'Don't come back here' - Maxfield residents warn gay man after publicized eviction (Star News)

Sadly as we watch with sadness the plight of our homeless brothers (and sisters in transwomanhood) play out before our eyes for over four years with very little care from the more well to do amongst us, what hypocrisy that we are asking the nation for tolerance towards homosexuals but fail to demonstrably show it with the least amongst us that it has to reach this stage. Let us not forget it was August last year we saw a similar eviction on Cargill Avenue as well but first here is the Star News Account of the happenings within the last two days and my comments and links to other blog posts on the subject matter.

The house from where the gay men were evicted on Millsborough Avenue, St Andrew, being demolished yesterday. - Norman Grindley

Residents of a Maxfield Avenue community and relatives of a self-professed gay man who appeared in a newscast during an eviction on Wednesday say he is no longer welcomed in the area where he grew up.

The residents are adamant that it will be "hell and powder house" if he is seen anywhere near the place he once called home. They say he has brought disgrace and condemnation on the community.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the Kingston 13 community yesterday, the major talking point was Wednesday evening's operation by the security forces to evict a group of approximately 16 gay men from a property on Millsborough Avenue, upper St Andrew.

"Bout him a tell people say a Maxfield him come from and him can't go back home ... Bout him name 'Rihanna' and sometime dem call him 'Ginger'. Him better find some weh go, not even him family dem want it back round ya, him bait up di place," one resident said. "A garrison this enuh and dem ting deh jus' a hold down the community ... "

similar sentiments

THE WEEKEND STAR was told also that a crowd had converged after the showing of the local news, and everyone shared similar sentiments about their resentment for 'Rihanna' coming back there.

A woman said: "That not right fi him come back here because we don't support dem lifestyle deh. I have my little son living here and I don't want him to grow up thinking it's ok for boys to behave in that manner".

It was revealed that Rihanna's father is a well known community figure serving time in prison, but who disapproves of his son's homosexual lifestyle.

"Him fada deh a prison how long and send message to him say when him come out what and what him ago do to him and him mek back talk say him fada can't do him nothing and anything a anything if a gunshot a gunshot," a source said.

Rihanna is heavily bleached and dressed in a pair of black fishnet stockings. He wore false eyelashes and was clad in a woman's wig. He told reporters that his cover was blown unexpectedly.

Meanwhile, the abandoned house in the upscale community which was being occupied by the men was demolished yesterday.

ENDS

More on video:

more on Gay Jamaica Watch (subject to updates)

Kingston’s Homeless MSM challenges scream for proper attention

The Public’s separation of homo-negativity and homeless LGBT welfare issues

Anal sex does not complete us as male homosexuals

After hearing of my premature demise on Facebook by someone who started a rumour that I was deceased by drowning when in fact it was someone else and my apparent lack of status messages/posts updates for some days after made busy doing some work out of town and also tracking the eviction of the homeless men from the Millsborough house in Barbican this time around in recent days I had to listen to a stupid discussion on a radio show on one of those new radio stations that are popping up on the Jamaican radio frequencies in recent times. I may have to send an edited version of this post to the station in question; I doubt they would respond as usual when other stations are contacted from previous similar rhetoric by their respective hosts and programmes. The topic I eventually surmised was about homosexuality in Jamaica as I missed the introduction but some stupid questions were asked by the hosts who clearly were ignorant to the facts of the legal challenges now in sway and that in fact homosexuality is not illegal but an aspect of sexual play as practiced by most men who engage in penetrative activity otherwise called buggery; although there are some men who do not always engage in such sexual play or even find same repulsive believe it or not yet everyone else readily associates anal sex with male homosexuality right off the bat, in fact it is not the way we have sex only that determines our orientation so the notion that lesbians and gays ate about sex twenty for seven is a foolish one or that we are more oversexed that anyone else. If the questions posed were really a genuine search for truth or enlightenment I would not have needed to write this entry but clearly the effort by the hosts was to set up the scenario so to later on present their ignorance and hate masked as something else.

Different relationship types of course will have differing ways of sexual expression; take for example more exploitive gay hook-ups that are purely physical (including substitutional sex in prisons or similar institutions or behavioural bisexuality which are for the most part outside of the realm of sexual abuse although aspects of them may be found in individual cases) those hook-ups usually have no emotional connection between the parties so it amounts to animalistic release or pure eroticism where in some instances there is a reward at the end or not as in the case of an outdoor cruiser or just a man looking for a one night stand. Same sex urges are usually felt way before the actual settling into ones comfort zone sexually speaking where practices are perfected based on ones likes or dislikes or situation at the given time; a married man for example who had to marry into a hetero-normative relationship construct to deflect scrutiny from his family or friends or for upward social mobility is not going to necessarily have a full same sexed romantic liaison outside of his marriage as that may cause problems with his straight spouse especially owing to the fact that he will not disclose unless some extra ordinary event that exposes such hidden information which calls into question trust, deception and reasons for the cover up. Persons are surprised at times to find that there are monogamous unions lasting for years in some cases which are stable and fulfilling for the parties involved the converse is true that there are promiscuous homosexuals but that does not exclude that promiscuity is present in heterosexual relations as well or some persons have convenient amnesia when critiquing perceived aspects of homosexual life due to their limited scope.

Sexual orientation is where it all starts usually from as early as aged four or five prior to acting on urges but when one hears some of the garbage coming from uninformed radio talk show hosts who because they have a microphone misuse such privileges and play to the ignorance by reinforcing falsehoods and misnomers. It would have done the hosts last night on that show to also have on the panel a member of the LGBT community to dispel some of the speculation of such oriented persons but nooooooo it is easier to continue to perpetuate the misnomers as it sends radio ratings and listenership up and sadly many in the modern world of information at our fingertips still subscribe to the homo-negative constructs. The fallacy as perpetrated by American groups such as NARTH were used in the radio show which postured that gay persons for example lack a father figure hence their desire to have same sex relations to compensate for that loss or correspondingly that lesbians also lack such father figure so they make up for it by wearing men’s clothes; I cannot believe that in our modern world persons still subscribe to this belief then what would explain the more feminine sisters who are same gender lovers? As if those persons who displays non typical gender expression are abnormal or are out to get everyone else who are supposedly “normal” into some loop.

There are those also who are very circumspect about their sex lives and by extension partners and have deeper non sexual intimate connections with other same gender lovers prior to any full commitment sexually or otherwise yet the veracious sexual appetite is the overarching belief that we are about just by virtue of the fact of being gay. We hear that same belief coming through repeatedly from the anti gay religious right movement when they describe their opposition to the “gay lifestyle” yet they stay clear of using or recognising sexual orientation as their claim is there is no definitive evidence that homosexuality is innate; with side lining sexual orientation they feel justified in applying the homo-paedophile construct to male homosexuality so as to push the protection of the vulnerable imperative, such protections are indeed needed but not at the expense of hatred towards a group that they and others do not understand. LGBT people are not just about sex and how we have it especially transgender folk who in some cases are asexual (not interested in sexual contact or arousal) or demisxeual (sexual arousal comes after prolonged social contact with another party) Transgender persons are not comfortable with their biological sex versus their brain sex in other words they feel they are born in the wrong body hence sexual interest can be impaired for some persons who are so disposed as they have a hard time living their own truth. The continued conflation of same gender sex and abuse is also a major factor that has led to the hardened positions by some religious anti gay voices but it is worth repeating sexual abuse is abuse and the perceived orientation of the perpetrator is immaterial as any adult who has any form of sexual attraction to a children or prepubescent persons that attraction is a diagnosable disorder, homosexuality on the other hand is not a disorder and cannot be diagnosed or treated as such. Homosexuality was long removed from the diagnostic criteria for sexual disorders way back in 1973 yet if we follow some of these religious psychologists and anti gay voices they want to overlook the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, DSM which delineates the criteria for such disorders and how they ought to be addressed.

The recent episode of misinformation gone un-rebutted as has happened repeatedly over the years shows that the public education campaigns from a LGBT standpoint are woefully lacking and need urgent sprucing up but where are the corresponding changes from the lobby to meet the changing issues over the years and the leadership to guide such is the fundamental question to ask; given the times we are in with legal challenges, high visibility of advocates one would have thought that the corresponding informative campaigns would flow but such is the limp wristedness that continues hence the unneeded heat that can be tempered with strategic informational materials.

We are professionals, your brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, uncles, daughters, aunts, fathers, mothers and cousins plus extended family in other arrangement how we have sex though an integral piece of the legal aspects of the struggle that in decriminalizing buggery and consent tiered with privacy that is not only what we are about, problem is too that the lobby over years have not highlighted the humanistic side of LGBT life and more so narrowed the agitation to anal sex/buggery law repeal or decriminalization and by extension HIV prevention in the men who have sex with men category especially hence the perception in some sense that it is a gay disease hence the disease control prevention imperative by the anti gay groups and voices in a kind of provision of ammunition for their opposition. The holistic presentation of LGBT people has to be the centrepiece of the thrust not just from individual voices which is good but that does not show a true picture of the mix of persons that exist under the LGBT umbrella. Persons need to stop seeing us as how we have sex but appreciate that we are persons too and the only difference is orientation, besides why should how persons choose to express themselves sexually in a private space bother anyone?

Homosexuality – a biological reality

Homo (negativity) phobia – a learned vice

Peace and tolerance

H

More forced evictions reported for 2013

With regret I find myself having to pen another post on matters such as these the trouble is often times when scenarios are presented to me or other influentials in the community circle they are hard to verify especially given the mobility issues attached and the refusal at times also by the alleged victims involved to either formally report their cases to the relevant authorities or discuss their challenges with someone towards some networking or solution somehow or provide proof that what has been reported is actually so. The under reporting of such matters creates the impression that there are lesser incidents occurring in the end which may lead to a false sense of security yet older more experienced parties and advocates indeed community influentials know that when there is high visibility of LGBT matters or the agitation strategy becomes more aggressive there is usually a corresponding spike in the homo-negative and homophobic cases on the ground and that includes same gender loving women facing previously lesser backlash then doing meeting those. The other side of under reporting is the same gender loving female challenge where women especially those who face sexual assault or corrective rape (several of those this year thus far) deliberate under reporting is needed in some sense as the sensitivities involved with the clients a public report or blog entry too close to the time of the trauma may be deemed inappropriate and a victim may also see such report and relive the ghastly episode mentally all over again so care must be taken in sharing such data and the timing in such. But under reporting from a client perspective due to mistrust of the systems involved and a male dominated advocacy where abused women do not necessarily want to retell their story to a man.

With the increase mobilizing efforts of the sections of the anti gay religious communities in response to several legal challenges in the courts pending and the messages of martyrdom as if those are to somehow scare the agitators into silence secular or non Christian populations have been also taking the Leviticus line of course in their condemnatory biblical wisdom to pass judgements on suspected LGBT persons, what is also becoming apparent is the class divide that the homo-negative streak is taking one such forced eviction matter was brought to my attention via Facebook in a detailed account by a young man whose family is quite well off but his father suddenly decided to take an investigative approach towards his son’s apparent lack of a female romantic interest and his mode of dress as well. Aesthetic components as markers seem to be making a comeback despite the “metrosexual revolution” as seen in masculine dress as the taboos once so rigidly enforced were broken down, case in point sagging or pants at the hips complete with boxers or buttocks exposed and what appearing to be unisexual shirts and T-shirts. So despite all those general changes and a relaxation of taboos persons are still being judged by certain markers as part and parcel for justification for stigma and discrimination.

What does this reflect?

I think that the false sense of tolerance we have aided and abetted by studies endorsed by LGBT groups is in some way a misnomer, on one hand we have some tolerance in terms of visibility and more affluent individuals being open and coming out thanks especially to social media and exposure sometimes in real time to matters surrounding LGBT life but on the other hand pressure is still being brought to bear on some LGBTians not so fortunate to be insulated by class and privilege, that does not exclude such persons however to be victims of stigma as well but it tends to present itself in loss of material wealth, standing and privileges seeing those are the markers for acceptance and supposed love. For instance a forced eviction scenario maybe limited to boundaries set on a property or the family home, removal from a will, reduced trust fund or other financial instruments by one or both parents or family members, subtle ostracism in the home which can have disastrous consequences psychologically. Those not so harsh in their initial feel when enacted can be most egregious for the parties involved and hence reports of attempted suicides (wrist slitting or pill overdose) depression and so on come through. Others are fortunate to migrate to other lands.

Do not for one minute feel all is well the problem is the under reporting either from embarrassment, shock and or helplessness and ignorance to the few avenues available for redress.

The conditional tolerance that abounds is only such until some public matter stir up emotions and that hidden, suppressed or buried homophobic or homo-negative construct is stoked and reawakened from the subconscious by the campaigns or public discourse on the matter of homosexuality or as in recent times the possible repeal of the buggery law. Homosexuals especially men have been viewed as weak, unable to defend themselves thus are a point of least resistance in society hence we are prime targets for abuse and stigma and despite high visibility of certain types of more privileged homosexuals the abuse and perceptions seem intact none the less added to that is the already negative conclusion that it is some privileged homosexuals who are operating on a predatory construct in a supposed bid to recruit or change others including prepubescent individuals in what seems the never ending conflation between same gender sex and abuse; the paedophile problem.

St Catherine my resident parish has been seeing a such a spike and my ability to get direct information is easier as my proximity to some of them reveals at least three such forced evictions have been confirmed thought it took some time and digging to find and contact the parties involved, thanks to the crisis intervention interviewing skills perfected over some years myself and others are able to at least talk to some of the these victims and if at least offer some words of encouragement. A suspected lesbian was given the boot by her relatives in a not so hostile manner as has happened with others but she has an ultimatum to meet and is considering her options. There has been some profiling taking place with her siblings as they would repeatedly question her mode of dress and style (tattoos and piercings) and her apparent lack of a regular male partner, heated arguments over time and a tense situation developing has climaxed in the ultimatum given to separate from her long time family home.

Another forced eviction report that has been confirmed occurred in March of this year where a man who also resides in the family home which is usual these days so as to save money and consolidate household expenses was also asked by his parents to leave similarly to the aforementioned case he too was profiled for some time, the constant questions and curiosity about the missing female life partner among other things has led to the call for the separation. In this case I was able to glean that the whole public campaign on tolerance and so on has been used against him as one of the tag lines in the argument that gays are becoming too brazen or open in their assertion of themselves and ideas to that effect.

What is uncertain is if these displacements may eventually go on to homelessness for the persons involved and as those numbers increase disturbingly nationally and no serious sustained response at this time what are such displacees to go or do in the meantime? It was some time ago for example that a tabloid newspaper carried an eviction story thankfully devoid of the usually sensationalistic style of writing where a more humanitarian look was given to the circumstance.

This just gives us an idea of some of the challenges persons face across the island that self identify as LGBT. What about the umpteen other similar cases that go unheard of or unreported and those lives involved?

A lot to ponder on

Peace and tolerance

H