FAME FM’s ‘Uncensored’ radio show conflates homosexuality, paedophilia with transgenderism

Firstly thanks to my bredren Gary for calling my attention to it via phone as I caught the show some twenty minutes into it on April 27 but I gleaned enough for me to arrive at the title of this post. I do wish that when radio discussions planned these kinds of shows/topics that some basic research is done especially in this age of information as this is not the dark days of old. These kinds of discussions (mostly uninformed ones) can end up being counter-productive despite their noble intent upon production but by the time one gets into the studio on the other side of the glass it turns in another direction. Some contact with LGBT voices locally would be nice and a clear separation of homosexuality, transgenderism and abuse is clear so that the public does not walk away with old perceptions almost getting some confirmation thus cementing old hardened positions hence resistance to change ones mindset.

An occasional caveat would have been nice to show a clear difference between gay children (as the topic was about) versus transgender during the show so that listeners have no doubt as the minutes went by.

The clash between the hosts on LGBT advocacy bullying and gay men wanting to be women at the end of the show is the part that made me most uncomfortable; the presence of Tiana, a transgender voice now living overseas and who worked with my sister organization Aphrodite’s PRIDE Jamaica however was the saving grace but had I been not so enlightened like members of the public I would have walked away thinking gay men want to be women (an old perception that drives fear and loathing tied with effeminacy/homophobia) and that homosexuals for all intents and purposes act like girls or the greater subtext want to be opposite sex only via sex itself.

The topic was about “What would you’d do if your child was gay?” but by the time it got to where I tuned in all kinds of suppositions about beastiality being normal were professed by some of the panelists including a reverend gentleman. The other saving grace was the presence of a psychologist from the UK who spoke to Jamaica’s unique unease towards sexual orientation and that in the UK such phobia and abuse especially when it gets physical can be dealt with via laws and court action as opposed to no such coverage here. Co-host Colin Hines (who always whenever chance he gets claims he is not in support of homosexuality) took exception to the Psychologists comments by suggesting she and others were implying normalcy in homosexual expression or existence and words such as abnormal, demons and paedophiles came forth in the short exchange prior to her departure from the show.

Dr Gemma Givan Child Psychologist from the UK said for example in response to a question on the experience in her country “.....we promote everyone being able to have the same rights as everybody else regardless of their sexual orientation is or their gender is; so we've grown up as law; we’re not allowed to discriminate against anyone; we get sent to jail we get fines, so our is more multi-cultural so it based everybody no matter what you believe, what religion, where you are from, what your culture is; everyone is on the same line, whereas in Jamaica the law is attached to the church and because of what people believe in the Bible influences their idea of what should be and what shouldn't.”

Colin Hines asked “So Christianity is a factor?” to which Dr Gemma Givan responded “Right, yea ‘cause there is very little competition with religion here unlike in other countries.”

As expected the conflation between paedophilia, beastiality, child abuse and same gender sex came forth as always those who oppose homosexuality recline in the comfort of old perceptions of predatory intent (outside of wanting to be women) by adults while not understanding or refuse to get acquainted with the information that denotes the difference. Reverend Jason Downer a panelist and from MUGAVA Men Under God Against Violence & Abuse claiming to be speaking as a parent said among other things when asked about his 6 year old daughter declaring she is a lesbian in later life what would he do?:

“God forbid if she comes to me with that ....... I wouldn't want that; Even any parent who are homosexual let’s say same sex union they don’t wanna, most of them you talk to they don’t want their child to have to experience that”

“It’s the demon weh me a tell yug ‘bout” (It’s the demon I am telling you about) another panelist shouted immediately following that comment.

Reverend Downer continued that being a counselor he would not be shocked as he knows there are other factors influencing sexual orientation. Yet it seems the goodly Reverend with all his knowledge and exposure seems locked into the notion of same gender sex and abuse as one as opposed to separating the issues. He says he has counselled 14/5 year olds but he expects her to show “signs” so he can address it. Obviously he was going to the response of reparative therapy but redeemed himself of sorts when he said he would not put out his child. “I don’t condone homosexuality one bit but I love and respect my child anyway” he claims yet he was the one later in the discourse who brought up the futuristic call for beastiality rights and fears by religiosity as being punished for speaking out against the ‘lifestyle.’ Let us remember this man also was introduced as a psychologist/counselor.

One of the parents on the panel when asked by co-host Colin Hines about their sexual orientation being “abnormal or what frightens them?” (While infusing the procreation ambit) to which a gentleman responded that he would be worried about his own reputation and the perception of others looking on to suggest he may have been the one who introduced homosexuality to his child so it somehow rubbed off. This old perception is another one of the challenges that has created a wall of resistance in LGBT advocacy as if to suggest homosexuality is contagious or has ill-intent by those so described as gays. He continued “.....the public shame (egged on by Colin Hines) that ridicule almost like, what if he saw his father doing things? Why him dis, why him dat? (Why is he this or why is he that way?) Reverend Downer concurred that many Jamaican men also think that way. The parent continued that he is looking on his son and seeing how unfortunate the situation is for him because his life is not going to be the same; there is no normalcy again; it’s gonna be a difficult road he does not want him to traverse.

The suggestion of danger and future abuse us hinted there or predatory behaviour by such other individuals being laid at the feet of gay men, “I don’t want my son to go through that,” was his line that made some sense as homo-negativity has had its effects as evidenced in attacks and so on. “I will have to have sessions as to how to be a man, how boys must be in classes ... it seems to me listening how some persons are accepting to it talk, it’s OK man if he wants to let him do it. .... Open the door show them that they can try a guy if they want; if girls don’t work out, try a guy.”

“So not being grandfather worries you?” asked co-host Colin Hines to which the parent answered yes, there suggesting again the procreation imperative often used by those who supposedly oppose homosexuality as fodder for justifying it.

Tiana during the Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica/GLBTQ Jamaica  Seizmic workshop in 2013/4 photos I had taken more HERE as well or Seizmic Project Here, she now lives in the US

It was at that point that Tiana was brought into the discussion; she handled herself pretty well and made the point that she and her father now have a steady relationship in terms of understanding as her mother had passed away prior to that her and her father did not communicate for several months. She brought the historical context of her childhood and being teased or told to ‘man it up’ While I appreciate her intervention to very timing of it helped in my view to skew the exchange in a totally different direction riding on the subtext that gay men want to be women. Tiana was asked by Colin Hines for example if she had done the ‘transformation’ or re-assignment surgery to which she responded no. She gave her high school experience and the ‘man-up’ demands and her constant questioning of why she was like that? Or cry in private, she also stressed she was not abused or introduced by some abusive trigger.

“...... just to be clear it’s not that you were exposed to homosexuality at a young age, you were molested because people tend to think; that is one of the reason somebody can’t be naturally this way; something must have triggered it; do you think you had a trigger or from you know yourself this has been how you feel? Asked by co-host Krystal Tomlinson who while I understood where she was coming from or trying to accomplish unfortunately conflated homosexual curious with gender identity searching and understanding thus the subtext here again is a dangerous one as it suggest gay men are want-to-be women. Drop that unto the backdrop of the fear of the feminine we can now understand why the loathing and abhorrence of homosexuality is well defined in our culture and psyche. Tiana nicely put the homosexual paedophile intent or the overzealous protection of the young imperative by some (not that it is not needed but in context) to rest though but would it have resonated may yet to be unproven.

“From I knew myself this is how I have always felt; nothing; no molestation; nothing triggered anything.” Tiana responded. When asked about coming into acceptance of herself and how her parents dealt with it she said that society places pressure on persons like her even as parents accept it but scared for her safety prior to departing Jamaica. She clarified the re-assignment surgery conundrum and when asked by Colin Hines about her male genitalia she responded yes she still has same. She went on to relate her relocation and the discrimination that still exists but far less and laws protect or remedy such discrimination when it occurs. Then came another question that had me a bit queasy as posed by co-host Krystal Tomlinson: “Here is the big question now Tiana, would you want your child to be born gay, is it something you want the child to experience?” while I understand the context of the topic was such again the subtext is a female cisgender imperative being implied here. Tiana responded “Um, alright (hesitation I guess realising she is not gay but transgender) I have no control over that but from a realistic standpoint ...... at a tender age I wouldn’t want for my child to even .... um ... I don’t know what to say ..... I don’t think I would want my child to be born gay ‘cause the discrimination that he or she will face is crazy and if that person doesn’t have a strong mindset then that’s why you have most cases of suicide.”

Colin Hines asked her if she had a desire to have kids? Tiana responded she may adopt. Krystal Tomlinson then went on to suggest that hearing Tiana’s voice for many persons was a shock (again the subtext is gay men want to be girls which is worlds apart from transgenderism) while admitting she did not know the technical or appropriate term to describe the situation as Tiana being biologically male sounding female, identifying as female and eventually would like to make a transition. “People find it hard to grasp” claimed Krystal Tomlinson but the original discussion was about “What would you’d do if your child was gay?” not whether someone is gay wants to do re-assignment surgery or is transgender which is where the conflation intended or not delays the understanding process. Tiana went on the however said she is comfortable with herself but we must remember she is not gay but transgender.

One of the panelists asked Tiana at what age did she know she was a girl? Tiana’s answer “Let me say ....... at around eight, four, five;” another question came up “How were you certain you were not just bi-curious or searching?” Tiana answered “No, it wasn’t even any sexual thing or anything I just used to put on my mother’s clothing; her heels and everything and when I looked in the mirror I just always saw this girl; you know you can picture yourself; whenever I picture myself I picture myself as a girl.”

“Why am I to think that you were playing misguided dress up?” (again the subtext is abnormality is implied) asked another panelist and urged on by Reverend Downer “As many boys do,” Tiana responded “Because that outside appearance was, my physical appearance was of a male at first but whenever I thought about myself mentally I saw a girl.” Krystal Tomlinson got the point when she asked “it’s not just about the dress and the shoes it’s how you think of you?’ Tiana replied “It is not about the dressing up, the shoes, the makeup and stuff or anything is it how I think of myself and how I feel.”

Reverend Downer asked if she was attracted to males or females.

Tiana said she is attracted to males. That answer in essence highlights the other problem within transgender identity and such persons being lost or overlooked in the gay or MSM communities as they are often seen as drag queens. Let us also bear in mind Tiana has entered and won several drag show competitions in Miss LGBT World, Dancehall Queen & was seen as a drag queen until she became a public face for transgender advocacy in my days as DJ/promoter on the circuit.

Then came the descent into madness as I see it where a clash ensued for some six minutes plus on or about parents being fine with knowing their children are gay in US as opposed to Jamaica. The fear of the future came in when Reverend Downer parachuted the beastiality bit or normalization of homosexuality in children via mainstream media. Krystal raised a point about abnormality and that it (homosexuality) is becoming normal in the eyes of the viewer because of exposure via social media etc and the supposed story of transgender walking with Jesus in Bethlehem. One thing I have learned in these discussions never ever, ever bring in the Bible or theological references when one cannot justify it or is informed as it would descend into chaos. That was precisely what occurred in the shouting match that followed.
Krystal Tomlinson found herself in a philosophical and theological bind as she tried to differentiate choice, beastiality, consent and paedophilia versus morals with co-host Colin Hines for the most part. She was further incensed as I was when the paedophile construct was parachuted into the mix by one of the panelists (who were hardly named), Krystal made her point “........ don’t use paedophilia ‘cause it takes away the rights of a child ....... use adult examples; use permissible adult examples where one person can consent with another person; don’t deliberately blur the lines; clearly an animal cannot consent to anything with a human being; really a child cannot consent with an adult, so I am talking about two adult choosing to do something because you say they have the right to ....... (Shouting between herself and Colin) it can’t be rape either (came through the high decibels) ...... let’s keep it within consensual bounds people; if you say consenting adults have a right to choose what they do with their body how then can you stand to lambaste them for exercising a choice that doesn't take the right away from any other person?

Colin Hines latched onto the free speech suffocation victim ploy when he asked “Are you suggesting that I no longer have the right to critique?” to which Krystal answered: “Critique is different from lambasting, critique is separate from ostracism.” Colin defended his position: “You’re talking about degrees of comparison here.....” suggesting semantics by Krystal. She reminded him of his sojourn aided by the Reverend Downer where he said words to the effect that we were entering into a dark time (apparently prior to my tuning in) and the world is coming to an end.

“ ......A man choosing to do something we’re descending into beastiality; terms like those suggest that somebody exercising a choice has taken them on a wrong road; but if they don’t have the choice .... If what they do ....” Colin interrupted by saying “But nobody is precluded from being judged; nobody is!?”

Krystal answered “No. Judgement and judging are two different things,” which she repeated with resolve. “The judgement and the slippery slope; going down into animals, humans having sex with animals and the world coming to a dark end, people are deliberately blurring the lines ..... That’s judgmental.” Reverend Downer responded “The basis on which I make my point as I said before from earlier on understanding spiritual realities because I cannot speak about it in any other way, Tiana can speak to how she feels and that experience he or she has; I don’t have that, you understand? ....... I know from growing up socializing how I feel as a boy and there are certain things you do as male with the opposite sex and not with my sex...”

Colin interjected “Do we know what is right or wrong anymore?” piggy backing on the religious imperative with the implied sodomatical abhorrence based on a misread of the Leviticus book and those holiness codes designed for a peculiar people at that time. Colin continued to trump the victim card of stifling of freedom of speech of those who oppose homosexuality. Reverend Downer then landed the Sodom & Gomorrah line “That slippery slope is that spiritual slippery slope that cause God fi bun up Sodom & Gomorrah (that caused God to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah) that is the slippery slope that I am talking about.” Here we see the deceptive card of the justification of anti gay views based on the destruction of Sodom for exclusively homosexuality when that was not the reasons in hindsight. The socialization challenges tied in with economic issues including corruption, piracy, slavery and so on. Was the destruction of the city a scientific phenomenon via meteorite showers or actually an extraordinary heavenly event is yet to be properly determined.
Krystal Tomlinson responded that he was being disingenuous and that hysteria and extreme views to justify opposition is dishonest (I am in total agreement there) “Leave them to choose what they want to choose.” She said, she also claimed that she does not support homosexuality but persons must be free to choose. Colin claims that she is telling others how to think.

So here we have another show in earshot of thousands of Jamaicans and others online and the true gist of the topic gets lost in the haze as per usual.

I guess in hashing out the issues we have to endure some of this but as I said in my introduction we are in the information age, all one has to do is research and approach matters from an informed place.

Peace and tolerance

H

C’bean countries need holistic approach to dealing with violence against women and girls

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Caribbean countries have been told that they would need to adopt a holistic approach in responding to and preventing violence against women and girls.

Two senior United Nations officials who have visited four Caribbean countries – Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and Dominica –have also noted that violence against women is a human rights violation, “which precludes the realization of all other human rights and is a barrier to the effective exercise of citizenship rights”.

Rashida Manjoo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, as well as Commissioner Tracy Robinson, Rapporteur on the Rights of Women of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, conducted the study during the period April 15-28.

A UN statement said that the joint activity took place in the broader context of the cooperation and partnership between the international and regional systems of protection of human rights.

It said that during their visits to the four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, discussions with both state and non state actors “focused on priority issues concerning violence against women and girls and the prevention and response to this human rights violation”.

“The Rapporteurs note that many interlocutors described violence against women and girls as normalized, widespread and of pandemic proportions, and underreported. Some of the manifestations referred to within the home, community, workplace and in state institutions included psychological, physical, sexual, economic and institutional violence,” the statement noted.

It said that human rights issues affecting lesbian, bisexual and transsexual women were referred to continuously in meetings, including practices described as “corrective” violence. The issue of a rise in the prevalence of gender-related killings, as the ultimate act in a continuum of violence, was also highlighted in some contexts.

The statement said the issue of sexual violence against girls was raised in all four countries as a widespread concern.

“For example in one country the Rapporteurs were notified by a government entity that 97 percent of all reported cases of child victims of sexual violence were girls. Interviewees stated that in many instances private resolution of these cases was undertaken between the perpetrator and the victim’s family. “Mention was also made of the disproportionate use of detention in the case of girls in need of protection, many of whom are victims of violence, for “wandering” or for being “uncontrollable”.

The Rapporteurs said they also received information from both state officials and civil society that in some countries girls are incarcerated in adult facilities due to the lack of specific facilities for juveniles, which exposes them to the risk of institutional violence.

The two UN officials said they acknowledge the efforts undertaken by the governments to adopt and reform existing legislation concerning domestic violence and sexual offenses, to develop national gender policies, to create bureaus in charge of gender issues, and to provide a number of programmes and services for victims of violence against women.

“Both State and non-State actors voiced concern over the inadequate understanding of a gendered response to violence against women and girls, which in all four countries reflected a focus on men and boys, with violence against women being treated as a secondary issue.

“Numerous interventions highlighted the struggle of civil society to maintain the focus on violence against women and girls, despite the evidence of its pervasiveness, and the lack of adequate support and partnership in provision of services including safe houses.”

The Rapporteurs said that the numerous challenges identified require that in order to provide an effective response to violence against women and girls “there needs to be more resources allocated; ongoing monitoring and evaluation of policies and training programmes; proper data collection; and implementation of appropriate complaints mechanisms to strengthen accountability”.