Friday, November 20, 2015

Transgender Day of Rememberance 2015 ..... Remembering

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which occurs annually on November 20, is a day to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia and to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community or those who have passed away.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman who is a graphic designer, columnist, and activist, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts.

Since its inception, TDoR has been held annually on November 20, and it has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries. This and my sister blog on Wordpress have carried entries remembering our friends and colleagues who have served or lived and are taken away.

Typically, a TDoR memorial includes a reading of the names of those who lost their lives during the previous year, and may include other actions, such as candlelight vigils, art shows, food drives, film screenings, and marches.

Remembering some of the club children from my more active DJ days:

Britney Boudashious the former Miss LGBT World 2012 who was murdered in November, she was to hand over the crown at this year’s gala event but she did not make it, no clear motive has been established for her demise.

Britney’s Crowning in 2012

her glorious moment after such hard work and practice to get there

rest in peace daaaaahlin’

see more here on Gay Jamaica Watch

Barbie making front page news on the now defunct XNEWS

also see: Disturbed by Xnews Story on Drag Queen and Gay Cop or HERE

also flashback to: International Day of Transgender

Remembrance 2011

LGBT History Month: Allies – Posthumous Recognition ’11 Part III

Good times at Diva Kerry’s Bday bash in 2011

fierceness

also see:

CARIBBEAN VANITY FAIR GRAMMY AWARDS REVIEW (PINK REPORT) 2010

Then the other shocker in August as the popular socialite Barbie Love passed after a brief illness, you may remember her public appearances that were not so positive but she brought visibility to the cross dressing and transwoman communities in 2009 as photo shows below when the XNews published a sensational article and the on Television where she was arrested after a cruising hookup went bad then public, subsequently she sealed her fame by granting an exclusive interview on Ragashanti live
see: Ragga Shanti Interviews Jamaican Drag Queen Part 1 & 2 !

also see: Female cisgender imperative thwarted: 17y/o trans-woman murdered

Carolyn Cooper on Dressed For Murder (The Dwayne Jones Trans murder)

REV AL MILLER’S LATE RESPONSE TO DWAYNE JONES’ MURDER & RESPECT HETEROSEXUALS DEMAND 2013

To all the ladies REST IN PEACE and we will miss you. Also the fabulous Mi'Que:

Diva Diva Diva! ......... the one and only Mi'Que transgender representative in this year's remembrance was taken from us tragically in 2011 after an altercation with her spouse went haywire. I only got to know her well over the past two years with her regular appearances at formerly club heavens in St. Ann. She too in some way assisted financially with the now defunct Safe House project and travelled extensively, judging by the two photos I chose out of literally hundreds her sense of style was impeccable and unique.

also see:
LGBT History Month: Allies – Posthumous Recognition ’11 Part II

Near death brush: Another Vicious Anti-Trans Attack 2008

photos I took back in 2008 as Crisis Intervention Officer at JFLAG

At around 2:40am Sunday September 21, 2008 the above photographed victim was befriended by two males at a park in New Kingston, pretending to help "her" out nearing the Shoemaker Gully.

Shoemaker Gully prior to the Homeless MSM/Trans population explosion there

New Kingston is widely known for open commercial sex work by mostly women and males as cross dressers servicing specific clients then who are aware of the demarcations. While sitting at a bus stop initially near the park, the two males who were passing by presented themselves as keeping her company, around some time after the men offered to keep her warm, as it turned out this was a front to launch their planned assault on the victim.

Other name of recent note (no photo available:

Marsha Blacks: November 2015 passed from illness and is to be interned next week, the set-up/nine-night celebrations were held at a family home November 18th 2015.

also see:

Caitlyn Jenner urges people to 'put an end to hate and violence' in heartfelt message for Transgender Day Of Remembrance 2015

also see:
And the machinery ..... murder of diva "Charms" ............... 2010

Peace and tolerance

H

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

New single-tablet HIV treatment Genvoya wins FDA approval

The US Food and Drug Administration have approved a new single tablet as a complete treatment for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in people aged 12 years and over.

The new single-tablet HIV drug contains a new form of the powerful HIV inhibitor tenofovir.

The new treatment, called Genvoya, from Gilead Sciences, is a fixed-dose combination of elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.

It is intended for patients aged 12 and over, weighing at least 35 kg (77 lbs) and who have never been treated forHIV before, or for infected adults whose HIV is currently suppressed.

The drug was tested against other HIV treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in four clinical trials involving a total of 3,171 participants. Results showed that it reduced viral loads and was comparable to other treatments.

Genvoya contains a new version of tenofovir - a powerful HIV inhibitor - that has not been approved before. Gilead say that because the new version (called TAF) enters cells - including HIV-infected cells - more efficiently than the previous version (TDF), it can be given at a lower dose that results in 91% less tenofovir in the bloodstream.

The new drug was developed to reduce side effects, and the trial results show it appears to be associated with less kidney toxicity and reductions in bone density than previously approved drugs containing tenofovir.
Suitable for patients with moderate kidney impairment

The FDA note that while Genvoya is not recommended for patients with severe kidney impairment, those with moderate impairment can take Genvoya.

However, the US regulator also comments that "patients receiving Genvoya experienced greater increases in serum lipids (total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein) than patients receiving other treatment regimens in the studies."

The drug's Boxed Warning says it can cause lactic acid to build up in the blood and lead to severe liver problems, both of which can be fatal.

The most common side effect is nausea, and serious side effects include new or worsening kidney problems, reduced bone mineral density, fat redistribution and changes in the immune system.

The warning also says Genvoya should not be given with other antiretroviral drugs and may interact with a number of commonly used medications.

Dr. Edward Cox, director of antimicrobial products in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA, said on Thursday:

"Today's approval of a fixed-dose combination containing a new form of tenofovir provides another effective, once daily complete regimen for patients with HIV-1 infection."

Estimates suggest around 1.2 million Americans aged 13 and over know they have HIV, and more than 150,000 others are infected but do not know it. In the last 10 years, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable.

HIV-1 is the predominant strain of HIV that causes the vast majority of HIV infections worldwide. When people refer to HIV, they usually mean HIV-1.

Earlier this year, Medical News Today reported on a study that suggests drugs already being tested for the treatment of cancer could reawaken dormant HIV in cells of patients treated with antiretroviral drugs to allow complete eradication of the virus.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

ENDS

Video from Loop: VIDEO: Homeless gay men, rejected by their families, beg for place to live

With images such as that one above of one of our homeless MSM and the obvious emaciated state more evidence of the lack of interest in addressing homelessness and HIV/AIDS. I am reminded of when friends, colleagues and party patrons at my parties I DJ or promote used to drop like flies in the early nineties; when one would wonder who will be off the scene this month or week or if someone is missing the guess would be they are in the hospital; then when one actually finds them they are mere skin and bones. Sigh

We are told repeatedly of promises to deal with it or flimsy excuses that a space cannot be found etc, see:

Homeless Awareness Month: Flashback to New Kingston's Displaced MSM 2013

MSM/Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard Oct 2015

MSM Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard 04.10.15. by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud

Homeless Awareness Month 2015 ..... Recap & Concerns 07.11.15 by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud

Homeless Awareness Month 2015: Displaced MSM/Trans versus Cruisers

The Quietus ......... The Safe House Project Closes

And we continue to reap the world-wind for not addressing homelessness when it was manageable 2013

Reported homophobic cases: January - October 2015

Where is that "I am Not a Fish" documentary?

MSM/Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard

Complaint of "Freaky Gays" Harassing New Kingston Residents 2011

And The Machinery ...... The murder of Charms 2011

Hypocrisy from the pulpit on homeless MSM in Jamaica? yet the populations continue to languish while the priveleged religious and LGBT simply move on. Remember also that JASL received a major donation for such work,

see:

JASL Receives US$99,738 grant from the Embassy of Japan for HIV Prevention

Health Minister Says Boldness Needed to Change Buggery Laws for HIV Prevention Work to be Effective with at Risk Groups

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy

Health Ministry To Reach MSM, Commercial Sex Workers Through Church 2015

Caribbean Region Must Change Mindset About HIV/AIDS – Dr. Ferguson

Health Minister Ferguson on WAD '13 & FBOs fear of a Buggery repeal with future parachuted gay marriage

Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again) says Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

YOUNG MSM/TRANSGENDER WANT TO BE TREATED AS CITIZENS NOT POTENTIAL HIV/AIDS VICTIMS

Gay Men Are Receptive to Sexual Health Info on Hookup Sites says Scottish Study

German Study: Gay men who discuss HIV status with sexual partners are less likely to acquire HIV

St. Kitts and Nevis PM Douglas defends PANCAP’s Justice For All programme

Continued oversight or deliberate overlooking of Jamaican SGL Women in HIV Prevention?

Jamaica Increasing Funding For HIV/AIDS Programmes

13,328 Jamaican MSM Reached by HIV Prevention says report on National HIV Program ........ but

New Efforts To Halt Spread Of HIV Among Gay Jamaica Men

Concerns for HIV prevalence rate in MSM in Jamaica & connected matters

Incestuous messes, poor NGO monitoring & ever deepening mistrust about "gay rights"

Why did CVCC & JFJ not Fund a Project/Home for Homeless LGBT Youth in New Kingston instead of the Children’s Home Fiasco ...........

YOUNG MSM/TRANSGENDER WANT TO BE TREATED AS CITIZENS NOT POTENTIAL HIV/AIDS VICTIMS from March 2014

Health Minister Ferguson on WAD '13 & FBOs fear of a Buggery repeal with future parachuted gay marriage

Major disappointment in assisting our lesser colleagues

Peace & tolerance

Lesbians, robbery, mistaken Identity & a wrongly accused man beaten

Queen Latifah from 'Set it Off' 2012 blockbuster immortalizing the butch woman gangsta aka 'Man Royal' in Jamaica

Gordon Pen, St Catherine by a popular community shop was the scene as persons were both angry and laughing as to the pieces to a strange puzzle of a robbery of the house shop as is customary in such depressed communities. A robbery via a break in took place somewhere between Friday night November 13, 2015 and Saturday the 14th with the result of some $60,000 cash and several grocery items went missing; no dollar value was ascertained for the groceries at the time of gathering this report as I made my way into the community thanks to a brethren who towed me on his bicycle and my investigative curiosity kicked in; I spoke to two ladies I know who reside nearby and who are angry as well as to the allegations and outcomes. The shop is popularly known as ‘Whitey’ nearing the popular section in the community known as ‘the gulf’ and is known for its music and jovial atmosphere with the occasional bashment street dances.

As it turned out the robbery was perpetrated by two women departing from the traditional male perpetrators according to investigations done by some of the men in the area but not before a man who has a bad reputation for break ins inside and outside the community and was subsequently accosted and roughed up by men who took matters in their own hands in a vigilante style approach. Further discussions over the weekend and observations by some of a white car deemed a taxi dropping off or appearing to be picking up items aroused suspicion and a subsequent visit to the address where one of the suspected women reside with her cousin resulted in boxes and bags of items of groceries and phone cards similar to what went missing found; which led to further interrogation by men from the lanes nearby of the driver when returned to make another pickup or drop off as the case may be. He could not give a proper account of the items and why he was making so many stop-offs. He was ordered not to return.

Threats of arson in regards to the house where the items were found and the ladies reside were made but one wonders if it was just hot in the heat of the moment.

As regret set in by some of the area men who participated in an assault exercise of the accused man with the bad break-in reputation residents quickly gathered at the house and were boisterous as they could not accept that the women would have been the ones to rob the popular community shop. The shop’s operator has a reputation of offering credit or as we say in Jamaica ‘trust’ where some other shops tend to have misgivings and so makeshift signs on their doors or entrance spots with wording to the effect ‘No trust’ or ‘No credit’ ‘Absolutely no credit’ which tends to turn off patronage to rival shops who do offer some delayed payment system. The popular shop also offers breakfast at reasonable rates from egg sandwiches for only $60 with a cup of tea and breaks down items that would be sold as a package; for example sliced bread as a whole is sold in slices if persons do not have enough money or Vienna sausages or bulk ones are literally opened and sold in low denominations of one to three and upwards. So one can understand the justification of the upset of the residents; the police were notified they did come eventually and the items left in the house were seized with one of the accused ladies present but not before the angry residents and the ‘shotta thugs’ verbally abused them and the castigation included that they were ‘sodomites’ and living together.

The tense standoff lasted according to my sources some twenty minutes with the cops appealing to the residents to keep calm while the ‘shotta thugs’ could not exact their version of justice and were hampered to execute same since the police were there and warned persons; according to my source their faces said it all as they were peeved they could not act and discipline the girls involved. A truck was said to have arrived to remove their belongings yesterday and the driver and crew were verbally abused but that soon died down. There was some concern that the truck would be trailed by bikers who live in the community in the lucrative bike rental business but with the death last Saturday of a man who rented one of the bikes for $300/2hr without any serious experience he was eventually ran over by a motorist on the main road so such bikers are curtailed for now. Some of the bikes have since been seized and deemed illegal without a license both by riders and machinery alike.

Yesterday afternoon the truck returned to collect the remaining stuff with police which was where I was brought into knowledge of the occurrences as the boisterous residents were out again asking or demanding blood in as far as the accused ladies are concerned; none of them has been seen in the area since and the cops’ visit and the one lady who was on site was not taken in or detained for questioning which to me seems strange. One of the women is said to be a butch identified person or as stereotypically sighted ‘man royal’ a term made popular by dancehall acts such as Beenieman and Elephant Man and used to justify opposition verbally or violently to such women as they are seen as a threat to men especially in the department of multi-partnering; some men really believe that such women are sharp and may steal away other women sexually via good oral sex which may make such passive partners extremely satisfied as they may reach an orgasm easier than with a man. On the opposite side of things butch women are also seen as one of the boys in some circles and are treated as men in a social circle construct; so they do the things the guys do and still be a lady in a sense, smoke weed, dress as a typical ‘thug’ and have and share women or be allowed to access women for sex on behalf of the boys in the circle. Problem is when there is a standoff she is the first to be blamed or castigated as a ‘manroyal’ and or a man wanna be so she deserves anything that comes her way, including violent reactions or corrective rape in the extreme.

Monday, November 16, 2015

International Day of Tolerance 2015

On the day of its fiftieth anniversary, 16 November 1995, UNESCO's Member States adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. Among other things, the Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe.

The Declaration qualifies tolerance not only as a moral duty, but also as a political and legal requirement for individuals, groups and States. It situates tolerance in relation to the international human rights instruments drawn up over the past fifty years and emphasizes that States should draft new legislation when necessary to ensure equality of treatment and of opportunity for all groups and individuals in society.

Along with outright injustice and violence, discrimination and marginalization are common forms of intolerance. Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning. The diversity of our world's many religions, languages, cultures and ethnicities is not a pretext for conflict, but is a treasure that enriches us all.

How Can Intolerance Be Countered?

Fighting intolerance requires law:
Each Government is responsible for enforcing human rights laws, for banning and punishing hate crimes and discrimination against minorities, whether these are committed by State officials, private organizations or individuals. The State must also ensure equal access to courts, human rights commissioners or ombudsmen, so that people do not take justice into their own hands and resort to violence to settle their disputes.

Fighting intolerance requires education:
Laws are necessary but not sufficient for countering intolerance in individual attitudes. Intolerance is very often rooted in ignorance and fear: fear of the unknown, of the other, other cultures, nations, religions. Intolerance is also closely linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride, whether personal, national or religious. These notions are taught and learned at an early age. Therefore, greater emphasis needs to be placed on educating more and better. Greater efforts need to be made to teach children about tolerance and human rights, about other ways of life. Children should be encouraged at home and in school to be open-minded and curious.

Education is a life-long experience and does not begin or end in school. Endeavours to build tolerance through education will not succeed unless they reach all age groups, and take place everywhere: at home, in schools, in the workplace, in law-enforcement and legal training, and not least in entertainment and on the information highways.
Fighting intolerance requires access to information:
Intolerance is most dangerous when it is exploited to fulfil the political and territorial ambitions of an individual or groups of individuals. Hatemongers often begin by identifying the public's tolerance threshold. They then develop fallacious arguments, lie with statistics and manipulate public opinion with misinformation and prejudice. The most efficient way to limit the influence of hatemongers is to develop policies that generate and promote press freedom and press pluralism, in order to allow the public to differentiate between facts and opinions.

Fighting intolerance requires individual awareness:
Intolerance in a society is the sum-total of the intolerance of its individual members. Bigotry, stereotyping, stigmatizing, insults and racial jokes are examples of individual expressions of intolerance to which some people are subjected daily. Intolerance breeds intolerance. It leaves its victims in pursuit of revenge. In order to fight intolerance individuals should become aware of the link between their behavior and the vicious cycle of mistrust and violence in society. Each one of us should begin by asking: am I a tolerant person? Do I stereotype people? Do I reject those who are different from me? Do I blame my problems on 'them'?

Fighting intolerance requires local solutions:
Many people know that tomorrow's problems will be increasingly global but few realize that solutions to global problems are mainly local, even individual. When confronted with an escalation of intolerance around us, we must not wait for governments and institutions to act alone. We are all part of the solution. We should not feel powerless for we actually posses an enormous capacity to wield power. Nonviolent action is a way of using that power-the power of people. The tools of nonviolent action-putting a group together to confront a problem, to organize a grassroots network, to demonstrate solidarity with victims of intolerance, to discredit hateful propaganda-are available to all those who want to put an end to intolerance, violence and hatred.

also see and hear previous rantings from me:

International Day of Tolerance 2012 ............... How Can Intolerance Be Countered? & more

Perkins scolded for his "tolerance"

Leighton Levy on Gays are not our problem .... JCHS told to check the mirror

Tolerance Doesn't Mean Agreement (Gleaner opinion) 2011

The Walk for Tolerance ...... scenes and more part 2 2010

Is mere tolerance enough? 2010

Tolerance or acquiescence? 2009

'Homosexual has right to life' says DPP assistant 2009

Why is "FUNNY" so funny? 2009

remember this poll from TVJ:

Christians say ... Don't force gay agenda on them ........ lol

Hardened Positions by Religious Fanatics & Their LGBT Detractors Will Only Leave More Blood on the Floor

We have some way to go with all the hardened positions out there I am wondering how long it is going to take to change hearts and minds; with poor crisis communications from advocacies and a strident anti gay movement I am still hopeful.

Peace & tolerance

Dancehall meets house music part 2: Artistes, Producers Willing To Try EDM

So a full five years has passed since my first post on this fusion I saw from way back and where I questioned whether some tolerance could come from same? my post then was Dancehall meets house music: Is Tolerance already there in the fusion but unrecognised? and a follow up entry that same year Jah Cure goes techno with Never Say Never ..... remember the dancehall meets house post? with the upcoming EDM Festival in Jamaica finally some pundits are saying persons are just riding the trend for now until it changes again.

I have been spinning dancemusic for some twenty years now and had stopped playing dancehall because of the murder anti gay elements of it; it just turned me off and I zoomed in on house (which I already was a HUGE fan of) and ballroom with Euro Techno and nowadays Electro, Trance, Nu Disco, Filter and Deep Tech alongside the bootleg community's output.

The Gleaner carried this yesterday:
Now that it has been confirmed that EDM (electronic dance music) originated in Jamaica and with a steady increase in the popularity of EDM parties and festivals locally, The Sunday Gleaner has sought to find out from artistes and producers if more of them would now be willing to branch out into the genre.

DJ Sunshine: I would consider producing EDM rhythms. For me, music has no colour. I don't set limits or boundaries on my creativity. I'm open to new ideas of expressions. I just let the music take me wherever. Given the fact that EDM was created in Jamaica, I would definitely explore the option of producing music with that flavour.

Macka Diamond: I think I did an EDM style song a few years ago, but if it's the new thing coming in, we have to work with the flow. We can't just stay back and flop. Music changes over time. Artistes have to keep up with what is going on. Mi fit inna everything. A me name water.

Stacious: I love EDM and the vibe and energy that come with it. I did an EDM track with a Swiss-based artiste called Fat Cat which we are currently promoting. I think a lot of music forms originate in Jamaica. We have influenced reggaeton, rap, hip-hop, etc. We are the mother of music.

CeCile: I didn't know that the origins of EDM could be traced back to Jamaica. That's actually very exciting to hear. I've always done EDM and I've performed at EDM festivals also. It's not new to me.

It's something that I've already done, been doing and will continue to do.

Seanizzle (producer) : I'm a lover of music. I enjoy every genre. If you listen to Bugle's Rasta Party, which I recently produced, there are traces of EDM in it. It's something I've been messing with a while now.

ENDS

The interviewer did not it seem approach the real caustic artists such as Elephant Man, Beenieman (despite his dancehall queen song with Chevelle Frranklin being remixed by the house music prince remixer Maurice Joshua) and Capleton, I guess artistes would be against it as the old beliefs that dancemusic overall is gay music which in truth is so as it was founded by the DJs then. The Gleaner played it safe and spoke to friendly acts to the LGBT community it seems but it would have been good to balance it out.

There was a dancehall riddim some years ago that easily could be considered dancehall/house as I played it in my house sets at parties. The $20 Bunch riddim has artists like Macka Diamond

Just speed up the BPM settings and it becomes a nice house bouncer, the Scoobay Riddim was another riddim I and other DJs would speed up while time stretching the vocals etc to avoid the Mickey Mouse or chipmunk voice. Unfortunately Beenieman's murder music track which is still available "All Battyman fi Dead (All gays are to be killed)" was released on that riddim. Here is one of the most popular tunes on that riddim.

another track I used to mix with songs like Rosabel's Cha Cha Heels sped up to 132 BOM both with tribal/Jamaican revival but house music feel.

perfect combination of dancehall and house/dance includes the infamous tracks:

and the hard to find Johnny P's Look Good Metro Club Remix go HERE of HERE

Embracing the genre is one thing but the fusion so early in the years has not really slowed the homo-negativity in a large sense; I hope the EDM festival will enhance that part of the discourse and I want to go to see the DJs especially King Jammys who is a dancehall veteran but was asked to spin EDM see Many Battle To Be First - But Paradise Lost Takes Dibs On Three-Day EDM Festival In Ja from the Gleaner.

Also hear some of my set mixes:

DJ Howie's Pussy DaaaaHlinG! Vogue Battle Bitch Femme RunWerQables for a Cunty Setmix April 2015 by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud