The priest did nothing wrong washing lesbians feet in church ...

washing of feet of lesbians Jalna Broderick (Quality Citizenship Jamaica) QCJ & Rochelle McPhee (JFLAG) by Rev Sean Major Campbell

I was asked to give my two cents on this so here it is:

Female group defends clergyman who washed lesbians' feet, bearing in mind the moral of the story is Jesus emphasized not to create outcasts as the woman who was a prostitute who washed his feet and when Peter and others scorned her Jesus reminded them to leave her and let her express her feelings and espoused the parable of the money lender.

See: Luke 7:36-50 - Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman NIV

There was a heated discussion this week among a group of vendors as they tried to decide whether homosexuals should be allowed to attend church and participate in worship.

They were responding to reports of a priest washing the feet of two lesbians during a church service last week.

They all came to the conclusion that the priest did nothing wrong and committed no crime.

"All those who are passing remarks and criticisms had better be careful, because we are all sinners," one woman said.

She explained why she believed the priest washed their feet.

"I believe the priest was following the example of Jesus. I know Jesus would have washed their feet and told them to go and sin no more," she said.

An older woman said she initially disagreed with what the priest did, but when she reflected on the matter, she came to the view that the priest could not have turned them away.

"If the priest had turned them away or chased them from the church, some of the very same people running up their mouth about it would criticise the priest and the church," she said.

another angle of the feet washing

She said it is not easy to please people and "those without sin must cast the first stone".

One of the women referred to an incident at her church last year where a pastor had sexual intercourse with one of the female members inside the vestry.

"So what happened to that pastor?" a member of the group asked.

"Nothing happened to him, he is still preaching at the church because they covered it up," she said.

The women began to list out various illegal and ungodly activities happening in some of the churches.

She said she knew of a case where a pastor got one member pregnant and is still head of the church, but not supporting the child.

"Murderers, thieves, rapists, homosexuals, fornicators and adulterers are holding top positions in some churches. So what is wrong in washing the feet of two lesbians ?" she queried.

"This is perhaps the only act of kindness the women have ever received in their life, and this could change their lifestyle," she said.

She also said she had nothing against homosexuals, as long as they do not force themselves on innocent children or influence them.

"Some homosexuals are barefaced. The ones who try to seduce young children should be locked up," she said.

The Sexual Offences Act which was passed in 2009 has provisions in place to severely punish adults who sexually offend children. Under the act, a child is a person who is under the age of 16.

Besides homosexuality is not illegal it is Buggery that is illegal between two men or a man and a woman with or without consent. It must be proven via a physical examination of the alleged persons with certain natural substances found on specific parts of the body (anus) and certain conditions of the said place.

one of our homeless trans sisters being evicted from a house she and others occupied illegally

Where I depart from the Reverend however is his stance on homelessness for LGBT and the seeming tokenistic nature he and other powerful religious figures have taken by not really helping them consistently as I elaborated on an old post on my GLBTQJA 2014 blog: 

Rev Campbell and Yvonne McCallah Sobers in 2013 at Shoemaker Gully Xmas treat

Hypocrisy from the pulpit on homeless MSM in Jamaica? 2013

Peace & tolerance

H

Jamaica Should Open Arms To Gay Tourism

A recent Gleaner hospitality news feature reported that Cuba, Barbados, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina are among the top 10 most gay-friendly destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Not surprising at all, these countries have huge tourism industries, attracting visitors from all over. Cuba, despite its political limitations, has made major strides with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights to the point where it is almost a non-issue now.

I have seen openly gays there, in hotels, and outside. It's not in your face, but no one is bothered. Yes, LGBT groups have great economic power, and the article reports that the LGBT tourism industry is valued a whopping US$200 billion annually.

What a great loss to Jamaica that we cannot be more tolerant, considering that tourism earns more than 50 per cent of our foreign exchange and account for a quarter of all jobs!

We limit ourselves and our potential by virtue of our own prejudices and unnecessary hostility. 'Gay-friendly' does not mean acceptance either, what it means is, we are mature enough, intelligent enough to recognise that diversity is a part of life, and that our customers will come to us in all sizes, shapes and forms.

The article went on to state that there are few properties on the island, five resorts to be specific, which currently list their properties as 'gay-friendly'. If true, this is progress. However, I know of only one such resort that has been gay-friendly, for decades, hospitable to all guests, regardless, and its room occupancy level hovers at nearly 100 per cent at all times, all year!

TRAIN STAFF TO UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY

More properties in Jamaica need to train staff to understand diversity, they will eventually learn. All persons are potential tourists, and our industry leaders must wake up, and realise the world is also changing around us while we continue to limit ourselves.

When Jamaicans go abroad, whether to visit or to live, they adapt so easily, no issues at all, as they learn to live with, play with, and work with LGBT individuals.

I, therefore, don't buy the argument that our people cannot learn to be more tolerant on home turf! Diversity and tolerance should be an integral part of Team Jamaica's tourism training, which is a start. And, yes, we can still hold on to our ethics, morals, religion and even offer prayers for those we choose to judge and condemn!

I hope someone in authority take heed; the larger resorts do already encourage LGBT tourists especially with certain events such as Bloom at Hedonism or so on.

Others such as the up-end market Round Hill is known for entertaining LGBT guests as couples and so on.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Peace & tolerance

H

Misinterpreting Marley's 'Who the cap fit' .......... Man To Man is So Unjust as Anti Gay

Blakka Ellis 

Hear wha mi a say today. Call me a nerd, or whatever, but I have a fascination with literary analysis and lyrical interpretation. Yes, exploring the meanings, themes and ideas in poems, songs and stories was probably the single most enjoyable aspect of my life as a student. Mi kinda weird, doh? Yeah, man, and that also was the most fulfilling part of my work in a former life as a teacher of high school Literature.

So when one of my nephews sought to engage me in a conversation some years ago, about the meaning of the lyrics in some of Bob Marley's songs, I was pleased as punch and ready to reason.

The pleasure soon evaporated though, when the youngster reluctantly accepted that although my arguments and explanations made sense, he still held on firmly to the view that Marley actually spoke out against homosexuality in his music. And the example he cited was 'man to man is so unjust, you don't know who to trust' - the opening lyrics from the song Who The Cap Fit.

Well, I felt that such a gross misinterpretation of Marley's lyrics was probably forgivable in the case of my nephew because he, admittedly, had never, ever yet 'read off a whole book' yet, and didn't pay much attention in school.

It was much harder to forgive an educated man, MP Dr. Dayton Campbell, who used the same flawed interpretation when he quoted Marley in a twitter rail against American singer Frank Ocean after his performance on the Grammy Awards show last year. According to news sources at the time, the MP tweeted "Frank Ocean man fi have ooman pon dem mind. How di hell man end up on your mind massah?? 

Bob done tell you say man to man is so unjust!!!"

Of course, the tweet lit up a mini firestorm about the politician's perceived anti-gay stance, and appropriateness of his comments etc. with biting remarks and fighting words coming from both attacking and defending poles. But that area is not my focus. My issue is with the literary analysis and what I see as misinterpretation of Marley's words. And guess what, I'm now discovering that Dr Campbell and my nephew are not alone in their 'misconscrewed' view. Well, students, teacha say a never dat Bob mean by 'man to man is so unjust'. No hyah!

OK, I can stretch my brain enough to maybe imagine how the idea of 'man to man is so unjust' could vaguely possibly be about sex and sexuality. Here's how. Like, for instance in the case of say, some lonely heterosexual women now, who could understandably be justified in feeling that it's unfair or 'unjust' for men to be going with other men, when they are there willing, able, available and horny, but unable to get men to go with them. But that's a hell of a stretch. I don't think Mr Marley was singing from that standpoint.

Anyone who attempts a serious interpretation of the song [one that takes into account the other verses and chorus] would agree with me that those initial lines are referring to the unfair and [bad mind] ways in which human beings deal with each other. And although the word used is 'man', the song is clearly [as in the case of plenty biblical references] using man to refer to all human beings.

Di song a talk about people generally, woman, man and 'others', and how dem wicked and deceptive. Marley was reminding unnu say 'your worst enemy, could be your best friend and your best friend your worst enemy', so watch some a dem, how dem 'eat and drink with you, then behind dem su-su pon yu'.

Is that kind of unjust way, how man deal wid man, Bob Marley did a pree! So stop twist and mix up the words of the Gong. 

What? 

Who me a talk? 

Who di cap fit!

Dancehall Act Stylysh says Lesbians Linked her on Instagram after Secret Lovers' Song Controversy ....... Video Shoot to Commence

Dancehall artiste Stylysh will be shooting a video for her 'Secret Lovers' single, featuring Ishawna, sometime this week to next according to sources close to her camp.

"The buzz around the song has been incredible so far. The whole lesbian rumours were a bit crazy and, after the STAR published a story, a lot of lesbians began to link me up on Instagram and started saying some really crazy things to me, but mi just laugh it off because ah just entertainment, and people got the wrong idea. But, at the end of the day, everybody ah live dem life, and what dem do behind closed doors is their business. I love all my fans," she said. 

It seems the hype surrounding the lesbian bit has worked in making the song popular in certain circles at least as some artistes do anything for sales and hype these days, was it a purposeful risk by her management and Ishawana? seeing that lesbianism is not so frowned upon as male homosexuality.

Secret Lovers is a take-off of the 1985 hit single by R&B group Atlantic Starr."The video is going to have a few surprises. The fans are going to love the twist at the end," Stylysh said.

The video will be directed by Marshall Artz studios.

She has been on a promotional tour over the past few weeks, doing interviews on MD TV, CVM's Da Wrap, HYPE TV, RE TV and Swagg TV.

"This major promotional push has paid off because of the response I have been getting from fans in the streets. My Instagram page and Twitter pages have more followers, and I am getting more spins on radio for Gypsy and Secret Lovers," she said.

She recently recorded a new single called It Nuh Easy (Jailhouse Drama). She will be releasing If Mi Man A Gimme Bun for Seanizzle Records later this week. Other upcoming projects include songs for Chase Mills Records, Building Block Records and UIM Records.

photo from urbanislandz 

Pamputae's infamous lesbian kiss

As I said in my previous post on this I only hope this is ethical and not a pretend not to be a lesbian to gain hype for the song then the truth comes out, we have seen other female dancehall acts land themselves in not water such as Pampatae's "lesbian kiss" and her career seems to have stalled since with very little output or appearances on shows.

Stylysh

Ishawna dolled up from eliteja

We can safely say then that Jamaican entertainment has crossed some lines somewhat and is now serving same gender loving women subjects more but is it on a honest end is my query, yes the sex industry via strip clubs are or have been there already in terms of live or simulated lesbian sex on stage (even by non lesbian dancers or performers) as Jamaican men lap it all up pegged on a fantasy to be with more than one woman.

Also see: 

We're not lesbians - Stylysh clarifies song with Ishawna .......... And So What if They Were?

Peace and tolerance

H

Tobacco plant be the key to HIV Prevention via Microbicidal Gel?

HSC communications and marketing

Researchers from the University of Louisville will lead an international effort to utilize tobacco plants to develop a gel containing a specific protein that will prevent the transmission of HIV. The project is being funded by a five-year, $14.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Kenneth Palmer, PhD, is leading research into using tobacco plants to help develop a gel that would prevent HIV.


“Our researchers are looking to solve problems that affect the world,” James Ramsey, president of the University of Louisville, said during an announcement of the research Aug. 4. “Globally, more than 34 million people are HIV positive. The development of a low-cost method to prevent transmission of HIV certainly is something that is desperately needed and the use of tobacco plants as a method of carrying the vaccine appears to be key in the process.”

“Approximately seven years ago, UofL and Owensboro Health created a joint venture to develop a world-class plant pharmaceutical program that would have an impact globally,” said David L. Dunn, MD, executive vice president for health affairs at UofL. “Today’s announcement, coupled with the announcement we made in May about the Helmsley Charitable Trust providing funding to our research into two other cancer vaccines utilizing tobacco plants, demonstrates that the vision is becoming a reality.”

Kenneth Palmer, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and toxicology and director of theOwensboro Cancer Research Program of UofL’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center, is leading a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, the Magee-Women’s Research Institute in Pittsburgh, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, the University of Maryland, Baltimore and Kentucky Bioprocessing Inc. and Intrucept Biomedicine LLC in Owensboro.

The team is working with the carbohydrate combining protein Griffithsin (GRFT), which is found in red algae. In laboratory work, the protein has shown to have broad-spectrum activity against HIV. GRFT binds to the dense shield of sugars that surrounds HIV cells and prevents these cells from entering other non-HIV cells. The team plans to develop a gel containing the protein for use during sexual intercourse by people at risk for HIV transmission.

To develop the microbicide, Palmer’s team takes a synthetic copy of the protein and injects it into a tobacco mosaic virus, which carries the protein into the tobacco leaves. After 12 days, the researchers harvest the leaves and extract the mass-produced protein for development into the vaccine.

“Our goal is to optimize the delivery system of the protective agent, which in this case is a gel, and determine its safety and estimates of its efficacy, leading to a first-in-humans clinical trial,” Palmer said.

“People may question why a cancer program is conducting research into HIV prevention,” said Donald Miller, MD, director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, a part of KentuckyOne Health. “In fact, cancer can be a result of every major disease that we know about, and HIV infection is no exception.”

Overall, the grant contains three significant projects – The Critical Path Project; Preclinical Testing Project; and Clinical Trial Project.

The critical path project involves manufacturing the microbicide active ingredient, ensuring quality of the microbicide and the formulated gel product and production for actual use. This process is in collaboration with two Owensboro-based biotechnology companies (Kentucky Bioprocessing Inc. and Intrucept Biomedicine LLC), and Lisa Rohan, PhD, at the University of Pittsburgh and Magee-Women’s Research Institute. Rohan has significant experience developing delivery systems for similar medications.

The preclinical testing project is a collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to use an animal model to ensure that the vaccine is safe and to determine that it actually provides protection from infection.

The clinical trial project involves developing the application to conduct a clinical trial for the Food and Drug Administration, as well as conducting the first-in-humans testing.

Defend Orashia Campaign Launched to Stop Removal from the UK by Home Office

In a follow up to a case I carried here in January of this year of a bisexual man who is Jamaican but is facing a possibility of being removed from the UK even after some ten years residing in that country is in fear of retribution if he is returned as the case has gotten some major press as of late. At one point he was made out to be a liar in a bid to get his stay in the UK and the authorities seem to also have bought into the line as well as he is not effeminate or "camp" as some other successful applicants are and are judged by.

A Facebook campaign has been launched entitled Defend Orashia led by No Border Leeds who have managed to convince persons as to the veracity of the story (including me) they have been on an aggressive public education drive since the matter broke.

Their latest post alongside their petition reads as follows(Aug 1):

"It's likely that the Home Office will try once again to issue removal directions shortly so please be ready to contact the airline.

In the meantime, check leedsnoborders.wordpress.com for how you can support & join our bloc at Leeds Pride tomorrow.

Press release-
Orashia's campaign gets support from Leeds Pride
Legal challenge continues as Orashia remains in detention

Leeds Pride Sunday 3rd August 12pm Millennium Square

The ongoing campaign by Orashia Edwards, a Jamaican bisexual fighting for asylum in Leeds, will be mentioned at the keynote speech during Pride tomorrow. Family and friends will march together to highlight the case of Orashia, who's currently in detention for the 3rd time this year. The march will also call for a complete review on how lgbti asylum seekers are processed as it is incredibly intrusive and currently 98% of people are denied asylum.

Orashia is currently in Colnbrook detention centre where his mental health has deteriorated dramatically but he cannot access the care he needs due to conditions there. Due to an intervention by his solicitor, he was able to see a psychiatrist who reported 'acute mental distress'. Obviously this condition cannot improve until he is released and campaigners will continue to focus on this.

His application for bail was denied on Friday 1st August as the Home Office hope to try and issue removal directions shortly. However Orashia's legal team will keep on fighting until he receives the protection he needs. Both a Judicial Review and a new bail application will be applied for on Monday."

ENDS

The Petition can be seen and signed HERE

The Group says:

If he is forcibly removed by the Home Office, his life is in severe danger in Jamaica. All is family are settled in the UK and he would be completely isolated and in hiding. His case has gained mass media attention and support in the past months and he has become well known both here in the UK and in Jamaica. This means that the danger his life is in, because of his sexuality, has increased and he was recently victim to a homophobic attack here in Leeds where he lives. This cannot be tolerated and if the British government and the Home Office say they stand for human rights and equality then they need to release Orashia from detention now.

In 2013 a Home Office spokesman said: ”We have changed our guidance to ensure that we do not remove individuals who have demonstrated a proven risk of persecution on grounds of sexual orientation.'' (PinkNews.co.uk). Why is this then happening to people like Orashia?

Orashia is an amazing person who has the ability to shine so much more than he has been given a chance to here in Britain. He is a faithful friend and does what he can to help and support others going through similar issues to him. He has a close family, many friends and is involved in various groups and organisations around Leeds. His situation has meant that life is a daily unknown battle for himself, his family, especially his mother who works overtime on order to support him, and those closest to him. Please sign this petition and demand Orashia be given a fair chance at a real life now and not be punished for his sexuality.

You can watch a short documentary about Orashia's story called State of Limbo here:http://youtu.be/Wy3R2QtqONM

Another documentary called Judgement Day about Orashia's court hearing on 30th June can be watched here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVib2Hh6Oog

Impossible for Intersex People to be Cisgender?

Dr. Cary Gabriel Costello

"Is it impossible for intersex people to be cisgender because it is impossible in society to live completely as in intersex person with no male or female legal checkbox?"

In my experience, what you find when speaking with intersex people about this is an interesting split based upon gender identity. Intersex people who do not identify with the binary sex they were coercively assigned at birth tend to see all intersex people as forced to live trans lives. Intersex people who do identify with the binary sex label they were given at birth instead generally see themselves as cis people, and only frame as trans gender those intersex people who gender transition or who assert a nonbinary gender identity.

Personally, as an intersex gender transitioner, I fall into the camp that does not view intersex people living in our society as cis gender, even if their gender identity matches their assigned sex. Intersex children are born neither male nor female, but are forced into a binary sex category by a contemporary social ideology that says this is mandatory. Many are then subjected to infant sex assignment surgery to try to make their bodies conform to their assigned sex. What is that other than a forced sex change? Just because a person grows up to identify with the sex they were assigned at birth does not mean they will feel surgeries they were subjected to were appropriate. Loss of potential fertility and loss of capacity for sexual sensation are prices that they may not consider worth the result of a somewhat-more-sex-conforming body--note that many people who gender transition by choice choose not to get genital surgery. Thus, I believe, framing medical interventions into the reproductive organs and genitals of intersex people as trans interventions, not "corrections," is important, as it will force doctors to give us agency over what is done to our bodies, and prevent them from removing the very sexual features we may most identify with.

The problem with my framework politically is that a majority of intersex people today do live in their assigned binary sexes, growing up as we do in a society in which that is the norm. The percentage of us who mature to gender transition or assert a nonbinary gender identity is much higher than is the case for nonintersex people, although we don't know the exact degree of the difference because doctors are emphatically not collecting data on us, their sex-assignment "failures." Still, a majority do live their lives in their assigned sexes (often completely in the closet about being born sex-variant, as doctors have urged parents to train their children to be). And most such people do not identify at all as "forced to live a transgender life." That is, they identify as cis gender.

If someone says, "I was assigned female (or male) at birth, and I identify as female (or male)," then we usually call such a person cis gender. So intersex people who understand themselves as cis gender have a very valid basis for framing themselves that way. Certainly this is the way the medical field treats the situation, in claiming to assign us to what they used to call our "true" sex, and now call our "best" sex. Doctors view themselves not as imposing sex changes upon unconsenting infants, but as revealing our "real" binary (cis) sex.

I feel that understanding all intersex people who have been assigned a binary sex (which, in the US today, is all of us) as trans is useful, because it gives us a way to oppose unconsented-to infant genital surgeries. I view those intersex people who are happy in their assigned sexes as no different from people who are not intersex, but gender transition by choice and are happy as a result.

At the same time, I don't feel I have a right to tell an intersex person who identifies as cis gender that they can't do that. After all, as trans gender advocates note, every person is coercively assigned to a binary sex at birth. A person who grows up to identify as genderqueer, or with the binary sex they were not assigned, is forced to struggle with medical and legal and social forces to have their identity recognized, whether sex variant by birth or born with a body considered normative. So, viewing all cis people as coercively assigned to the sex with which they identify makes calling intersex people who identify with the sex they were assigned "cis gender" reasonable, from a trans-affirming perspective. (Of course, many people are not trans-affirming, and transphobia can motivate rejection of being labeled trans gender. But I do not believe it is either charitable or necessary to assume that an intersex person who identifies with their birth-assigned sex and rejects being labeled as trans is motivated by bigotry.)

I just feel that labeling anyone who is medically altered to change the sex characteristics of their body as trans makes the most sense, and is useful from an advocacy standpoint.

UPDATE:

I've done some additional thinking about this topic, and would like to have people consider approaching gender identity in intersex people by acknowledging that we can never address intersex experience well through binary terminology. What we may really need to do is to introduce another term.

what I would suggest doing is adding to the terms "cis" and "trans" another term often used in scientific terminology. In chemistry, which gives us the language of cis and trans isomers, there are chemicals based upon a ring structure, called arene rings. When a chemical substitution is made in the same place on the ring, this is referred to as "ipso" substitution.

If we were to add the term "ipso gender" to trans and cis gender, we could perhaps describe intersex experience more accurately. A cis gender intersex person would be one with an intermediate gender identity, since that "matches" their birth sex. An ipso gender intersex person would identify with the binary sex they were medically assigned (the social sex substituted for their intersex birth status being the same as their identified sex). And a trans gender intersex person would be one who identifies with the binary sex other than the one they were assigned by doctors.

This terminology solution is not without its drawbacks. Usually people who are genderqueer in identity are considered to fall under the trans umbrella, but in the case of intersex people, they'd fall under the cis heading, which could prove confusing. But it's also possible that confusion would itself prove productive.

It's certainly worth considering.

Dr Costello is an academic and scaler of boundary walls, intersex by birth, female-reared, legally transitioned to male status, and says he is pleased with his trajectory

Indian Ministerial Committee Considers Granting Third Gender Status to Transgender Persons

NEW DELHI: 

The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to pursue implementation of the recommendations of an Expert Committee, seeking "third gender" status for transgenders, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Sudarshan Bhagat(above), in a written statement in Lok Sabha said the key recommendation of the Committee formed by the government was that the transgender should be declared as third gender.

He said the other recommendations include access to health-care, educational opportunities at all levels without stigma and discrimination, formulation of umbrella schemes and others.

The Supreme Court in its judgment had directed the Centre and state governments to take steps for framing various social welfare schemes for betterment of transgender persons, take proper measures to provide medical care, hospital and others.

"The expert committee has recommended a state level authority duly designated or constituted by the respective states/UTs on the lines of Tamil Nadu Transgender Welfare Board.

"An Inter-Ministerial committee has been constituted to pursue implementation of Expert Committee's recommendations," Bhagat said.

The minister said the Court has further directed to examine the recommendations of the Expert Committee based on legal declaration made in its judgement and implement them.

Replying to another question, he said that "keeping in view the socio-cultural-economic and technological developments in the last decade, the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999 is being revised by the department of Social Justice and Empowerment to include promotion of measures to create avenues for continuity in employment or post retirement opportunities for senior citizens".

Bhagat said the NPOP, 1999 recognizes that 60 plus phase of life is a huge untapped resource and proposes that facilities be provided to senior citizens so that their potential is utilized.

To carry forward the spirit of the policy, various programmes like computer training for senior citizens, school programme for inter-generational bonding are being carried out.

Transgender folks celebrate with a cake after the Supreme Court'­s verdict recognizing third gender category, in Mumbai, India, April 15, 2014. Rajanish Kakade/AP

India’s Supreme Court had issued a landmark ruling in April that allowed hundreds of thousands of transgender people to identify themselves as a third gender. Human rights groups are lauding the decision as historic and groundbreaking.

“It is the right of every human being to choose their gender,” the court wrote.

“Recognition of transgenders as a third gender is not a social or medical issue but a human rights issue,” Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan, one of the two head judges on the Supreme Court bench, told the court.

The high court has ordered the government to allocate public sector jobs to transgender people, known as “hijras” and include them in welfare programs.

The court ruling is a result of a petition filed by a group of transgender people that argued their community was marginalized both economically and socially. Arguing that their non-legal status has led to further discrimination, hate crimes, and lack of access to jobs and education, the petitioners asked the government to grant them formal recognition for the first time in India’s history.

“Transgenders are also citizens of India,” said the court in its order. “The spirit of the Constitution is to provide equal opportunity to every citizen to grow and attain their potential, irrespective of caste, religion or gender.”

Federal and state governments will need to recognize the third gender on birth certificates, passports and driving licenses. The government will also consider transgender individuals a minority to help fill quotas in jobs and schools.

One of the petitioners in the case, transgender activist Laxmi Tripathi, told reporters outside the Delhi courthouse that the court’s decision will advance equality in India.

“Today, for the first time I feel very proud to be an Indian,” Tripathi said.

While India now recognizes the transgender community as a third gender, the ruling only applies to transgender people and not gays, lesbians or bisexuals. In December, the Supreme Court reversed a 2009 court order that decriminalized homosexuality, reinstating a ban on gay sex.

Jamaica’s Multi-Media Artist, Yrneh Gabon Brown, for major exhibition at California Museum

Jamaica’s flag continues to be carried high all over the world . And while the country is known for its excellent performances in the areas of sports and music, Jamaicans are shining and achieving in many other areas as well. Now comes news that Jamaica’s multi-media artist, Yrneh Gabon Brown, has secured his first six month solo exhibition and sale of his work at one of California’s leading museums, the California African American Museum.

The exhibition will run from August 29 2014. This is a great achievement for any artist in a competitive environment where only the best gets rewarded with even a second glance in Hollywood’s fast pace jet-set world of the arts and entertainment. .

Yrneh’s exhibition is being presented under the theme ‘Visibly Invisible’ and tells the stories of his personal journey and awakening while researching and documenting the devastating effects of prejudice, ignorance and violence inflicted upon people affected with albinism in Tanzania, Jamaica and even the United Sates .

As a special aspect of his exhibition, Yrneh has invited his mentor, well known Grammy and Emmy-nominated actress and visual artist, C.C. Pounder, to exhibit a piece of her work which ties in with the theme of his show on albinism. ‘C.C Pounder who is known for her roles in ‘ER’, ‘X Files’ and the movie ‘Avatar’, has been a strong supporter of my research on albinism in Africa and it was through her involvement and support that I was even able to undertake the research and to travel to Tanzania’, noted Yrneh. 

Through videos, recorded in these locations, and artwork created in various media, (photography, collage, assemblage, sheet metal, cast bronze and ceramic sculpture), Yrneh will share his inspirational trips and heart-felt devotion towards children and adults living with albinism.

“I first saw the prejudices against people with albinism as a child in Jamaica and this has inspired this exhibition ,” he noted.

Yrneh is an artist dedicated to a cause, which in and of itself is not a unique quality but according to those who have helped him to hone his craft and creative skills, what is rare is the depth of his devotion to it, and rare also are the creative ways he champions it. Yrneh believes that his artwork must have a real impact in the world and must create change. He believes that art has power. While undertaking his studies at the Roski School of Art and Design at the University of Southern California, Yrneh saw his work as active in the larger social and political fabric. Yrneh is focused on building his audience and his means of support and educating the world. He envisions his work as being fully integrated into the social sphere in a way that few other artists do.

In his work to be displayed come month-end, Yrneh presents the history of and contemporary conditions surrounding albinism in areas of Tanzania, where human body parts are sometimes used as ingredients for the practice of magic. The belief persists that these magic practitioners can make their customers more powerful, personally, economically, and sexually. These practitioners prey on people with albinism even to this very day, mutilating or killing them for their body parts.

Beyond the big story, Yrneh makes artworks that tell the stories of individuals with albinism, so that the whole terrible practice becomes personal. Through his exhibit, he intends to educate and to bring about change.

Yrneh Gabon Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He has lived and worked in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean and now resides in Los Angeles, California. Before migrating to the USA, Yrneh won gold and silver medals in speech and drama festivals from the Jamaican Cultural Development Commission. In 1988, he won the grand finals in the Tastee talent contest, then the leading talent contest in the Caribbean.

Yrneh has worked with several television and film studios such as, New Line Cinema, Disney, Mupheduh, Paradise Films, & Television, Lorimar, ABC’s 20/20, HBO T.V, Channel 4 Brazil, T.VJ Jamaica, and CVM-TV (Jamaica). In 2006 Yrneh Gabon Brown took the brave step and returned to school where he pursued a degree at the prestigious University of Southern California, Gayle Roski School of Fine Arts (USC ) graduating with honours.

‘I’m excited about this solo exhibition and am putting the final touches to the pieces which will be finished and fully installed for the opening come August 29.”Yrneh added.

Ugandan gay pride parade despite legal challenges ....... third in succession

ENTEBBE, Uganda (AP) — Scores of Ugandan homosexuals marched through sprawling botanical gardens in the lakeside town of Entebbe on Saturday, their first pride parade since a Ugandan court invalidated a controversial anti-gay law.

Many marchers wore masks, signaling they did not want to be publicly identified in a country where homosexuals and their supporters face severe discrimination.

Although organizers had expected more than 500 people to attend the event, fewer than 200 turned up, said gay activist Moses Kimbugwe, who noted that many were afraid of possible violence following a court's decision earlier this month to jettison an anti-gay law that had wide support among Ugandans.

"We are here to walk for those who can't walk, who are afraid to walk," said Kimbugwe. "We are here to celebrate our rights."

Uganda's Constitutional Court ruled last week that the anti-gay law enacted only five months ago was illegal because it was passed during a parliamentary session that lacked a quorum. Some lawmakers have pledged to try to reintroduce the same legislation when parliament emerges from a recess later this month. They said they would try to pass the same law in parliament since it had been invalidated on technical grounds and not its substance.

A transgender Ugandan poses in front of a rainbow flag during the 3rd Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride celebrations in Entebbe, Uganda, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014. (AP PHOTO/REBECCA VASSIE)

On Saturday, activists held up placards saying they would not give up the fight for gay rights in this conservative East African country of 36 million people. Some waved rainbow flags as they danced and frolicked on a sandy beach on the shores of Lake Victoria, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the capital, Kampala.

This was the third annual gay pride event, organizers said. The first one, in 2012, turned violent after local police tried to break it up, said Ugandan lesbian activist Jacqueline Kasha. This time they had been given assurances by the police that they could go ahead with the march, she said.

"We are a group of people who have suffered enough," she said. "We are Ugandans who have the right to gather in a public place ... and we are going to have fun."

Some among the marchers said they had initially planned to hold the event in Kampala but were warned by police that such a move would be provocative and possibly dangerous.

Homosexuals face threats including evictions by landlords and many have fled to neighboring countries such as Kenya, where the anti-gay sentiment is less pervasive, according to Ugandan rights activists. Many homosexuals are victims of extortionist campaigns by people who threaten to reveal their homosexuality to the police, said Kasha, the lesbian leader.

copyright (AFP Photo/Isaac Kasamani)

Homosexuality had been mostly a taboo subject in Uganda until a lawmaker, saying he wanted to protect children from Western gays, introduced a bill in 2009 prescribing the death penalty for what the bill described as serious homosexual offenses. The bill was revised to remove the death penalty and instead have jail terms of up to life for convicted homosexuals. 

Watchdogs groups and some Western governments condemned the bill as draconian and unnecessary in a country where homosexuality had long been a criminal offense.

Jamaica's National Flower Lignum Vitae Found to Have Bio-activity to Fight HIV

Jamaica’s national flower the Lignum Vitae has been found to contain properties that could be used to treat persons living with the Human Immune Virus, HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS, by depleting the immune systems of infected persons the researchers who worked on the discovery were led by noted Jamaican scientist and entrepreneur Dr Henry Lowe, the research team noted that the Lignum Vitae has potent bioactivity that could work against HIV.

The study outlined in part:

Aim: Jamaica is rich in medicinal plants. Guaiacum oficinale is the “National Flower”, with reported uses in folk medicine for the treatment of various conditions including inflammation. In our search for plants with anticancer and anti-infective properties, we evaluated Guaiacum oficinale for activity against HIV-1.

Methodology: The leaf, seed and twig extracts of G. oficinale were screened for anti HIV-1 properties in primary peripheral blood mononuclear cels (PBMCs) infected with the reference HIV-1 BaL strain.

Results: Al the tested extracts inhibited HIV-1 p24 production by infected cells, with EC50 concentrations of 2.35µg/ml, 23.42µg/ml and 25.04µg/ml, respectively for the leaf, seed and twig extracts. As comparison, Betulinic acid had an EC50 value of 27.50µg/ml. The tested extracts had IC50/EC50 selectivity index (SI) values of ≥ 3, which compared favorably to Betulinic acid SI value of 1.09.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that extracts of G. oficinale may provide leads for the discovery of new drug agents against HIV-1.

Dr Henry Lowe

A statement from Dr Lowe’s Environmental Health Foundation, EHF Group of Companies said that although known from last year test results were repeated several times to ensure data accuracy it says since then the findings were published April 2014 issue of the prestigious European Journal of Medicinal Plants, according to the statement since publication a significant amount of data has been developed, the work of Dr Lowe and his research team has been lauded by Dr Joseph Bryant of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland Medical School where the global viral network is located. Dr Bryant said Dr Lowe and his researchers need to be recognised and commended for bringing a gift of a major potential magic bullet from a Jamaican tree to the potential management of HIV.

The EHF Group says it is currently pursuing potential drugs from the Lignum Vitae in collaboration with the US based National Products Division of the Research Triangle International which is known for its discoveries of anti HIV drugs, based on this collaboration the EHF Group believes it is one the verge of discovering a potent major anti HIV drug from the plant, Dr Lowe who is the founder and the scientist at the Kingston based Biotech R & D Institute plans to do further research on the isolates of the Lignum Vitae this in order to develop a treatment that could be used alone or as part of a cocktail for the management of HIV/AIDS.

In the interim a nutraceutical product is being developed the EHF group says a US patent has so far been filed in order to protect this vital intellectual property.

The tree is found almost everywhere and in even dry rocky conditions, it is also available in the United States and the Caribbean but as different varieties and is a home remedy for tonsillitis by soaking the bar until the water turns red then gargle or drunk for fever, in the Virgin Islands it is used for fish poisoning and in other parts of the Caribbean for even abortion when specially prepared, it seems this plat we have here and I have no doubt many others have properties that we must explore and unearth. Some parts of Latin America use the leaves for tea to treat stomach aches or as an energy booster when soaked overnight and drunk unsweetened. It is also said to have anti bacterial properties in a subsequent interview with Dr Lowe on Nationwide radio.

He said in that interview also that it could be a potential foreign exchange earner for Jamaica.

Another household use in Jamaica is that of a makeshift broom when a few branches are tied together and is an excellent insect repeller in kitchens in a similar bunched set of green leaves and used to chase away flies and such from meats and fruits. It is rested and amongst fruits, tubers and other foods to supposedly slow down drying out of them when stored in a container or typical food basket and also chasing away fruit flies, moths that feed or surround the aforementioned. During Christmas it attracts thousands of butterflies to its purple flowers and said thousands of caterpillars can be seen on its trunk and branches as they feed prior to pupating.

the trunk often used to make a tea or broth or bark is stripped off and used separately

It seems this plant has some properties just by its natural use and the attraction or repulsion of insects and so on. Not to mention its use as a disciplinary tool for whipping but cut in very slim stick strips as it does not break easily.

Hope we can find the active properties and develop on this as an alternative for the other manufactured and still expensive antiretroviral and highly active antiretroviral therapies available and given the push on PrEP as treatment cheaper drugs are needed as Truvada locally is not so cheap and is partially distributed via the free national system.

Download the PDF file on the research HERE written by Dr Henry Lowe

Peace and tolerance

H

Human Rights Protect Us From Each Other

Firstly Happy Independence Day Jamaica and hope we do reflect on our struggle as a nation and not just the usual handing out of Order of Jamaica and Festival or Grand Gala celebrations without some deep thinking on where were are now especially on rights which is timely for discussion given recent events.

The following is a column from a member of Jamaicans for Justice's membership given the recent meltdown and constitution of an interim board.

Also see if you can: Sodomy is an Issue for Teens says Jamaicans for Justice Interim Chairman

Rodje Malcolm, GUEST COLUMNIST

The protection of universal human rights and the separation of Church and State are foundational for a robust democracy. As a normative framework, a human-rights approach to law and governance, by design, protects the rights and freedoms of all groups - including Christians. Contrary to the divisive rhetoric coming from Jamaican religious leaders, the human-rights movement is not a war against the Church.

It has been argued that Jamaica is a majority-Christian country and as such, a Judaeo-Christian world view should dictate law, particularly in the context of Jamaica's buggery law. This is not new. Oftentimes, groups in positions of superiority find it difficult to consider the plight of disadvantaged groups. They either cannot identify with minority causes, have no real reason to care, or have an incentive to perpetuate thestatus quo.

In Jamaica, an archaic, strict majoritarian vision of democracy has been advanced as a solution to resolving social tensions. That is, the interests of minorities are unimportant because of their minority status. This approach is exclusionary.

The dangerous implications become clear when, in alternate cultural contexts, the roles are reversed, and these groups experience widespread discrimination and persecution at the hands of some other majority. They clamour for equality, human rights, and an end to the same discrimination they exhibit when they are in comfortable majority settings.

The pervasiveness of discrimination across societies demonstrates that discrimination, as a phenomenon, does not discriminate. Depending on the context, minorities, of any identity group, face the prospect of prejudice. Political systems should, therefore, be designed to protect against the tyranny of the majority. They should be secular, creating a neutral public sphere in which all people can exist on equal terms. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

This is why Steve Lyston's recent column, 'Religious freedom and global economy' (Gleaner, July 28, 2014), is so bizarre. Lyston was decrying the persecution of minority Christians in Iraq, Syria and Egypt, urging Christians to be vigilant. Lyston, a biblical economist - whatever that means - blasted the media and human-rights groups for remaining silent on the persecution of Christians, claiming, "Their only focus is 'freedom of sexual choice' - so sexual choice has now taken precedence over religious freedom."

He said:

"In light of what is happening, if the Caribbean believes that Christians are safe in this region, think again! ... If the Caribbean and the other Western nations are not vigilant, very shortly we will see our schools being infiltrated and freedom of choice will be taken away! ... Bibles will be banned and only Qur'ans will be in the schools."

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Discrimination against any group is tragic and inexcusable. This holds true for Muslims in Myanmar who face persecution at the hands of a majority Buddhist population; the Roma, a minority ethnic group who face displacement in parts of Europe; Christians and Buddhists, who face criminal sanctions for organising or preaching in North Korea - considered a threat to 'North Korean values'; and the LGBT community in Jamaica who live under discriminatory colonial laws. When there is a clash of values, only a system of universal human rights can limit the capacity for abuse.

PARANOIA

Christian advocates such as Lyston and those who gathered in Kingston to protest a loss of religious rights cannot, in one breath, decry the discrimination against Christians in minority settings and then, in another breath, advocate that Christian majority status gives them the right to call the shots in Jamaica. That is special pleading - having your cake and nyamming it, too.

Also, accepting the ability of differing world views and lifestyles to exist does not equate to support or endorsement for them. It simply recognises that diverse interests can coexist without 'the majority using criminal code to suppress others - even if they find each other absolutely disgusting.

Because such a system, when normalised, poses an inherent risk of injustice, and because no society is perfectly homogeneous across religious, ethnic and sexual lines, a secular, human rights approach to navigating differences is necessary.

The religious lobby is correct; LGBT rights must never stifle freedom of speech of Christians. In the same way, religious freedom cannot infringe upon the sexual rights and the right to privacy of LGBT people. We cannot become so entrenched in our positions that we become polarised.

When the only thing that (usually bickering) Christian denominations can find to unite around is the fight against 'the gay lobby', our priorities are warped. This national paranoia has led to division, when engagement and discourse are needed.

Let's re-evaluate the type of political system we desire - one that will protect, not subordinate, the interests of all.

Rodje Malcolm is a director of Jamaicans for Justice(JFJ. The views above do not necessarily reflect those of JFJ. Email: rodjemalcolm@outlook.com.

ENDS

also see:

Don't Mix Religion With Politics & The Ugandan Antigay Law Overturn

Ian Boyne on "Do Gays Threaten Free Speech?"

We're not lesbians - Stylysh clarifies song with Ishawna .......... And So What if They Were?

Dancehall artiste Stylysh has denied that her song 'Secret Lovers', which features Ishawna, is intended to be a pro-lesbian record.

According to the deejay, critics have misunderstood her concept and have drawn the conclusion that she and Ishawna were serenading each other.

"The song is for anybody who has a secret lover, and it clearly did not state a gender. It's not a lesbian song. I was vibing the concept, and I thought Ishawna was the best person to collaborate with; no lesbian thing," Stylysh said.

Stylysh admitted that the wording to the lyrics can be misleading, but was adamant that her intentions were pure.

"I think people are drawing that conclusion because we are two females, and the way wi a flow di lyrics. is when I upload the song on YouTube, and people start comment sey it sound like we are singing to each other, mi realise sey it can be misleading, but the truth is that wasn't intended. I was talking about my secret lovers and she was talking about hers. But I guess because the world is changing so much, people are reading into everything they listen to," Stylysh said.

Secret Lovers was produced by Hitmaker Music productions. The ladies are aiming to film a music video for the song in coming weeks. Stylysh also says the promotional flyer, which shows her hugging Ishawna from behind, is an innocent photo.

"Girls hug all the time, and that nothing to read into". She said. Ishawna recently ended her relationship with DJ Foota Hype.

Fresh off her successful live band show at The Gentry, Stylysh is turning her attention towards the promotion of her music video for Gypsy, the single released on the Punjabi rhythm for UIM Records.

"The feedback on Gypsy has been very good on the streets; a lot of disc jockeys are playing it,"

She will be releasing If Mi Man A Gimme Bun for Seanizzle Records this month. Other upcoming projects include songs for Chase Mills and UIM records.

Known for her breakout hit, Mi A Wife, for So Unique Records two years ago, Stylysh has continued to hone her craft one stage show at a time. She has forged links with indie label Guzu Musiq and done several singles with Tommy Lee.

The matter was first reported on ZIP 103FM from as early as July 29th but it never really took off until recently but so what if they were, the song has been getting some promotion on the sex club scene in my area in St Catherine as strippers use it to make that buck and entertain all too eager males who find lesbian typed shows all too exciting. Lest we forget Diana King is now out and lesbianism doe snot get the kind of flack or resistance as male homosexuality does.

I hope though that this denial is not a public relations stunt to promote the song only for it to be true that would not help anyone in the end.

Peace and tolerance

H

Former 'ex-gay' leaders publish open letter saying conversion therapy is damaging

Firstly I hope the folks at Jamaica CAUSE, Lawyers' Christian Fellowship and Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society are reading this or have heard the news, sensible persons have now realized that this business of conversion is a misnomer instead they insist on carrying out their brand of it locally while creating mass hysteria on maintaining an old buggery law while preying on the public's ignorance. They also intend as espoused in a press conference some time ago to block any attempt to make discrimination due to sexual orientation become so in the Charter of Rights or any other law of such, so much for true tolerance and embracing the outcast as it were. Now comes this news:

Source Christian Today

Some former leaders of the so-called ex-gay movement, that believes that change in sexual orientation can be brought about through faith, have come out in opposition to the controversial conversion therapy, acknowledging the "terrible" emotional and spiritual damage it can do.

They include Jeremy Marks, founder of Courage UK, which was an ex-gay ministry but is now a pro-gay evangelical movement re-christened Two:23 Network.

Other signatories include Michael Bussee, Brad Allen and Yvette Cantu Schneider, of Exodus International, the ex-gay organisation that ceased its activities in June last year and apologised to LGBT people for the harm it had done.

In their open letter, published on the website of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in the US, they explain that conversion therapy, also known as "reparative therapy", "ex-gay therapy," or "sexual orientation change efforts", professes to help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to change or overcome their sexual orientation or gender identity. They say that majority of those who practise this "therapy" often do so with little or no formal psychological training, operating instead from a strict religious perspective, believing homosexuality to be a sin.

"At one time, we were not only deeply involved in these 'ex-gay' programs, we were the founders, the leaders, and the promoters," they continue. Together they represent more than half a century of experience. They say that few can be more knowledgeable about the "ineffectiveness and harm" of conversion therapy.

"We know first-hand the terrible emotional and spiritual damage it can cause, especially for LGBT youth. We once believed that there was something morally wrong and psychologically 'broken' about being LGBT. We know better now. We once believed that sexual orientation or gender identity were somehow chosen or could be changed. We know better now. We once thought it was impossible to embrace our sexual orientation or sexual identity as an intrinsic, healthy part of who we are and who we were created to be. We know better now."

They explain that they were simply teaching what they had been taught, that their identity needed mending. "We grew up being told that being LGBT was disordered, sick, mentally ill, sinful, and displeasing to God. We grew up being told that loving, same-sex relationships were shallow, lust-driven, deceived, disordered, and impossible."

Condemning conversion therapy as "ineffective and harmful", the leaders say they are now aligning themselves with every major mainstream professional medical and mental health organisation in denouncing attempts to change sexual orientation or gender identity. "We beseech the church to accept, embrace, and affirm LGBT persons with full equality and inclusion."

Mr Marks told Christian Today that in 1965, at the age of 13 when he first began to be aware of feelings that he was attracted to the same sex, there was no doubt in his mind that this was a terrible thing. "As a young man growing into puberty, I felt a deep sickening paralysing fear over my sexuality. I definitely did NOT want to be gay. So for at least the next 40 years of my life, I made every conceivable effort not to be."

This meant being born again, Christian discipleship and the way of the cross – crucifying the flesh. Hence he founded Courage in 1988, with the full backing of his local church.

"It took us about nine years to realise that all our efforts weren't achieving anything other than disillusionment with the process and disappointment with the long term results. But to change our theology to accommodate same-sex partnerships was absolutely out of the question. It took a further four years to realise that to doggedly pursue the same path was doing far more harm than good. It was not until about 1999 that I finally realised we must have got something terribly wrong and needed to start accepting loving committed same-sex partnerships – the only healthy viable way forwards that was demonstrating good fruit."

When he published his conclusions in 2000 he was expelled from Exodus International, his membership of the Evangelical Alliance was withdrawn, and, he says, was welcomed nowhere among the churches that had been his community since 1973 when he gave his life to Christ.

"Since then, gradually, I have been vindicated. Today I am proud to stand united with many fellow gay Christians and ex-ex-gay Christian leaders who have walked that same tortuous journey towards discovering that God simply makes some of us differently."

Tracey Byrne, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, welcomed the letter. "While the letter claims it's not an apology, it's hard not to be struck by the humility of the writers and by their powerful witness to the heartbreaking reality of these discredited and damaging programmes," she said. But she said there could be no cause for complacency. "Our mainstream churches, whenever they deny the identities, relationships and ministries of gay and lesbian people, wherever they demand celibacy or tell us were not quite what God had in mind, are playing into exactly the same culture which made reparative therapy, 'ex-gay' ministries, seem respectable and sensible responses."

Rev Sally Hitchiner, founder of Diverse Church, a movement for young LGBT people, said: "We are happy to read that so many respected Christian leaders have realised that trying to change someone's sexual orientation is neither safe nor effective. Many young people in our movement experienced prayer and counselling to change their sexual orientation and have suffered serious consequences for their mental health and relationships with church and family members who encouraged this. When it hasn't worked it has left the young people feeling they have to give up on God or sometimes even life. Whatever we may believe about gay relationships, accepting our young people as they are and looking for how God might want to use this for the wider church enables them to live a hope filled life with Jesus at the centre."

also see: Discredited ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy Group, NARTH, Undergoes Major Rebranding Effort