention on Human Rights and the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, and that Jamaica has otherwise failed in its duty to protect the rights and well-being of its homosexual citizens, in violation of those obligations.

The Trust is providing support to the petitioners. Edward Fitzgerald QC and Douglas Mendes SC are counsel. Litigation support is being provided by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, a member of the Trust’s legal panel.

There is also a meeting scheduled in London as per invitation:

Please join the Human Dignity Trust for a drinks reception, kindly hosted by Doughty Street Chambers, which will be an opportunity to meet LBGT rights campaigners from Jamaica.

The Human Dignity Trust, as lawyers for two petitioners (Gareth Henry and human rights group J-FLAG), has brought a case before the IACHR in Washington which argues that the very existence of anti-homosexuality laws in Jamaica leads to persecution based on sexual orientation.

Please come and show your support.

Venue

Doughty Street Chambers, 54 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS
www.doughtystreet.co.uk/about_chambers/contact_us/location_map.cfm

Time

6:00pm – 8:00pm, Wednesday, 17th October 2012

Please RSVP to Chris Atkinson  administrator@humandignitytrust.org

Coming Out for A Trans Person ..........

Parts of this post with suggestions are taken from leading trans ally and African American activist/blogger Monica Roberts' blog and from my other blog on Wordpress

here is my short two cents on coming out:

also see from Gay Jamaica Watch: Coming out (or outed) 

With today being Coming Out Day, you'll see ceremonies and events all over the country that will be primarily focused on the LGB end of the community rainbow. For the trans end of the spectrum, coming out has a different twist to it.

When people come out as lesbian, bi or gay, they are still the son or daughter that their parents brought home from the hospital that day. But when you come out as trans, it means that's akin to a death in the family.

The child they once knew will eventually be morphing into an outward gender presentation different from the one they brought home from the hospital. Those parents will have to get used to that morphed body over time just as it took the trans person involved a certain amount of years to come to grips with the reality they are trans.

.

From the moment of that declaration that we are trans, we are going from zero to femininity or masculinity and begin the process of having to navigate all the societal baggage that particular desired gender role comes with while unlearning it from the birth gender role.

We trans people are the only part of the rainbow community that have to pay for the privilege of being ourselves. In addition to having to go through medical and surgical intervention, there's also wading through the paper trail we have piled up and changing those identity documents to reflect who we are now.

I don't want to underestimate how liberating it is for a trans person to come out to family, friends and allies. It does wonders to lift the burden of carrying that tremendous secret off our psyches so we can begin to openly and honestly live our lives.

But a dose of reality as you make this life changing decision, especially if you're planning to do so under the euphoric environment of National Coming Out Day.

If you're a trans person of color, it's even tougher to come out and I understand that reticence to do so. When we average two transwomen of color killed every month, 70% of the names we read during every Transgender Day of Remembrance are Black and Latina, and we have the unwoman meme and disrespect hurled at us on a regular basis, it's enough to make you pause.

 

Unlike our white counterparts, we transpeople of color don't have the long established support groups or organizations that are fluent in our culture, backgrounds and needs.

We've only started getting the attention we deserved in the tail end of the last decade. The Trans Persons of Color Coalition was founded in 2010, and we still have to fight tooth and nail just to get any kind of positive visibility or media attention for our role models and our issues.

Coming out for trans people of all ethnicities is tempered with the knowledge that we still have a long way to go to achieve trans human rights in this country We still have a lot of education we have to do even with recalcitrant hardheads in our rainbow family and within trans circles about what being trans is. 

But as I've discovered ever since I began my own transition in 1993, my life not only began when I did so and got comfortable in my own skin, my family expanded. We have a proud history that is still unfolding every day. I have out and proud trans brothers and sisters all over the world now. I have trans elders who are eager to pass down their hard won knowledge to me so I can do the same for you. I love the fascinating journey of discovery I've been on.

And I'm proud to be an African descended #girllikeus. That outweighs whatever negatives connected with our coming out decision.

But to get to the point where I, Janet Mock, Isis King, Kylar Broadus and countless other trans brothers and transsisters are, the first step is coming out and living your life openly and honestly. You need to not only do so for yourself when you feel comfortable and confident in yourself to do so, frankly the trans community needs you to do so as well.

The rest of being trans we can deal with one day at a time..

ENDS 

Before you come out:

I think it’s important to start with thinking about the purpose of your communication, and that is just to come out to them, to come out of hiding and let them know who you are and what you’ve been struggling with. I’m making the assumption that you also wish to remain as close as possible to your family, and be accepted and hopefully supported by them in the future.

There’s also the question of if you should come out at all. If you are dependent on your parents/family (under 18, or if they are paying for college, etc…) then you need to think of the very real possibility of their cutting you out or off. The last thing you want to be is a homeless transgendered youth. If this is the case, then it may be wiser to spend some time finding and getting support before proceeding.

If you decide that the time is right and it’s safe to come out to them then…

The Vehicle:

My experience has been with Transgendered clients, that a letter works best. The letter has several advantages over face to face communications.

You get to take your time and think about what to say and word it perfectly.

You can have a friend, therapist or supportive person read it over first and give you feedback.

You can’t be interrupted.

The recipient can go back and read it again and take their time with it.

Why a letter and not an email? Well, it’s more personal, email can be a little cold.

What to say:

I’m of the school of thought that you should just say it in your own words as clearly and plainly as possible. I think it can be good to also include the following:

Reassurance that you love them and want to remain connected and hope that they will be supportive.

Reassurance that this is not their “fault”.

A little bit about your struggle with gender over the years, your experience, coping, isolation, etc… (be specific! It will help them empathize with you)

A few recommendations of books, articles or support groups in their area and I recommend to ask them specifically not to respond right away, but to take some time (a week) before they respond. Let them sit with it. This will weed out any immediate bad response and let them cool down.

Just as you would tailor a cover letter for a job you may need to tailor your coming out letter for different family members. Your parents are two (or maybe more than two) separate people, invite them to respond individually.

What not to say:

No need to talk about specific long term plans/timetables or surgeries in your coming-out letter. Remember, the purpose of the letter is to let your family know that you are transgendered. Period. Future plans are better left for future communications. Why? Because just digesting the fact that one has a trans son/daughter/brother/sister is enough to begin with. Remember, you’ve had a lot of time to think about this and are ready to move ahead. They are just learning of this for the first time and need to absorb it. I think its ok to gently allude to the fact that changes might be coming in the future, but I wouldn’t go father than that in your first communication on this topic.

There is no need to go into the etiology of transsexualism here. There are too many conflicting theories biological and otherwise, and even if you knew the origin of your being transgendered, it wouldn’t change it.

Afterwards:

If you get a positive response that’s great! Otherwise stay calm, even if you get a negative first response. Give them time.

Don’t be reactive to a negative response. Be the adult (or if you don’t feel it, just pretend). Remember the long term goal is to have them be connected to you and supportive. Keep the long term goal in mind in all your communications with them.

It does happen sometimes that parents have a very negative response and even reject you outright. This can be very hurtful and disappointing. When this happens, again, don’t be reactive no matter how you feel. Keep the long term goal in mind. It’s easy to “write them off”, but ultimately unsatisfying if you want to have your family.

A few things to do with a negative reaction:

Communicate that you are open and ready to talk when they are,

Be empathic with their difficulty in accepting/understanding/assimilating this information. Understand that they need time and may have a religious/cultural basis of understanding that can’t be overcome quickly.

Express your wish and hope that it will change over time.

Ask what you can do to help them accept this?

Other Approaches:

You know your family best, so keep that in mind when crafting your coming out communication.

Here are some other perspectives on how to come out to your family:
coming out, hormone, surgery, and other letters
http://www.videojug.com/interview/how-to-come-out-to-your-family-and-friends-as-transgender video ‘How To Come Out To Your Family And Friends As Transgender’
http://www.hrc.org/issues/3455.htm
Article ‘Coming Out to Family as Transgender’ from The Human Rights Campaign
http://www.tsroadmap.com/family/index.html
Transsexual Road Map – Family issues

How To Come Out To Your Family And Friends As Transgender

Check out the "Coming Out" tab immediately below this post for previous entries on the subject.

Peace and tolerance and safe and cathartic coming out!!!!!!!!!!

H

  

Sexual Liberation, De-Criminalization Focus of Conference

By Jerome Stuart Nichols

Originally printed 10/11/2012 (Issue 2041 - Between The Lines News)

ANN ARBOR -

Living in the cushy Midwestern cocoon of Michigan has a way of making people blind to the struggles of those next door. With last week's Sex and Justice Conference, The University of Michigan not only opened eyes but also got tongues wagging in the right direction.

From Oct. 4-6, an assortment of legal experts, scholars, health advocates and concerned citizens joined together at U of M's Rackham School for Graduate Studies. Guests included David Frank from the University of California Irvine, Sean Strub of the Positive Justice Project and New York based Jamaican human rights activist and lawyer Maurice Tomlinson.

The conference focused on three central issues: sex offender registries, the criminalization of HIV and sex work.

Those topics were chosen because, according to SJC Conference organizer Trevor Hoppe, "Over 750,000 Americans are currently registered as sex offenders," he said in his opening speech.

"Sex workers are routinely prosecuted by the police and locked up in a hostile climate of criminalization. Allegations of sexual misconduct are regularly made to discredit not just powerful figures like Julian Assange but everyday people, like a high school teacher..."

Hoppe hoped that bringing together people from all corners of the intersection of sex and justice would give each topic a unique perspective. It was a bet that paid off.

"My goal was to spark a conversation about the ongoing and increasing trend towards punishing and criminalizing sex globally. That goal has certainly been met," he said.

Even before the event officially started, conversations began. While enjoying coffee and waiting for the opening plenary session's customary "Michigan time" adjustment, participants were clustered around the space excitedly sharing ideas. That energy and excitement carried over throughout the conference.

With such knowledgeable people participating in the conference, a vibrant colloquy is to be expected. But it was the participant's passion and raw exchange of emotion that really had an impact.

"I found myself near-tears on multiple occasions," Hoppe said. "Not just tears out of sheer horror from some of the stories that were shared about how people are being locked up and unjustly treated by the state, but also tears of awe in admiration of the courageous work people are doing to resist those efforts."



While organized to shine a light on and combat the austere judicial crackdown on sex around the world, there were also moments that brought hope.

In the opening plenary session, Deon Haywood of women's advocacy collective Women with a Vision shared the story of their triumph over Louisiana's anti-sex worker "Crimes Against Nature" statute. Grievously, it was one of few stories with a happy ending and would not have been possible without cooperation from the Center for Constitutional Rights.

"That work didn't just take guts, it took years of community mobilizing, savvy legal advocacy, and outreach to the community at large," Hoppe said. "I don't think anyone who attended 'Sex and Justice' could have walked away without being inspired by the hard work of folks like Deon Haywood and Alexis Agathocleous who will go down in history for courageously standing up for justice."

Moments after Deon's inspiring story, Maurice Tomlinson gave an overview of Jamaica's complex issues dealing with homosexuality.

He drew several plausible connections between the waning battle for LGBT rights in the U.S. and the rising tide of religious extremism and homophobia in Jamaica. This created an image much different than what's normally seen. It's a little-known and bleak reality but successfully illustrates the need for gatherings like the SJC.

Despite the academic skew of the conference, many people from outside the domain of sexuality also came to be a part of the conversation. For them, revelations - such as Tomlinson's - came as a shock.

Amy Wright-Olsen - who'd come to be enlightened - was among those who were affected by his story.

"...the talk about Jamaica, my god, that was horrifying," she said with an exasperated sigh and grim look of concern. "It seems so bad here sometimes and then you hear that and it's like, 'Wow.' Unfortunately, we have it good compared to other places."

Even though saddened, Wright-Olsen was still excited to be a part of the conference.

"It was a really cool opportunity to come to something like this that I wouldn't usually be able to go to and hear some fabulous speakers," she said.

Although there is no guarantee of a Sex & Justice Conference 2013, Hoppe is hopeful that there will be some event that could carry the torch and continue the conversation.

"The event has been a tremendous success - a landmark event that I hope will have lasting implications for the organizing around sex and justice in the future," he said.

"I sincerely hope there are future events in the vein of 'Sex and Justice' - there is more work to be done."

Breast Cancer Month: A Jamaican Lesbian's survival story ................

REPOST from GLBTQJA on Wordpress

(WARNING - some photos contained may be unsettling)

On the evening of October 19, 2011 at the now defunct Couture Oasis bar's Open Mic Open Soul Wednesday night discussions series we were asked to invoke the presence of a Jamaican same gender loving breast cancer survivor who from the moment she opened her presentation had all wondering if she was really going through this struggle and complications with this awful disease. The picture of doom and gloom mixed with uncertainty and doubt as often marketed with cancer victims of all sorts was clearly missing from this vibrant soul. Her resilience had audience members in awe and deep appreciation and other stories from the transfixed persons came flying out as well at some points leaving many in the small air conditioned room teary eyed.

   

 "Judy" as I shall call her for purposes of this post is in her late twenties or early thirties from as early as 2010 said she started to notice strange things happening with her right breast and especially at or around the nipple. There were leakages at some points with what appeared to be water and blood as the residue from it and this she thought was maybe she had scratched her nipple area. After seeing this for some time she decided to have a check up done but doing the tests including a mammogram nothing was found , she had repeated tests over time but still there was neither any lumps or any blots on her X-Ray results to indicate there was trouble or via self examination the few times she attempted them. It was not until a new doctor she consulted went further than just the breast itself and focused also by her underarm to her lymph-nodes and realised that her nodes had overgrown onto her breast tissue, it was then she was finally diagnosed on November 26, 2010 after repeated calls from the doctor's office up to her due checkup date that she had Breast carcinoma, For solid tumors, stages I-IV are actually defined in terms of a more detailed staging system called the "TNM" system. N classifies the amount of regional lymph node involvement. It is important to understand that only the lymph nodes draining the area of the primary tumor are considered in this classification. Involvement of distant lymph nodes is considered to be metastatic disease. 

The definition of just which lymph nodes are regional depends on the type of cancer. N0 means no lymph node involvement while N4 means extensive involvement. In general more extensive involvement means some combination of more nodes involved, greater enlargement of the involved nodes, and more distant (But still regional) node involvement. M: Metastasis M is either M0 if there are no metastases or M1 if there are metastases. As with the other system, the exact definitions for T and N are different for each different kind of cancer. As you can see, the TNM system is more precise than the I through IV system and certainly has a lot more categories. The two systems are actually related. The I through IV groupings are actually defined using the TNM system. For example, stage II non-small cell lung cancer means a T1 or T2 primary tumor with N1 lymph node involvement, and no metastases (M0).  

She was kind to provide me with some photos of the courses of treatment she underwent. 

(photos published with permission)

short time after surgery and stitching

 

Herceptin treatment course

day 1 of draining

 

day 2 of draining to remove excess liquid around the area

She took it in strides much to the surprise of her family, close friends and then partner while they in turn had great difficulty emotionally in dealing with the news, many were surprised how she was calm and in control which in the long run made the road to recovery easier for all in knowledge of her illness and drew on her strength. Her mother and father in particular were deeply affected by the news according to her. Surgery was the next move and in preparation for that she dove into attending as much entertainment gigs as possible just weeks before going under the knife then came the faithful day of December 9, 2010 where she underwent her single mastectomy and a new set of problems presented themselves almost from the get go post the breast removal, the LMA - Laryngeal mask airway was apparently absent during the session so she was not fully drained the remaining tissue area where the breast was before leaving the hospital, as in most surgeries of this nature there is the issue of liquid gathering around the area where the tissues were and she had to make repetitive visits to do the drainage procedures with some side effects such as numbness, pain from where the needles were implanted and some lethargy but the nurses and medical team again expressed surprise and some elation at how she took it, she was even considered as a model patient to others who were also doing their own courses of treatment. In April 1, 2011 she commenced chemotherapy as of course one of the first things to go was her hair but one wouldn't recognize that it was the fault of cancer or chemo but more just her natural style. 

Her personality superceeds all other underlined issues  thus helping her to cope. At this point economic factors to navigate the sessions presented themselves as she required 17 injected doses of a particular treatment known as Herceptin HER2 test to determine if your cancer is HER2-positive before taking Herceptin, as benefit has only been shown in patients whose tumors are HER2-positive and there was some concern about other side effects such as the hardening of her veins and repetitive phlebotomy exercises leaving her skin marked and difficult to find new areas to puncture. Worsening of low white blood cell counts to serious and life-threatening levels and associated fever were higher in patients taking Herceptin in combination with chemotherapy when compared with those who received chemotherapy alone. The likelihood that a patient will die from infection was similar among patients who received Herceptin and those who did not.  Herceptin treatment can also result in heart problems, including those without symptoms (such as reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (such as congestive heart failure). The risk and seriousness of these heart problems were highest in people who received both Herceptin and a certain type of chemotherapy (anthracycline). 

Because she was diagnosed with a form of Metastatic Breast Cancer here are some quick facts about the drug/treatment/side effects.

Metastatic Breast Cancer

Herceptin has 2 approved uses in metastatic breast cancer:

• Herceptin in combination with the chemotherapy drug Taxol^® (paclitaxel) is approved for the first line treatment of Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer
• Herceptin alone is approved for the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer in patients who have received one or more chemotherapy courses for metastatic disease

Taxol is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

Some Infusion Reactions include

• Some patients have had serious infusion reactions and lung problems; infusion reactions leading to death have been reported
• Symptoms usually happen during or within 24 hours of taking Herceptin
• Your infusion should be temporarily stopped if you experience shortness of breath or very low blood pressure
• Your doctor should monitor you until these symptoms completely go away
• Your doctor may have you completely stop Herceptin treatment if you have:
  • A severe allergic reaction
  • Swelling
  • Lung problems
  • Swelling of the lungs
  • Severe shortness of breath
• Infusion reaction symptoms consist of:

• Fever and chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Pain (in some cases at tumor sites)
• Headache

• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Very low blood pressure
• Rash
• Lack of energy and strength

One other issue she faced was her own constant movements during some of her sessions as this can auger negatively for any patient and can lead to punctured or damaged skin that may itch or get infected if not properly monitored. She now does her Herceptin treatment every three weeks and has subsidized the costs through insurance and other state healthcare benefits under the National Health Fund and some help from Jamaica Reach to Recovery. Treatment can run in the millions literally locally as her initial run was budgeted for over $2M. Her type of cancer as you may have gleaned is rare as her family history does not have many persons who have or had the disease, she was alone on this front. 

Four other members of the audience expressed their own stories of losing loved ones and are presently under pain from some sort of cancer, but mostly that of the breast, clearly there are issues of closure for some persons with cancer of any sort. Judy's case however is a testament to survival and proof that strong will and determination can help to overcome the odds, her sister who was present in the discussion paid testament to that as she said she sometimes draws strength from Judy even though it is Judy who is ailing and she still wonders how does she do it?. Applause rang from the audience and commendations as to how she dealt with the whole ordeal and for openly sharing the information the audience ended the session which was followed by the floor opened to poetry. 

Her mother was recently diagnosed with the disease as well unfortunately and other friends have been surrounding her with love and support.

God Bless Judy. 

Peace and tolerance 

 H

Jamaica Places third in Miss Gay Caribbean 2012 competition

Yes our representative this year in the Miss Gay Caribbean Detoxx Bústi-ae did us proud non the less and right in LGBT History Month at that as the show was held in New York recently in September, Miss Trinidad came in as first runner up while St Lucia won this year's competition which was hot from the get go. (see full video below)

Our girl was stunning!!!!!!! as shown below with shots courtesy of her Facebook page

This year we have been given a treat by the organizer as they have uploaded the full show for us overseas to see and judge for ourselves. I was not particularly pleased with some of the responses to our girl but overall we are there in the top three. Many persons said she was not "yard" enough and too American to bring off the local swag but she was ok for me and her fierceness was great in my view not to mention her makeup skills are awesome

Yeaaaahhhh

I was taken by her original interview and her bubbly personality as shown here:

Meanwhile here is a shot of the winner from St Lucia

Congrats to all the gurlz who entered. They really stepped up this year.

FIERCESS IS ALWAYS WELCOMED

Here is Miss St Lucia "December Snow" coverage in her home country:

Peace and tolerance

H

Another side of the homeless issue ..... a response to Safe House Project background

Since the outpouring of points of view since the last set of problems with the homeless msms in Kingston, the response from the previous Safe House Project 2009 and its genesis and also on the backdrop of the October 3, 2012 program on Television Jamaica(see below) TVJ one of the early participants and neighbours close to the challenges of the men's rowdy behaviour has expressed his side and on this blog I also welcome other points of view. It is good that the feelings are being aired out once and for all and not left pent up for future problems.

For some background see: 

Rowdy Gays Strike - J-FLAG Abandons Raucous Homosexuals Misbehaving In New Kingston

Here is the piece in response to 

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

I have been pondering this article for some time but given the happenings of the past two weeks, I decided now would be the ideal time to provide, hopefully, another perspective on the homeless MSM situation in New Kingston. Let me state upfront, my primary concern is that as a citizen of the area, one who just happens to be situated extremely close to the 'action' per se. I don't write this to debase anyone nor any group but just to present a neighbour's perspective.

I had hoped the former Executive Director of JASL would "say her piece" as well and now that she has--and I've read it--I just want to add a few things. This is important too because there are two very different opinions being slanted here and based on your (the reader's) persuasion, you're likely to believe one and nothing of the other. I have volunteered with JASL, particularly its GLABCOM Steering Committee, which, among other things, was tasked to deal with and come up with ideas for the LGBT community. I have never volunteered with J-FLAG but am very familiar with persons within its office.

The first thing to note is the most obvious: being a neighbour to the area in question means I witness a lot when both organizations (JFLAG & JASL) and various advocates are not there. Quite a lot happens that a lot of readers are not privy to and for too long I think that's been the case. I was there before, during and now after the rise and fall of both the ED and the housing project. I've been there during JFLAG's tenure of the handling of these MSMs. I've basically been there...

I'd like to start by giving my personal impression of the former ED. Our Steering Committee was very pleased when she was managing JASL finances as she was always willing to assist us and was at all meetings she needed to be. She was very attentive, bubbly personality and genuine. When she became ED there was a lot of celebration because it was felt that greater emphasis would be put on our specific tasks. GLABCOM, which was really just getting fully restarted thrived under her leadership.

After reading her recent blog post however I found it odd that GLABCOM was not mentioned once. It feels as if all the hours we spent dedicating our time to come up with solutions pales to the point of not even being recognized by her. She did not come up with the idea of a homeless shelter without assistance from us. Let me be clear on this point. We spent an entire Sunday once formulating so many ideas---a homeless shelter of sorts being one of them. We came up with a bank account idea, fund-raisers, personal grooming ideas, educational fairs, ect. In fact, one of the first meetings she held with these homeless guys came out of a meeting I had with three of them at a bus stop in New Kingston. I had passed them the morning going to work and saw them there en route back home. When I stopped to speak with them, they mentioned housing as a problem and that JASL (then run by the former ED) was not doing enough for them. When I asked if they had ever mentioned it before, the answer was "no". I went home the same night and saw the former ED before she left and mentioned it to her. She asked to see them and the very next day she did.

I mention this point to say that although it may have felt or been perceived that she was alone in the battle to start a homeless shelter, this was not so. Indeed, she was in the extraordinary Sunday meeting where we were looking at a rural area for the project. At no point was a city in the corporate area considered. What happened next caught virtually everyone off guard. A tenant moved out, leaving a vacancy that became filled by a housing project. Now, I understand the need to see an opportunity and move quickly but, here in the long run, the former ED must admit that this was very hasty planning. No neighbour was notified. I woke up on the Saturday after to a loud lawnmower noise by my window. When I opened the window, I asked the gentleman (who I know personally) what was happening, he simply said "we've moved in". That was the move in. So when she says in her post that she heard no vocal opposition I'm puzzled by what she means because if no one outside of herself and her organization didn't know about it, what was there to say?

When she finally gave us (the neighbours) answers as to what was happening, then the concerns came. She reassured us that it would all work out blah blah blah. Now, I had other concerns but as I am not a prying person, I let them slip. That was until the issues started to hit. For one, the mismanagement of the programme was immediate. I got entangled by way of a light bill that JASL's incompetent then-accountant---an idiot that the former ED allowed to harass me--paid my bill in error, causing the light to be shut off on the guys. JASL staff left the compound by latest 7pm, leaving these guys virtually on their own except for a type of house warden. The rules as far as I saw were iffy: no entertaining in the house but apparently outside was okay. No sex but yet the condom wrappers were always visible outside, where they were thrown. The loud, effeminate (pronounced too) behaviour and cross-dressing became all-consuming. This is a huge space where my other neighbour has a certain need for discretion aka heterosexual males.


I'm not saying that effort was not made: there were daily check-ins and prayer meetings. Visitors came and gave them stuff. The former ED was always present and willing to meet. But, she didnt recognize a few things. One, there was no real male presence within this structure. Two, she was too emotionally attached to the programme, so much so that a lot of men who ended up crammed in the space should not have been there in the first place. Three, she didn't learn the word "no" fast enough. The behaviour of the guys got increasingly worse and when we had meetings with them, what kept popping up was one maxim: they were being encouraged by her to think that their vulgarity was empowerment. Because, she only views things in a combative way, hence, the "gayness" of the advocacy must always be full-throttle...blinding all who come in contact. That, i dare say, has been her true legacy as ED of JASL, not the effort to start a homeless shelter. A lot of the subsequent issues that have arisen stem from that moment where she conditioned them in that thinking.


She barely gives three lines in her post on the behaviour of the guys. Let me be clear on this: in any social setting, the disgusting behaviour IS not and WILL NEVER be acceptable. What is this behaviour? Well, the lying. The stealing of stuff, personal and from both offices. My neighbour lost panties that she hung on the line. Even the very house rules were disregarded once JASL staff left. The loud, vulgar chatting that disturbed everybody. The proposing of any male that came on the compound, either for sex or money. I have male family members and friends that visit me whenever and it was always worrisome that they've be hit upon. This was a rinse and repeat cycle for the entire time the project was there. When I hear advocates say, "but it can be tweaked", I then ask, "then why wasn't it?" JASL does not own the compound nor resides on it solely, therefore it was always unfair for neighbours to be expected to tolerate this for a sustained period of time especially when the programme was flapping around headless towards the latter stage.

Did she get the funding support needed to keep it going? I don't know. Could it have continued? She knows the answers to that. All experiments either end or evolve...they're not conducted on love only. Was it a great idea? Yes, and she has my unending support on that point. Did she heed advice? A resounding no. She is hard-headed...one needs to be in this line of work but when even friendly voices are cautioning you, you must stop to pause. I felt she lost sight of everything: JASL became a place no one really wanted to go to anymore...young gay men--some very shady, were employed by her or simply hung out. She likes to have young, effeminate types around but she forgot that this was still a business. She, as told to me, stood by one and heard one famous shady kind say a lot of bad stuff about me and didn't show the very same leadership qualities that she accuses others of. She and her motley crew (including the dishonest accountant) started to avoid contact.

Now, I've never run an organization, so I can't imagine the immense pressure she came under. Let me make that clear. But leadership at times means accepting blame where blame is due or to acknowledge when you need another type of help. It also means putting in line those you seek to help. If she had put different mechanisms in place, things could have been different. If the leadership is weak-willed then of course failure will set it. She wanted reform but to hold their hand as if they had a choice in the matter. She needed to have less guys in the project...a three bedroom cannot support in excess of 20 individuals. A middle-class environment is not a ghetto yard. You cannot have a gay thug with a criminal record among other persons on a compound. You cannot continue to baby persons who walk around with knives and acid. You cannot have only at risk, unemployed guys present where working class types were being totally ignored.

For two years, this continued. To the gay-rights advocates out there willing to ignore the behaviour issue, I wonder how many of them would put up with it in their neighbourhoods? This "behaviour issue" continues because now that she opened their eyes to "empowerment", its a lost cause. She says she has had personal trauma, which is regrettable but m'aam, you've helped to leave us with onging personal trauma here too. This set of guys have turned on practically everyone who has tried to help them. I heard only this morning of a dear friend who they held up after threatening him with acid. You name the organization that helped, they've all stopped now...not because of homophobia as advocates love to say, but because of disgusting behaviour that advocates want to gloss over as if it is not real or pertinent. Even the former ED's bar had to stop the guys from coming there eventually! What does that say!

In my view, neither JASL nor JFLAG is perfect---and Lord knows I've cussed them daily for stuff but at the end of the day, they serve some purpose. Are they incompetent  I think some persons there are surely. Do they care about MSMs? They have to but JASL now especially isnt what it was 10 years ago. If anyone out there can do better then please come forward and show the way. If not then one has to work with the system. I've never seen JFLAG refuse entry to the guys here. In fact, it took a lot of complaining to get JFLAG to even partially admit that the status quo could not hold. It is dishonest of anyone to leave with an impression that neither organization has done NOTHING to help these guys. Maybe it has not done enough but that is something left to their conscience.

That's my say for now. If anything else needs to be added then I shall surely do so it the future.

Neighbour

also see: Some good news on the homeless front ..... guarded and waiting