Another LGBT Group launches with a mature lesbian focus ...........................

Another LGBT entity has joined the growing number of groups in Jamaica taking on more on the ground or frontline issues we hope making the number of such groups to 7 in my last count.

Aphrodite's Pride another lesbian focused entity with emphasis on bisexuality as well also celebrated its first year on February 14th as founded by Laura Garcia, Sheronette Mercurious and yours truly with other volunteers. Now comes a fellow blogger turned out lesbian Angeline Jackson with her charge head on to the issues, I wish her and her team all the best in their resolve. Have a read of a recent interview with her.

Angeline Jackson is a lesbian activist in Jamaica, one of 76 countries around the world where being gay is illegal. Last summer, she attended the Spirit of 76 meeting in Washington, D.C., where she came away inspired to do more for the LGBT community back home.

Jackson returned to Jamaica and founded Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ), which “recognizes that the concept of citizenship cannot be subjected to personal biases.”

Angeline Jackson speaks with SDGLN Contributor the Rev. Canon Albert Ogle about LGBT rights in Jamaica, what life is like for LGBT Jamaicans, and her vision for Quality of Citizenship Jamaica. She represents the next generation of LGBT activists in countries where life is dangerous for sexual minorities.

Albert Ogle: What was it like for you growing up in Jamaica knowing that to come out as a lesbian would instantly make you a criminal?

Recently while speaking with some students from Boston College, it dawned on me just how growing up as a lesbian in Jamaica has affected me. Being a lesbian isn’t criminalized in Jamaica, but so many other things happen. A few years ago I was sexually assaulted at gunpoint, an event which several other women had experienced. All of us had one thing in common: We were all same-gender-loving women; though it was never stated by the police or the court that the crimes were motivated by our orientation, I as well as the other women have come to that conclusion.

When I was younger, I suffered many periods of depression and states of suicidal tendencies, which resulted mostly in the development of cutting habits. When it seems as though the whole world is against you, you’re not considered a full citizen, and your country indirectly affirms that you aren’t deserving of being called a Jamaican or living freely in your home country. It really is a damaging feeling especially with no one to talk to. Unfortunately I still suffer states of depression.

Albert Ogle: What are the differences and similarities for gay men, gay women and transgender Jamaicans?

Gay men face more direct and regular instances of abuse, be it physical or verbal. Gay men also face greater discrimination in terms of employment, health care and housing.

Lesbians and bisexual women also face levels of stigma and discrimination. However for women, though, we face potential physical abuses, we are oftentimes more likely victims of sexual abuse, and employment discrimination in the form of coerced sexual favors for advancement in the workplace. Though J-FLAG attempts to collect information on this population, the statistics are, in my opinion, woefully incomplete.

Transgender persons also face discrimination; unfortunately the transgender community in Jamaica is not very visible and as such it is difficult to understand theirs situations.

It should be noted that though Jamaica has an anti-sodomy law on the books, which directly affects gay men, that same law is used as the basis for discrimination against the entire LGBT population, and there is no law that protects specifically on the basis of sexual orientation.

Albert Ogle: You attended the Spirit of 76 meeting in Washington last summer. How did that event help you and reshape your work in the LGBT community?

Attending the various meetings in Washington, D.C. during the summer 2012 showed me that many people were around the world supporting and working to help those of us in countries where homosexuality is illegal or where same-sex sexual activity is prohibited -- this became a reality in my mind for the first time. My meetings motivated me to be more active and more vocal in my work here at home, and gave me different perspectives and new ideas. I particularly remember one meeting, where the term “quality of citizenship” was used in speaking about the way lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender citizens of some countries are unworthy of being classified as full citizens.

Albert Ogle: Tell us about QCJ and what you hope it will grow into in the next five years?

The name Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ) came out of the meeting which I spoke about earlier. The idea for QCJ came out of the need for an organization which specifically works on issues surrounding lesbian, bisexual and other women who have sex with women. QCJ will primarily be a research and education organization with scope for further activity as it develops. QCJ recognizes citizenship as a legal status, defined by civil, political and social rights, and that by virtue of Chapter Two of the Jamaican Constitution, persons born in Jamaica and persons born outside Jamaica to Jamaican parents have an automatic right to Jamaican citizenship.

QCJ recognizes that the concept of citizenship cannot be subjected to personal biases; to blatantly deny a person or group of persons their citizenship would directly violate both international treaties and the Jamaican constitution. Though human rights is part of the concept of citizenship, it can be made subject to cultural biases as aptly illustrated in Jamaica by the Attorney General’s declaration that he has no intention of abiding by the Constitutional requirement to interpret human rights according to standards found in other free and democratic societies, stating that Human Rights will “not be interpreted by international human rights norms, but rather to use Jamaican situations to determine the extent of rights.” (“Human Rights, Sovereignty and the Politics of Truth,” Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, Jamaica, World Human Rights Day Symposium, Dec. 10, 2011).

Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ) is committed to improving the lives of young and aging lesbian, bisexual (LB), and other women who have sex with women (WSW). QCJ is also dedicated to working with LGBT youth. We aim to do this particularly through research into health issues, matters on sexuality, sexual violence, and sexual and reproductive health issues among our constituents. QCJ is steadfast in helping to create a health system that is responsive to the needs of the LB, WSW and general female population in Jamaica.

Our constituents are lesbian, bisexual (LB) and WSW youth (16-29) and the aging lesbian population (QCJ’s working definition of aging is 40 and older).

In the next five years I see QCJ as being the go to organization on issues of LB and WSWs within Jamaica and the Caribbean. I see QCJ providing the well needed statistical data on matters that touch and concern our constituents, training young leaders who understand themselves and who want to make the world a better place during their lifetime.

Albert Ogle: What role can religion play for good in the Jamaican situation for LGBT people?

Jamaica is a very religious society; arguably we are socialized in Christianity. Religion is one of the main driving forces behind the discrimination meted out to LGBT people, and our existing anti-sodomy laws. Religion which focuses on unity, love and tolerance can be good in the Jamaican situation. There are existing faith communities which focuses on these principles, these communities can speak up, with and for the LGBT Jamaican people. They would become a voice that does not currently exist and can help in shaping religion to play a good part for the situation of LGBT people in Jamaica.


Albert Ogle: How are you connected to other activists and organizations and what do you see as an underlying theme globally for all you are doing?

I must say, Jamaican Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays has agreed to be QCJ’s fiscal sponsor, per our request until we develop the capacity and no longer need that support. QCJ has been introduced to other local organizations all of whom has indicated a willingness to work with us; QCJ has also been introduced to Jamaican activists. Internationally I have begun informing activists I met during my visit to DC, and Bali, and also those who have visited Jamaica, about QCJ and how we may work together.

Albert Ogle: How can readers help you and QCJ achieve your goals this year?

QCJ is currently run by volunteers, and has a balance of $0. This year QCJ’s major goals are: to register as a non-profit organization under Jamaican law; participate in International Women’s Day; conduct an IDAHO event of a rainbow flash; and conduct two workshops, one with lesbian, bisexual (LB) and WSW youth, and one with the aging lesbian population.

Also, QCJ is in need of office stationary and marketing material. Finally, in our first year, QCJ would like to begin one of our pieces of researches into issues affecting our constituents. QCJ happily welcomes any and all donations, whether they are cash or kind donations, we also are happy with donations of time and online training.

More information on Quality of Citizenship Jamaica can be found on our website HERE.
I can be contacted at: ajackson@qcjm.org, qualitycitizenshipjamaica@gmail.com or 1-876-317-2227.

Cross-Dressers Not Deserving Of Sympathy? (Gleaner article)

The long standing issue to do with the homeless msm in New Kingston and its environs for almost four and a half years since the closure of the Safe House Pilot project in 2009/10 has been getting alot of attention again given the crackdown on the activities of the men after being accused of a vicious attack on a popular supermarket among other things.

Pity the author of the article is limiting his critique to just the realm of transvestism but there was some balance where he mentioned the welfare issues in some sense, this piece came after my podcast highlighting the actions taken by some of the owners of the lands who have hired guard dogs and armed security details to protect their lands now. The long awaited shelter that was banded about by JFLAG is not forthcoming and the agency along with their parent Jamaica AIDS Support for Life and all other tenants on the landspace have been given eviction notices as the property is said to have been sold.

here is the podcast as recorded February 23 after a visit to a section on New Kingston where the men congregate:

Here is the article however ...........

Robert Lalah wrote:

People living in the Golden Triangle area of St Andrew have been complaining about a rowdy band of gay men who congregate at an unoccupied house near Hopefield Avenue after hours and raise ruckus.

The police have had a hard time dealing with the noisy trespassers and struggle with balancing their duty to enforce the law, with their responsibility to protect offenders from being harmed in lock-up. After all, men who behave effeminately might not fare well among other detainees who tend to believe that lawbreaking should be done in a more manly way.

Recently, some unruly men had to be rescued by police when they were pounced upon by a group of people who were fed up with their girly gallivanting. Both The Gleaner and STAR ran striking photos the next day of the men dressed in women's wear.

Many people were shocked by these photos. It's not every day we see men dressed like this. And that they showed no embarrassment, even though this happened in the middle of the day in a heavily populated area, was alarming.

I wondered what would become of the men after the police took them away. It didn't appear that they were trespassing on property or breaking any other laws when they were cornered by the group, so they wouldn't be charged with anything. They apparently have no home, so taking them there wasn't an option. What were the police to do? Take them to Cross Roads and let them off? That would be a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

I guess the police know how to handle these situations.

Last week, I was out for a morning run in the area and passed by the house where the men used to gather. I noticed about five security guards with mean-looking dogs there. Not even the most emphatic heterosexual would dare trespass. Problem solved, I thought to myself.

But a few chains down the road, I was confronted with stark proof that the problem was, in fact, far from being solved. There's an empty lot near Vale Royal that's fenced off, even though there's nothing there but bush. As I passed by in the early morning, I glanced over, and, to my surprise, saw one of the men I'd seen in those photos. He had on the same clothes he did then and was walking through the bushes looking at the ground. I would have just continued running if the sheer sadness of the scene hadn't stilled my legs.

No difference

There was this man, this human being no different from you and I, walking around like a hungry dog searching for food. He looked more like a wild beast than a man. As the sun rose above him, he looked up and saw me staring. He stuck out his hand as if to ask for money and I gestured that I had none to give. With that, he shrugged and went back to walking around looking at the ground.

I've been bothered by that moment since then. Why didn't I help him? I had a few hundred dollars with me and could have spared it. I felt ashamed when I got back home because I knew that my own selfish pride got in my way of helping someone desperately in need.

I didn't want to engage with this man dressed in women's clothes or risk being seen giving him money, and that stunted my instinct to help. I know that if he hadn't been dressed in women's clothes, I'd have given him the money. The fact that I didn't, because of his appearance, is wrong.

In that moment, I had the opportunity to be the change all of us want to see in Jamaica. Every day people write letters to the editor and phone call-in programmes saying they want a better country. Aside from grand economic and social strategies, the way we achieve this is by changing the way we relate to each other in our everyday interactions. I let pride and selfishness influence my conduct with a fellow Jamaican, and that will get us nowhere.

I've been back to the area, seeking to right this wrong, but now there's a sign on the fence stating that the property is protected by a guard and attack dog. Another 'problem solved' for a landowner.

The man I saw there has moved on and will face discrimination and hatred from all corners. My hope is that somewhere along the line, he'll meet up with someone whose willingness to help won't be compromised by selfish concerns. People like that have the power to make this country better.

Robert Lalah, associate editor - features, is author of the popular Tuesday feature, 'Roving with Lalah'. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com

also see: 

Street MSM stone JFLAG's Office

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

Interfaith treats homeless msm in St Catherine (December 2012)

Homeless MSM make news again for all the wrong reasons

Certainly persons like myself and others who were part of the various consultations and groups such as GLABCOM who in years in the making came to set up the previous Safe House that was closed under dubious circumstances feel so hurt how things have played out, the least amongst us are just that it seems "THE LEAST" but hope remains while company is true however as persons are seeking other ways to deal with this once and for all excluding the politics that makes advocacy in this country. The other populations outside of Kingston due to their docile nature and introverted mannerisms however are not mentioned for any interventions for a shelter of at the very least street based frontline work, I guess we always have to wait until one of us dies or is badly beaten or attacked for them to be used as a public relations magnet to the issue.

Prevention is better than cure I say.

UPDATE MARCH 8

A Clovis cartoon from the Jamaica Observer depicting the supermarket drama some time ago which highlights the continued belittling of the group of homeless men.

Peace and tolerance

H