Lesbian Longs For More Respect via Letter

Today a letter came to hand via the Gleaner on respect for LGBT people from a lesbian who is said to be in a relationship, I would hope that the letter writer is actually a lesbian and not some person in the male dominated advocacy structure writing under a pseudonym.

For too long our same gender loving sisters have been left out of the main discourse on homosexuality despite the obvious tolerance on their part by males in particular who find the their sexual orientation a fetish of sorts disturbingly so, there was a rise of sorts in the highlighting of their issues but it seems to have waned, male fetishists with all kinds of weird fantasies openly sometimes speak of their dreams with multiple female partners and endorsed by the adult club industry as more live lesbian type entertainment is offered openly these days by mostly non lesbian women but there is money involved folks!

a recent discussion on Nationwide's "Di Fusion" was one such disturbing one of commoditizing lesbians and to think the guests on the show were persons linked to JFLAG and are in LGBT entertainment and the sex toy industry so it came across that it was about the toys and sex more so than identity and respect on the original premise of sexuality. The podcast of the program has since been removed by the radio station.

The letter read as follows:

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am a lesbian living with my partner who I have adored for over five years. I love my partner, and that is enough for both of us.

I am amazed and dumbfounded when I hear, watch or read news about bashing same-sex marriage. Yes, it would be nice to have the same right as any other Jamaican, but marriage will not solve the problem we are having as LGBT people.

Our main concerns are how we are being treated by people in our community, and if I will always have to hide who I am from my friends and family.

I am not asking anybody to accept my lifestyle, but, of course, I am asking to be treated with respect. I cannot walk through the country of my birth without hearing whispers - and uproar as well - "sodomite gyal fi dead" or even brutal threats of corrective rape.

I can recall an incident in which my partner and I were out having ice cream when we were verbally attacked by a group of men, demanding we leave the area.

Why should it be a big issue about who I love? Love has no gender, race or status; love is just love. I am happy, and that is all that should matter. We are not demanding anything but respect and tolerance.

CONCERNED LESBIAN
Montego Bay, St James

ENDS

Sadly the national psyche has not changed on homosexuality in general and public displays of affection, indeed nationally even heterosexual romantic play is considered taboo in a sense so I do not expect anytime soon as yet for the cultural change to take effect even if buggery is decriminalized. The real battle is a cultural one as fear still drives alot of the homo-negativity and phobia. The hysteria surrounding the Professor Bain conflict of interest matter almost a month now has only sought to set us back by years as gains made though incremental have died and old or dormant feelings re-emerge.

Butch identified lesbians however especially in recent times have been having a rough time as new cases have brought to bear, forced evictions and displacement numbers that normally are higher in MSM and Transmen are now rising. Sadly more of these cases go unreported or un-responded to as resources is given as an excuse and the few entities claiming to set themselves up as lesbian ones have become imperialistic as the male dominated ones and are more interested in touring the world that addressing frontline issues, a point made by some lesbians on social media recently in response to an article of a local activists abroad.

Respect has to also come from within the GBT communities as well and advocacies, the overlooking and invisibility in some respects needs to finally end.