Women for Women still on the move.

In response to the recent International Women's Day celebrations in recognition I found it fit to highlight a group of active Jamaican lesbian and bisexual women who are working for change on the ground.

With the departure of the active and vivacious former Chairman of the only lesbian and bisexual group in Jamaica who left “very large breasts to fill” according to one of the present Co-chairs shared jokingly in an interview at their offices on March 3, 2010 the group has refocused its attentions on issues affecting lesbian, bisexual and special transsexual community members. Of note the transgendered community that of Female to Male preoperative individuals have been very active themselves and have formed important alliances with the WFW and other small activist typed ventures to work on their respective objectives.

Women for Women is a Jamaican not for profit unpaid membership organization which focuses on issues relating to and supports the needs of lesbians. Their mandate is to unite and assist in the educating of persons within the Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community by implementing programs focussing on but not limited to personal and career development, general deportment and family issues. Through edutainment and sports, the objective is to assist in reducing the negative and in many instances self destructive practices within the local community.

Their Motto: In Support of Sisterly Love, Unity

They embrace transgendered persons despite specifications be they Male to Female or Female to Male variants. They intend to focus on the real issues affecting the community they have already begun to address pertinent issues in the form of interventions with workshops and other forumatic activities directed at their membership.

They have launched a special award named the “Simple” Award as named after the former chairperson for International Women’s Day on March 8, 2010 which will become annual feature to recognise women who make significant contributions to the development of the sisterhood and are active in general women’s issues. Their first actual private presentation ceremony is expected to occur on March 8, 2010.

They intend to continue the programs as started under the previous administration with several new initiates added since the appointment of two new Co-chairs. They are seeking funding to support said programs those that are active include the Sport program to include as much sporting activities as possible, Developmental programs including Career choice activities, motivational speaking on several issues including human rights issues and recreational activities to include outings and other cathartic based activities. They are also seeking to collaborate with other women’s rights groups to arrive at formidable cooperative initiatives at empowering women from all walks of life and sexual orientation.

For further information on this active Jamaican women’s group please send an email to womenforwomen1999@gmail.com

Good luck to my sisters in the struggle as we have seen since recently the awful scourge of the episodes of “Corrective rapes” and other forms of deviant violence and discrimination meted out to women in general be they lesbian bisexual or heterosexual as reported on this blog and elsewhere, the various groups under the GLBTQ variants must begin to cross fertilise ideas and concerns albeit they may not be those directly related to the other groups concerned. The recent Armadale incident and subsequent damming inquiry as well is a clear indication as to the “hatred” towards the female gender even in our so called homophobic society where several female wards of the state lost their lives to basically due to state neglect and women deemed as outcasts and unworthy as possible productive citizens, issues and societal ills that have yet to be properly dealt with in terms of the perception towards women in general society in the so called age of information women still suffer bouts of outward discrimination.

As I left the short interview process with the Co-chair the executive and other committee members were preparing for what turned out to be a spirited meeting as we were in earshot on the vibrant but muted exchanges. In a way this active group is showing the rest of us in advocacy how it really ought to be done.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

They have promised to and wherever possible to provide and contribute direct lesbian centred articles as a sign of cooperation.

Peace and tolerance

H

Missed Opportunities in HIV-AIDS outreach on the social scenes.

In another follow-up post on the recent release of the (MSMGF) The Global Forum on MSM & HIV February policy report for 2010 I would like to put some of the suggestions and concerns in the context of the subjected title where I feel we have missed key opportunities for the local level that require very little funding if any and simple approaches that could have been effective which may have helped to reduce our rates of infection in the MSM population here.
We now have an infection rate of 30%.

It is well known that the social events such as lymes, parties and meetings are where larger numbers of GLBTQ persons can be reached in one go or repetitiously. Despite the fact that the MSM population has always been naturally migratory due to several negative homophobic and social causes in our environment these social events offer a chance to do some serious interventions that ought to have the assistance of the party promoters themselves and other key volunteers who are willing to work, the difficulty with the volunteers as I have come to realize is that they do not necessarily wish to engage the present set of groups and organizations that operate just now as many feel disillusioned by the systems over the years.
The recommendations as provided in the MSMGF document entitled “Reaching, Men who have sex with Men in the Global HIV Aids Epidemic,” are still worth exploring despite many of them have been espoused before and worded differently in other reports and documents from various groups and individuals.

Here are a few:
Under the heading - Expanded coverage of quality HIV-related services for MSM
Services and information tailored to the needs of gay men and other MSM are essential for the effective prevention, treatment and care of HIV and AIDS. HIV prevention messaging focusing exclusively on heterosexual transmission has led to misconceptions among MSM in various parts of the world that sex between men carries no risk of HIV transmission.13 14 Similarly, the word “sex” in certain contexts can indicate reproduction,15 again leading to dissociation between male-to-male sex and an understanding of HIV risk.

Clear and targeted information campaigns that appropriately address the risk of HIV transmission between men are necessary tools for effective HIV prevention. This must be coupled with access to a full complement of HIV prevention technologies, including condoms and water-based lubricants, that enable MSM to protect themselves and their sexual partners. For instance, when water-based lubricants are expensive or not widely available, oil based products like Vaseline and body creams are more commonly used instead4 which break down latex condoms and render them ineffective.

“MSM are considered to be a hard to reach group. For those of us working with this community, we have noted that it is large in size, and found across the nation in rural, peri-urban and urban centers. The current HIV programmes within the country are exclusively for heterosexuals. This prevents MSM from accessing prevention materials and other services that they require to address their health needs.”
Samuel Matsikure, Programmes Manager- Health,
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), Zimbabwe, MSMGF Steering Committee Member

This is not much of a difference here in Jamaica as mot of our healthcare systems are designed for a heterosexual operated environment.

MSMGF Recommendations
• As highlighted in the 2009 AIDS Epidemic Update, programs to address HIV among MSM should constitute an important part of any national AIDS control plan.
• All nations should provide a minimum package of services for HIV prevention among MSM adopted. The Bangkok experience, documented in a 2009 consultation convened by UNDP, WHO, UNAIDS and others,16 includes five categories of interventions:
o peer and outreach education,
o free distribution of condoms and lubricants,
o use of targeted media,
o sexually transmitted infections (STI) screening and treatment, and
o voluntary HIV testing.
• Programming should ensure that HIV service providers have the necessary knowledge, tools and training to provide services to MSM, including the transfer of specialized clinical skills and anti-homophobia training. Furthermore, these must be made available and accessible to MSM in all areas, including urban, peri-urban and rural.

Under - Increased investment in effective HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support programs for MSM

Since the beginning of the new millennium, an unprecedented amount of attention and funding has been channeled toward combating the global HIV & AIDS epidemic.8 This has allowed tremendous progress to be made. Over the last ten years or so, a steadily growing response to this crisis from public, private and non-profit agencies globally,9 has made available significant financial resources to HIV-disease initiatives particularly in mid- and low income countries. A recent UNAIDS report10 documents the many successes of the heightened AIDS response, namely an increase in ART coverage from 7% in 2003 to 42% in 2008 among children and adults, and in one year, a 35% increase in the number of health facilities providing HIV testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries from 2007 to 2008

However, while UNAIDS estimates that sex between men accounts for between 5 and 10% of HIV infections worldwide,11 only 1.2% of all HIV prevention funding is targeted toward MSM.12 Although transmission rates vary considerably between countries, this is still a clear indication of global priorities in HIV investments therefore necessitating a more evidence-informed strategy for the future.

MSMGF Recommendations include:
Country governments, humanitarian and global health institutions, donors, and national and international AIDS control organizations should ensure that financial and human resources committed to addressing HIV among MSM are proportional to HIV disease burden.
• In countries and regions where HIV prevalence data among MSM does not exist or is inadequate, capacity building for research to map the epidemic must be urgently prioritized. This will inform optimal targeting of HIV programs, as well as the allocation of public health resources.
• Key donors, including the World Bank and the UN, should prioritize a global ‘mapping analysis’ of funding investment in MSM programs in order to assess current levels of investment and provide a baseline for evaluating forward progress.

While there is a need for financial investments to carry out the well needed programs and interventions I feel we have not been seriously using the ideas and human resources available on the ground as part and parcel on these programs and strategies. Many persons who have been trained for peer to peer work etc are hardly utilized to carry out specific responsibilities on a volunteer basis for short periods in an effort for continuity of said interventions. MSMs are not readily visible and many who are already HIV+ do not necessarily access public health care readily and usually wait until they are at a crisis stage before doing do so they wont be reached by any direct interventions soon. The intricate network on event planners and social cell groups around are fertile ground for this kind splintered intervention that may well come together after some time.

One hardly hears of any regularly planned or occurring focus or support groups for HIV positive MSMs while done in a social setting or via private cell groups at all. The idea was reestablished under the former Jamaica AIDS Support for Life’s GLABCOM’s Steering Committee (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Community Outreach under the aegis of the Targeted Interventions Dept. drawn from the GLBTQ communities) of which I was a member, where it was agreed and formulated that selected committee members themselves would have identified their own peers and gone in to enact the Targeted Interventions initiatives at the time, it was beginning to bear fruit as all participating members had to report at every meeting what was accomplished or discussed at the cell group level this in turn was to be fed into a larger monthly and then annually published document but as we saw the GLABCOM program was closed in Kingston and the regularly held general populations meetings would have acted as a conduit if the ideas were allowed to flourish. There was some concerns raised at the Board level of JASL that the GLAB Steering Committee ought to concern itself with policy development at the Management level and not in direct activities as a committee to which I strongly disagree, we are also a part of the community and hence we must not only be developers but direct participants in order to engage others.

The apparent lack of autonomy as well at the GLABCOM Steering Committee level to function was another hindrance as at that time we had to operate in the purview of the T.I’s goals and objectives so many other social support ideas that were not adopted or carried out by JFLAG were left on paper because they couldn’t be supported by the structure.

It is only recently we have seen some presence of Peer Influentials (P.I) at a few events and they only seem to just operate at a basic level that of a condom station and very little interactions with the patrons present. The identification of willing volunteers is a critical first step then the planning and roll out of very simple yet effective initiatives ideas of which reside in the very communities that are to be reached, volunteers must feel a sense of worth in participating where their ideas, plans and objectives form part of the solutions (GLABCOM or similarly typed semi-autonomous structure).

The other communities have very little direct interventions to tackle HIV/AIDS issues save and except for the heterosexual designed messages from the national programs. There is very little exposure to GLBTQ messaging via US cable television and the internet but that will not and has not sufficed to make a meaningful impact as I feel persons feel removed from their cultural differences.

Please download the PDF version of the report from MSMGF and peruse it carefully.

Recommendations welcomed also no matter how simple, sometimes it’s those that work.

Peace and tolerance.

H

my rants and rave:

Comment | Copy This

Authorities put pressure on male and female Commercial Sex Work

Reports that commercial sex workers most of whom are female who operate in sections of Kingston have been coming under pressure from the (KSAC) Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation through the mayor’s office and the police have been confirmed. Police have been regularly patrolling the New Kingston strips recently and arresting ladies and men of the night. According to a source the nearby drug base as well in the business district has been targeted and the authorities have been getting information allegedly from this arena about the individuals who sell sex for a living on the roads.

So called massage parlours that are perceived by many to be undercover commercial sex operations have also been coming under scrutiny with a small operation in Portmore relocating to a new address after they feared they would be raided due to public pressure from citizens in that region, the numerous ads that appeared in selected newspapers have been decreasing, the hip street on the back road in Portmore (Port Henderson)as well has been coming under pressure ever since the debate came to light that the area may be declared a red light district a call that the Portmore citizenry has sent a strong backlash to.

Decency and advocacy.

While I can concur with the rule of law and maintaining public decency removing the commercial sex workers be they male or female from the street without any commensurate social support systems is foolhardy. They will just take their trade to other places and continue whilst putting themselves at further risk by engaging in risky behaviour by improper condom negotiating skills in a bid to secure any customer who may come by some of who ask for bareback sexual activities to be performed on them or any other unusual requests in a bid to secure funds. One commercial sex worker I interviewed said she has had one of her former clients move in as he proposed to help her as he is romantically interested so she has been able to become stable in a sense for some months now, not an usual occurrence but rarely happens to a few CSWs, most others however are not so lucky they have to be plying their trade at bars and other spots doubling as exotic dancers as well with very little success as the economic situation has already made a fledgling business even less fruitful. Male sex workers on the other hand cannot do exotic dancing as supplemental income hence they become more overt wit h their side of the craft in a bid to secure business fortunately at a time when some fragile tolerance seems to have come from not only their female counterparts on the respective strips and their pimps but also men who seek such services by meeting them in these spaces.

One of the other sad parts about this is that some of the CSWs are HIV positive with very little support systems on the street despite the availability of a Commercial Sex Workers Association that with little funding and resources it too has its share of issues to attend to. There was a project launched earlier last year through a private entity to assist some Commercial Sex Workers of female persuasion to train and find work in other parts of the world as household technicians and other similar typed positions. It was met with some cynicism by public commentators and the sections of the religious community, not surprising as many feel commercial sex workers cannot improve their lives and are always so despite whatever progressive changes they embark on, so much for religion and inclusion.

There are no such known programs for MSMs who engage in sex work that is of great significance that would seek to help them rehabilitate towards gainful employment and assimilation into general society. The peer group sessions that used to occur some time ago seem to have waned.

Happenings

There was a report of an incident just recently where an alleged male Commercial Sex Worker was approached by would be clients in a tinted green motor vehicle as described a friend of the alleged victim he made his way to the vehicle but obviously was not versed in the ways of the road and leaned onto the window frame of the car he was grabbed by occupants in the vehicle, a struggle ensued where he managed to get away from his would be kidnappers as it were. There are also reports of two MSMs who frequent the streets in the business district as missing for some time without any verification as to what may have occurred to them. Such are the dangers on the roads with our homeless MSMs another set of possible sad outcomes for this seriously overlooked and really marginalized group. With the patrols by the police on in earnest the trade has been severely hampered, possible clients themselves are scared of coming onto the road to seek sexual favours as they too fear being arrested according to the female sex worker I spoke to. Many of the sex workers are known to me from my previous dispensation as an Outreach Officer in the public health system where our responsibilities included empowering them with condom negotiating skills and self efficacious activity plans.
Other sources on the ground including route taxi operators informed GJW that they have witnessed chases by the police and men on a few occasions in the same area where they normally ply their trade. “The exhibitionist route” as I call it which was shown to me by a gay route taxi operator late last year is a spot where men in the late hours of the morning offer open masturbation sessions or shows in public have also been closed as the particular area is empty. The practice is said to be an offshoot of an area in United States and some parts of Europe where the same kind of exhibitionism occurs by both sexes for payment of for fun by the persons involved.

There must be possible solutions to empower this group of at risk persons, but with all the other social ills, economic and political fallouts who has time to seriously pay attention to this group with meaningful results and not just talk. I hope the project that was started by the private entity continues and may eventually reach the male workers as well so as to get them occupied in something else.

Peace and tolerance

H

National Gender Policy being Reviewed by Human Resource Committee of Cabinet

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Olivia Grange (right), presents Dr. Leith Dunn with her certificate for contribution to gender and development in the area of teaching and research at the Institute for Gender and Development at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. Occasion was the observation of International Women's Day and the launch of the Inter-American Year of Women, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, in downtown Kingston, today (March 8). The event was hosted by the Bureau of Women's Affairs.

The National Gender policy document has been submitted to Cabinet, and is now being reviewed by its Human Resource Committee.

In addition, the Sexual Harassment policy is being redrafted, to allow for a joint presentation to Cabinet by Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Olivia Grange, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne.

Minister Grange made the disclosure this morning (March 8), at the launch of the Inter-American Year of Women, and the observation of International Women's Day, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, in downtown Kingston. The event was hosted by the Bureau of Women's Affairs

The legislative action by the Government is aimed at enhancing the welfare of women in Jamaica, as well as to ensure that there are equal opportunities and equal rights for both women and men.

"The development of the Gender policy is one step in ensuring that there is equal opportunity and rights for all," she said. Miss Grange said submissions have also been made to Cabinet regarding the Domestic Violence Act and the adoption of the new Sexual Offences Act.

"These legislative measures are gender neutral and will ensure the protection of both men and women against acts of gender-based violence," she stated.

The Minister, who is also responsible for Women's Affairs said International Women's Day "reminds us that women play an integral role in the development of a country, and in this regard when we ensure that our women are empowered, and we are moving towards the achievement of gender equality, we know that we are of extreme importance to our nation".

She said the day is an opportunity to highlight the situations of women and girls across the world, as well as honour the achievements made by women in all spheres of life, especially in Jamaica

Miss Grange said this year's observance is particularly important in the face of increasing economic hardships, as it is crucial to recognise that many women have been able to rise above these difficulties and continue to make important contributions to the various sectors of society.

"Let us encourage our young women to take advantage of opportunities to empower themselves, and let us encourage our young women to continue to stand tall, and to make the right decisions, and the right choices," Miss Grange urged.

Meanwhile, she pledged Jamaica's continued support for the women of Haiti, which lost three of its women's movement stalwarts in the devastating earthquake of January 12 - Myriam Merlet, Anne Marie Coriolan, and Magalie Marcelin.

"They were female leaders and founders of three of Haiti's most important advocacy organisations working on behalf of women and girls. These women and others have championed the cause of women, as they paved the way for Haitian women to have a voice in the midst of challenges. They also fought against various forms of oppression, including violence in general and gender-based violence in particular," she pointed out.

The observance was held under the theme: 'Equal Rights Equal Opportunities: Progress for All', and saw remarks from Her Excellency, Lady Allen; Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sub regional office in the Caribbean, Dr. Hernando Agudelo; and Assistant Community Liaison Officer, Historian and Education specialist with the United States Embassy, Ms. Lea Flowers Baker.

There was a wide cross section of attendees at the function, including representatives of various women's and special interest groups, and members of the diplomatic corps. Some 53 women from various fields were awarded certificates for their outstanding contribution in their careers, and to their communities.

Are Jamaicans homophobic with good reason?

Dear Editor,

Reggae artistes whose shows are being boycotted in the United States and whose records are being blacklisted in Europe must be hurting financially.

We are often reminded that it is not only the artistes who suffer, as many of them contribute to the care and upbringing of numerous underprivileged children in their communities.

At a recent public lecture dedicated to the late Professor Rex Nettleford, Professor Carolyn Cooper -- a recognised authority on Jamaican culture and music -- stated that there is a need for the Jamaican Government to form a lobby for the protection of these artistes as a pushback against gay lobbyists. In her opinion, the world needs to be told that Jamaicans are homophobic "with good reason". Due to time constraints, I was unable to ask her if she believed Professor Nettleford would have approved of her statement. Instead, I have pulled together some responses to my recent letter to the editor enquiring why Jamaicans are so homophobic, in order to identify if the blacklisted artistes in fact reflect a general homophobic society and the reasons for such homophobia.

In summary, Jamaicans don't accept the gay lifestyle because they fear it will unleash a Sodom and Gomorrah cataclysm on Jamaica, such as the recent Haitian or Chilean earthquakes. There is also the perception that gays will want to recruit young boys and as a result the human race willdecrease as there will be less heterosexual relationships. They also believe that gay sex is "nasty" and as such must spread disease.

It is clear that the rationality of these expressed objections to the gay lifestyle is suspect. What was surprising, however, was that the private sex act of consenting male adults was largely felt to be nobody's business and no longer worthy of legal regualtion.

Maurice Tomlinson

maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com

Gay sex scandal at the Vatican

Jessica Green

The Vatican has been hit by a gay sex scandal after allegations that a chorister had procured male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

The chorister, 29-year-old Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, was sacked after police heard him talking on a wiretap to Angelo Balducci, a Gentleman of His Holiness.

Papal gentlemen-in-waiting are called upon to act as ushers at the Vatican for major occasions.

Balducci, who was also a construction consultant to the Vatican, as well as being a senior government employee, is said to given Ehiem a description of the men he wanted and it has been reported that Ehiem may have procured a number of male prostitutes for him.

Balducci was being investigated by police over allegations of corruption when the claims of gay sex were revealed. He is alleged to have steered government contracts towards preferred bidders.

Excerpts of the wiretaps and police documents were published in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

They showed that the pair had been in regular contact before Balducci was arrested last month and that they had discussed gay sex.

According to the newspaper, police said they were part of an organised male prostitution network and one of the men referred to was a student for the priesthood.

Baldacci remains in custody after being arrested last month. His lawyer has refused to comment and the Vatican has not released any statement on the claims.

A news magazine called Panoramas is due to publish an interview with Ehiem tomorrow. According to the Guardian, Ehiem will say: “”He [Baldacci] asked me if I could procure other men for him. He told me he was married and that I had to do it in great secrecy.”

The Catholic Church sees homosexuality as a sin and “intrinsically disordered”, while the Pope has spoken out against it a number of times.

The scandal is the latest to rock the Vatican, after investigations found endemic abuse of children in church-run institutions.

UK's Greens launch LGBT Manifesto .... Jamaica is named in the document

from the desk of Peter Tatchell:

The Green Party has launched its LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) Manifesto for the upcoming general election. The launch took place in Brighton, with keynote speakers Caroline Lucas Green MEP, and LGBT human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

The Greens claim they are offering "the strongest, most comprehensive and radical LGBT equality policies of any party."

These are six core policies in the Greens LGBT General Election Manifesto:

(1) Open up civil marriages and civil partnerships, without discrimination, to both same-sex and opposite sex couples.

(2) Require all police forces to have LGBT Liaison Officers with paid time allocated within their work schedules to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime.

(3) End the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donors.

(4) Amend the Equality Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment to LGBT people.

(5) Refuse visas and work permits to "murder music" singers and others who incite homophobic and transphobic violence.

(6) Ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBT people fleeing persecution in violently homophobic and transphobic counties.

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party, stated:
“We believe that all police forces should have LGBT Liaison Officers with paid time allocated within their work schedules to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime. Labour's Equality Bill is wrong to deny protection against harassment to LGBT people. The Green Party proposes re-writing the Mental Health Act to remove trans people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register and we would ensure LGBT awareness training for all teachers to create a safe, supportive environment for LGBT staff and students.”

Peter Tatchell commented on the launch:
“The Green Party will go into the General Election as the only party campaigning for full marriage and partnership equality. We are calling for civil marriages and civil partnerships to be open to both same-sex and opposite sex couples, without discrimination. We reaffirm our opposition to the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood.”

Phelim Mac Cafferty, National Spokesperson for LGBT Greens added:
“Our launch consciously coincided with the Conservatives’ Spring conference as we want to highlight the Tories’ continuous failure to commit to LGBT equality, whether that’s over the Shadow Cabinet’s votes against access to fertility treatment for lesbian and bi women or David Cameron’s own vote against gay adoption.[1] 85 per cent of those eligible in the Conservative Shadow Cabinet voted for the hated homophobic Section 28[2] while 90% voted against an equal age of consent and today Tories continue to oppose the Equalities Bill in the House of Lords.

“While the Conservatives voted against Clause 61 of the Coroners & Justice Bill, (outlawing homophobic hate speech),[3] Greens are using the general election period and our specific LGBT manifesto to send out a clear call that homophobic and transphobic crimes need, urgently, to be dealt with on a par with racist crimes.

"We believe that we offer the strongest, most comprehensive and radical LGBT equality policies of any party," he said.

Press release notes:

[1] https://lgf.org.uk/euro-elections-use-your-vote/
[2http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_home/hate_crime_domestic_violence_and_criminal_law/2643.asp
[3] http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2009-11-09&number=243

(a) More info: Phelim Mac Cafferty - phelimmacc@yahoo.co.uk and 07765 474 621

(b) Full Equalities Manifesto below
(c) LGBT Greens website: http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/


Green Party Equalities Manifesto

The Green Party aims to treat everyone equally and fairly. We will work to ensure respect for everyone whatever their ethnicity, gender and gender identity, age, religious belief or non-belief, sexual orientation, class, size, disability or other status. Greens urge:

* Amend the Equalities Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment of LGBTI people.

* Require all police forces to have equality and diversity liaison officers whose remit is to tackle, and take preventive action on crimes against LGBTI people, people from ethnic minorities including refugees and asylum seekers, disabled people and on the grounds of faith or belief.

* Legally target incitement of hatred on the grounds of gender identity and amend the Equality Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment of LGBTI people.

* Open up civil marriages and civil partnerships, without discrimination, to both same-sex and opposite sex couples.

* End the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donors.

* Campaign for homophobic, transphobic and crimes against disabled people, including people with learning difficulties, to be dealt with effectively and on a par with racist crimes.

* Ensure legal parity for parents and those wishing to become parents regardless of sexual orientation, and equality of provision of maternity services; lobby for widely available, affordable state-funded crèches.

* Push for the rewriting of the Mental Health Act to remove trans people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register.

* Campaign against any reduction in the AIDS/HIV budget and target health promotion work to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

* Ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBTI people fleeing persecution in line with other social groups according to the Geneva Convention.

* Ensure safe haven and refugee status from women fleeing domestic violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation where there is no adequate protection by the authorities in their own country.

* Refuse visas and work permits to "murder music" singers and others who incite homophobic and transphobic violence.

* Oppose all opt-outs from equality and anti-discrimination laws by religious organisations and remove special treatment allowing faith schools to promote homophobia on the grounds of religion.

* Comprehensive training for teachers and educational staff on all diversity and inclusion issues; schools to promote equal opportunities in their anti-bullying procedures; equalities issues to be monitored in teaching recruitment.

* Implement a UK wide strategy to tackle violence against women including domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse and trafficking.

* Ensure that effective action is taken to prevent discrimination against disabled people.

* Work towards ending stigma against people with mental health problems including discrimination in employment.

* Enforce penalties against employers who continue to implement unequal pay

* Work vigorously towards ensuring that all levels of government are representative of the diversity of the populations for whom they work.

* Support human rights and democracy struggles including those of LGBTI and women's movements in oppressive states, such as Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Iran

Wait until the law is changed! (Low Wearing Pants)

Michael Burke

About three weeks ago, a senior police officer in St Catherine said that men wearing trousers below the waistline would not be allowed to do so in his jurisdiction. By all indications, the statement by the policeman is very popular. I do not like the style at all. It smacks of vulgarity and to me it is a sign of moral decadence. But can the indecency law as it stands be stretched to include the exposure of underwear? I do not think so.

What the law seeks to prevent is the exposure of naked genitalia and buttocks. At the time when the law was made, it was customary for people to bathe naked in rivers and streams at least 25 feet from the main road, which I do not have problem with, but naked exposure in public was illegal. Underwear in those days was made from heavy material, was not tight, was long enough and in most cases sufficiently covered areas one would not want to expose. Men would normally put on their footwear before they donned their baggy trousers.

It was published in the 1980s that when National Hero Norman Manley practised law, one day he forgot to don his trousers and discovered the memory lapse when he arrived at work. Apparently he had told his chauffeur not to disturb him while being driven to work as that was the only time that he had to read the newspapers. One morning while being driven the chauffeur kept calling "Mr Manley", but Mr Manley did not answer and kept reading the newspaper.

When Norman Manley arrived at work, the following dialogue took place:
Manley: Didn't I tell you not to disturb me while I am reading the newspapers in the car?
Driver: But it is important, Mr Manley!
Manley: Well, what is so important then?
Driver: You don't have on any pants, Sir.

Norman Manley then looked down and saw his exposed legs in his shoes and socks and burst out laughing. But while you may frown on Manley for making such a mistake which was part of his absent-minded nature, no one would have arrested him for indecency.
Four decades ago, Rastafarians were rejected by Jamaican society. It was not until Bob Marley and Peter Tosh had gained international recognition in Reggae performances that Rastafari became acceptable in Jamaica. The police, who have always sought to please the upper and middle classes, decided on their own to arrest and cut the locks of Rastafarians and anyone with the large "Afros" which were in vogue in those days.

On one occasion, my father the late Keith C Burke who was an attorney, wrote a letter to the newspapers pointing out that police had no legal right to cut anyone's hair. The cutting of anyone's hair by police subsided after that because of my father's reputation as a no-nonsense, civil-suit lawyer. It has long been suspected that police will appear to be doing the right things by going after things that annoy the upper classes. Some suspect that this is a cover for illegal activities by the police.

So it was assumed in the 1960s that anyone with locks was "bad" and now it is being assumed that anyone who wears his pants below the waist is "bad". In this way, it is believed, the real criminal gets away. Indeed, it is much easier to go after the more innocent people than to track down the hardened criminals. But this "baccra-massa" pleasing by police has a very long history. The current police force came into being after the 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion to ensure that poor black people would never again rise up against the white planter class of the day.
Unfortunately, at political independence in 1962, many of the brown people who took over the top government jobs from the English people saw themselves as the new "baccra", which may still be the case today. Despite nearly 48 years of political independence, neo-colonialism persists among the wealthy and among the poor. It is seen in the adoption of vulgar styles of dress from North America and Europe.

I would never like us to go back to the days of heavy dressing in a tropical country. But it is vulgar for anyone to wear clothing publicly that does not adequately cover the private areas. I do not like to see men dressed as women and vice versa. Indeed, I have a song written and sung by me that has been played on some radio stations called, Man fe look like man. And I do not defend slackness. Nor do I support the moral decadence that is found in too many places. Yes, it is against the law to expose naked genitalia and buttocks in public.

Should the law include exposure of underwear as indecency? Perhaps it should, but at present there is no such law. And it is a most dangerous precedent for the police to be making their own laws as they go along. Today it is pants worn below the waist. What will it be tomorrow? I opine that those with strong views against the low-wearing of pants by men or women should make representations to Parliament to repeal the law. And the rest of us should simply wait until the law is changed.
ekrubm765@yahoo.com

Why Jamaicans are homophobic (Observer Letter)

Dear Editor,

I note that the recent International Reggae Conference at UWI, Mona, saw it fit to address the issue of homophobia and its impact on Jamaica's music industry. I recently conducted a very unscientific survey which sought to answer why Jamaicans are homophobic. Say what you want about Jamaicans, we are not hypocrites. We tell it like it is. Therefore, while most of the responses were hyper-critical of the gay lifestyle, they nevertheless confirmed to me that we support decency, fairness and tolerance. We also have an overwhelming (if not always demonstrated) concern for our young.

Therefore, unlike the president of the Islamic Council of Jamaica, Mustafa Muhammed, I was not surprised to find that none of the respondents advocated death for gays, not even the fundamentalist Christians, who felt Jamaica's acceptance of homosexuality would unleash the wrath of God on a magnitude of the recent Haitian disaster. This belief echoes Roman Emperor Justinian over 2000 years ago who blamed earthquakes on the practice of homosexuality. Some beliefs are hard to shake, it appears. Most survey respondents based their contempt of the gay lifestyle on what they perceived to be the (unsubstantiated) threat of its negative impact on our nation's youth. In sum, normalising the gay lifestyle would hurt children, even though there is no evidence of this from other countries which have decriminalised buggery. Meanwhile, the private sex act of consenting adult males, though universally condemned as unnatural, was nonetheless felt to be nobody's business.

The message from this unscientific survey appears to be that Jamaicans view private same-sex intimacy as no longer an issue for legal regulation, and politicians therefore stand to lose very few votes for supporting the decriminalisation of buggery.

Maurice Tomlinson

maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/letters/Jamai_7455533

Police Hide male lovers at station (Star News)

Rasbert Turner,

A police station in St Catherine was the scene of hostility yesterday after residents demanded their own brand of justice for four men who they believe are lovers.

Police reports are that about 5 p.m. the men were at home when one went to a nearby shop and persons started to call him 'fish'.

The man went and reported this to his friends who drove to the shop. They were attacked and their car damaged. They went to report the matter to the police, when a mob converged and demanded that they come out.

deal wid dem business

"We want them fi let out di bwoy dem mek wi deal wid dem business, in a cold cold time yah dem a wrap up in a de place," an irate woman screamed.

"A long time mi a notice sey dem a fish and we want them bad fi gi dem a proper beating," another woman said.

The men told THE STAR they were homosexuals.

"Yes, you can let the world know that although we a fish, we a pay mortgage for the house for two years and want to live in peace," one who gave his name as Barbee said.

The men danced up a storm and declared that they would live their lives as they want.

Persons climbed trees and roof tops to get a glimpse of the men.

Up to late last night, the men could not be released as the angry residents remained resolute that they wanted to administer their own form of justice.

Yes, you can let the world know that although we a fish, we a pay mortgage for the house for two years and want to live in peace

Feed Your Sex Drive

THROUGHOUT history, many foods have been touted as aphrodisiacs, able to arouse or stimulate sexual desire. While the aphrodisiac quality of many has not been scientifically proven, some experts -- and avid users -- will tell you that there are certain types of foods that have been serving as sexual sustenance in many cultures for thousands of years.

So if you are going through a bout of low libido and want to rise above it, then maybe it is time to check your refrigerator and restock if necessary!

Ripe bananas are believed to contain the bromelain enzyme, which increases libido

* Cow cod soup: This is a Jamaican dish that many men swear by. Ask any man and he will tell you that the dish, made from the nether regions of the bull and cooked with bananas and scotch bonnet pepper in a white rum-based broth, is the fastest way to get them aroused.

* Mannish water: This a goat soup believed to have properties to put you in the mood. It is made from various goat parts, sometimes including the head and brains.

* Ginseng: A 2002 study by the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine found that in laboratory animals, both Asian and American forms of ginseng enhance libido and copulatory performance. These effects of ginseng may not be due to changes in hormone secretion, but to direct effects of ginseng, or its ginsenoside components, on the central nervous system and gonadal tissues. In males, ginsenoside can facilitate penile erection, the study said.

* Celery: It is believed that this is a fantastic food source for sexual stimulationi. This is because it contains androsterone, an odourless hormone released through male perspiration and turns women on. This is more effective if eaten raw.

* Raw oysters: This is said to be one of the most popular types of aphrodisiacs. Oysters are high in zinc, which raises sperm and testosterone production. Oysters also contain dopamine, a hormone known to increase libido. Some men even feel that sucking a raw oyster is in itself erotic.

* Ripe bananas: Ripe bananas are believed to contain the bromelain enzyme, which is believed to increase libido and reverse impotence in men. Additionally, they are good sources of potassium and B vitamins like riboflavin, which increase the body's overall energy levels.

* Avocado (pear): Some natives of central Mexico called the avocado tree 'testicle tree' mainly because avocados tend to look like that body part. These fruits are believed to contain high levels of folic acid, which helps metabolise proteins, thus giving persons more energy. They also contain vitamin B6 (a nutrient that increases male hormone production) and potassium (which helps regulate a woman's thyroid gland), two elements that help increase libido in both men and women.

* Dark Chocolate: This is believed to be one of the more potent turn on foods, thus the reason for its popularity come Valentine's Day.

--Donna Hussey-Whyte

450,000-signature petition against anti-gay bill delivered to Uganda’s parliament

PINK NEWS

Civil rights activists delivered a petition containing almost half a million signatures to Uganda’s parliament today in protest over the country’s anti-homosexuality bill.

The online petition was organised by campaign group Avaaz, which hopes to eventually garner one million signatures.

It was delivered to Uganda’s parliament in Kampala this morning by a delegation led by Anglican priest Canon Gideon Byamugisha.

The petition was accompanied by a letter asking parliament to reject the controversial bill and instead pass legislation to protect gay people.

The Daily Monitor reports that the Speaker of Parliament Edward Sekandi promised the delegation he would refer the petition to a committee for scrutiny.

If passed, the legislation will impose the death penalty on those who have homosexual sex with a minor, disabled person, while infected with AIDS.

The death penalty would also be imposed on repeat offenders, while others convicted for having gay sex would be jailed for life, instead of the current 14-year term.

Those who fail to report homosexual activity, such as relatives, teachers, landlords or health workers, would also face prison sentences.

The bill is now before parliament and awaiting debate.

Pressure has been building on Uganda to reject it in the past few months and world leaders such as US president Barack Obama and UK prime minister Gordon Brown have urged Ugandan leaders to withdraw it.

Transgender group challenges Guyana’s ‘cross-dressing’ law

Long misunderstood and seen as legitimate targets for discrimination and abuse, transgender citizens used the occasion of the international commemoration of World Day of Social Justice to file a motion against Guyana’s law criminalising ‘cross-dressing.’Last Friday, the notice of motion was filed before the Supreme Court of Judicature for redress claiming, among other relief, to have section 153(1)(xlvii) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:02, invalidated as irrational, discriminatory, undemocratic, contrary to the rule of law and unconstitutional.

The law makes an offence of “being a man, in any public way or public place, for any improper purpose, appears in female attire, or being a woman, in any public way or public place, for any improper purpose, appears in male attire.”February 20, marked the second annual commemoration of World Day of Social Justice, which recognises, in the words of United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/62/10), that “social development and social justice cannot be attained… in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”In his message to mark the day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon explained that “social justice is based on the values of fairness, equality, respect for diversity, access to social protection, and the application of human rights in all spheres of life.”

The day was chosen to address an act of social injustice against one of Guyana’s most marginalised social groups which took place last year.Transgender persons are people whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth, including cross-dressers, female or male impersonators, pre-operative, post-operative or non-operative transsexuals.Trans people may define themselves as female-to-male (FtM, assigned a female biological sex at birth but who have a predominantly male gender identity) or male-to-female (MtF, assigned a male biological sex at birth but who have a predominantly female gender identity); others consider themselves as falling outside binary concepts of gender or sex.In a series of crackdowns last year, between February 6 and February 7, the Guyana police arrested a number of male-to-female transgender persons (MtF Trans) and charged them for ‘cross-dressing’ under the archaic Colonial section 153(1) (xlvii) statute.Unrepresented and completely unaware of their rights, the defendants were detained in police custody over the week-end and then hustled through the legal system.When they appeared before Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson on February 9, 2009, they were further ridiculed and told that they are men not women, before being fined by the learned Chief Magistrate.Seon Clarke, also known as Falatama, one of the persons arrested, said: “It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. I felt like I was less than human.”

The motion also pleads that the Chief Magistrate was improperly influenced by irrelevant considerations, discriminated against the MtF Trans on the basis of religion, and violated a fundamental norm of Guyana as a secular state.Vigorous and wide-ranging calls within and out of Guyana for the repeal of these discriminatory laws which facilitate such injustices have been ignored by the government.Since then, SASOD has forged partnerships with human rights interests in the local and regional arenas who have been working collectively and consistently on a voluntary basis over the past year to assist this marginalised group to obtain access to justice for the atrocities endured at the instance of the law enforcement authorities.According to Joel Simpson, a senior SASOD official, the 2009 ‘cross-dressing’ crackdowns and prosecutions provided clear illustrations of how discriminatory laws are facilitating grave human rights’ abuses, in spite of the existence of an entrenched regime of human rights protection in the Guyana constitution.Leading the research initiatives to support strategic-impact, human-rights litigation in the region, Tracy Robinson of the University of the West Indies Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP) based at the Cave Hill campus’ law faculty in Barbados described the arrests and prosecutions as “an unfortunate embodiment of the patriarchal use of coercive state power for no clear or rational purpose,” highlighting the need for law reform to ensure social justice and gender equity in Guyana and across the region.SASOD has mobilised support from local and regional human rights attorneys to provide representation in what amounts to a ground-breaking constitutional case.

According to Dr. Arif Bulkan, also of U-RAP and one of the Guyanese attorneys involved in the litigation, “unless the wide-ranging constitutional reforms conducted in 2001 and 2003 are to be dismissed as pure window-dressing, then the emphasis placed on non-discrimination during that process should guide the High Court to interpret the expanded equality rights generously in order to protect one of our society’s most marginalised groups.”Veronica Cenac, a St. Lucian attorney who serves as the human rights focal point on the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition board of governors, lauded SASOD for spearheading the case. “For way too long, we have allowed abuses against the most affected populations to go unchallenged,” she said, quoting the closing words of the UN Secretary-General’s message: “Lack of social justice anywhere is an affront to us all.”

More from gspottt's Blog: Guyanese transpeople file a landmark constitutional motion to overturn a law against crossdressing: Caribbean GLBT law reform work begins

Peace and tolerance

H

Reaching Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) in the Global HIV & AIDS Epidemic

PDF DOWNLOAD

The Global Forum on MSM and HIV has published a new policy brief, Reaching Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) in the Global HIV & AIDS Epidemic.

This document provides an introduction to HIV among gay men and other MSM and identifies key strategic areas that are essential to turning the tide of the epidemic.

Thanks to IRMA for this one

Answer the allegations says German group at Reggae Conference

Ellen Köhlings (centre), editor of Germany's 'Riddim' magazine, makes a point at the International Reggae Conference held at the University of the West Indies, Mona, last Saturday. The topic was 'Jamaican Music in Europe: The Homphobia Debate'. At right is UWI's Dr Donna Hope Marquis and at left is 'Riddim' co-editor Pete Lilly.-

Photo by Nathaniel Stewart
'Riddim' tag team outlines gay,

Germany, Jamaican music situation

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

With the 2010 International Reggae Conference heading to a close last Saturday at the Assembly Hall, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, a German tag team of reggae writers did an excellent job of analysing the situation with gays, Germany and Jamaican music.

Presenting alternately as they gave the historical, cultural and legal setting of the imbroglio in which Jamaican music has found itself, Pete Lilly and Ellen Köhlings of Riddim magazine summed up just how Jamaican music is being used by both gay rights groups and the performers themselves.

"They are looking for cheap forwards, just as the artistes performing cheap gay lyrics are looking for cheap forwards themselves," Köhlings said as she read the final segment of the hour-long presentation.

Although packing in a wealth of information, the presentation was organised and easy to follow, holding the attention of the small audience in the Assembly Hall. In the early stages, they made it clear that they are personally not homophobic, although there are those in Germany who would present them as such because of the artistes who appear in Riddim .

Lilly said, "We have to keep in mind that Jamaican culture is alien to a large percentage of our readers. In Germany, it is not accepted to express oneself negatively against any minority group onstage, especially in a violent way. This is coming from a history in which, less than 80 years ago, Jews, communists, homosexuals and Gypsies were among the minorities the Nazis slaughtered en masse. Hence, during the Student Revolution, the slogan was 'Auschwitz never again', Auschwitz being the name of a prisoner camp network in Poland run by the Nazis in which there were horrific mass murders."

The law against homosexuality was repealed in 1994, but it was made clear that homophobic sentiment does exist in Germany and the Riddim duo assessed that there seems to be a rise among the youth.

With Bob Marley's death in 1981, the German press declared reggae dead also. When Jamaican music got significant attention again, it was in the 1990s with Chaka Demus and Pliers, Shaggy and Shabba Ranks, with the German press welcoming the arrival of dancehall in the summer of 1993. It had its days in the sun and, when it disappeared from the charts, took up residence in leftist and smaller magazines.

The initial Boom Bye Bye uproar was largely confined to English-speaking countries with a significant Caribbean population. Then Jamaican music had another revival with German artistes Gentleman, Seed and Patrice as well as Sean Paul, many listeners still under the impression that it was still the 'one love' message.

Lilly and Köhlings spoke to the magazine's involvement in the issue, referring to the July 2002 story 'Burning All Illusions'. Then came the 2004 murder of Brian Williamson, which gay rights groups termed a hate crime, and the blacklist effort was on. Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel, TOK, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Capleton and Bounty Killer were the performers targeted.

Harmful Jamaican music

They broached matters of cultural imperialism and unfair expectations, going on to detail the various campaigns (Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton were estimated to have lost ?4 million combined at one point) at length. Now, 35 Jamaican music albums have been put on a list of Youth Harming Media, which cannot be available at any outlet that youth have access to - which is everything. CDs by Baby Cham, Vybz Kartel and Sizzla, as well as Reggae Gold and Strictly the Best - compilations are on the list, which does not contain a single American record.

Previously, the only reggae song on the Youth Harming Media Index was Peter Tosh's Legalise It , added in 1980. Currently, the state of Jamaican music in Germany is 'pretty sticky' and, without knowledge of the culture, it is impossible to take up a Jamaican CD without thinking of 'hate music'.

And while they said Riddim will do what it can to restore Jamaica's image, "Jamaica will have to take action and answer the allegations". It does not help that those allegations are made about a country where buggery is illegal and human rights organisations have detailed violence against homosexuals.

'They (gay rights groups) are looking for cheap forwards, just as the artistes performing cheap gay lyrics are looking for cheap forwards themselves."

No Immediate Legal protection for your image captured in a public place?

Here is the promised follow up to the blog post on the legal ramifications coming out of a protest at an event in Kingston on February 12, 2010 as to the concerns of photo taking in a public place and their possible use or misuse in a defamatory way.

Photos were taken of patrons and car license numbers that were parked outside the venue and it is not yet known if they have been used but as a precautionary measure legal advice was sought on the matter and here is basically the understanding arrived at after the consultation.

There is no law under our statute that can hinder anyone to capture photographs in a public place it is a very delicate area of the law, one does not have a right to ones image if it is taken in a public space without the subjects consent, the law offers no protection from having an image of a person or thing occupying that space. If the photo is used in any way to defame the subjected person(s) involved then under common law there is recourse.

At best a letter or warning of sorts from an attorney of the complainant can be sent to the photographers or the suspected individuals advising them that any use of the photos that were taken without the permission of the subjects would lead to action without any legal recourse to them. This is an option that can be reserved. In France for example members of the public have a right to their image so the photos basically could have been ordered destroyed and the relevant actions taken against the parties involved in capturing the shots.

Jamaican citizens however have the right to protection from defamation, in a common law scenario the court will have to afford protection from being viewed in a derogatory light, one is entitled to their reputation but one cannot protect a reputation that one does not have, the common law however does not allow for others to intrude in person’s privacy.

So the only option in the initial stage is a warning letter through an attorney advising them accordingly that one is aware of the photos captured without consent and the possible legal actions if said photos are used to defame any of the subjected parties.

So much for rights eh?

So as it turns out there is a major loop hole here in terms of personal safety still, what if years down the road these photos turn up then one would have to use legal recourse to stop any defamatory action. The law needs to offer more protection to citizens’ rights and privacy than just after the fact when my image or that of my property is captured and stored somewhere and can be drawn upon to be used without my knowledge or consent or where I can’t act even under suspicion that my image is stored somewhere to have it destroyed.

This is a sad state of affairs though legally.

Peace and tolerance.

H

Please scroll to the relevant post that matches this entry or peruse the audioposts now hosted on GLBTQJA's NING Membership page.


Find more music like this on GLBTQ Jamaica Members' LINKUP

or from Soundcloud:

No Legal protection for your image in a public place by glbtqja

Overhyped on underpants (Gleaner Letter)

THE EDITOR, Sir:

A FEW days ago, some guys who were just a couple of houses away from where I live here in Kingston were arrested for 'indecent exposure'. Their common attire of exposing their underpants was the reason. Now, while I personally don't like this common fashion, I think that this stupid act of the authorities is at the core of what is wrong with our society.

Why is it that we should have a problem with how anybody decides how to express himself through his attire? What the authorities are doing is trampling on the rights of people who are expressing themselves through their outfits. What they wear is their business. They certainly are not forcing anybody to dress like them, so why the fuss?

What's so indecent?

Also, I fail to see how the charge of indecent exposure can be applied to these people. Most of them are covered from head to foot anyway. Their underpants may be exposed, but not their bodies! We all know what underpants look like anyway, so what's so indecent about seeing them?

This new effort to 'clean up our morals' rings very much like ultra-church conservatism, and although I myself may not be targeted now, I am very worried. Now that this taliban-type effort is under way, where will it end? Will women who wear their skirts too short be soon arrested? What about men who wear earrings or tight pants? What about women who wear near transparent outfits? Men who braid their hair? Will they soon be arrested too?

A deafening silence

Talking about our women, I wonder if the authorities will ever clamp down on their short or transparent outfits? In our homophobic society, it seems unlikely. Is it that exposed men should be arrested but exposed women should be encouraged?

There was a time when inter-racial marriage, Rastafarians attending schools or offices and female drivers, among others, were all considered indecent. Why are these people so silent now?

Is it that as these people are no longer 'indecent' they don't mind seeing poor young males fromour ghettos arrested for this foolishness?

I am, etc.,

Michael A. Dingwall

michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com

International Womens Day 2010: equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all

THE celebration of March 8 as International Women's Day (IWD) marks the increasing recognition of the struggles of women against all forms of discrimination and exploitation, and focuses on the need for equality, for national liberation, democracy, peace and progress in all countries of the world.

On International Women's Day, at the United Nations (UN) and across the world, women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, join in the commemoration of this significant event.

IWD derived its significance from March 8, 1908, when women needle trade workers in New York, reacting against their brutal exploitation, held a women's day demonstration to fight for the building of the needle trades union and demand the right to vote. The success of the rally led to similar rallies in other US cities and in other countries.

International Women's Day was first celebrated in Jamaica in March 1978. Since then, a number of policy and legislative changes as well as programme initiatives have been undertaken to advance the status of women. Over the years, the Bureau of Women's Affairs (BWA) has been involved in the organisation of the IWD observances and has utilised a number of fora to commemorate IWD and to provide public education and sensitisation to a wide cross-section of the Jamaican population.

Jamaica is a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS). The Inter-American Commission on Women is the arm of the OAS which is a specialised organisation for generating hemispheric policy to advance women's rights and gender equality. The commission has played a crucial role in making the participation and support of women an integral part of the priority of governments in the Americas.

This year is very significant as we focus on women's rights as human rights. This is in keeping with the OAS decision "To proclaim 2010 the Inter-American Year of Women". As a result, they have requested that governments, parliaments, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector conduct specific activities to observe the year.

In commemoration of IWD and the Inter-American Year of Women, the BWA will recognise the tangible and intangible contribution of women who have paved the way for national development. This involves working collaboratively with UN partners and other key stakeholders to intensify the efforts to ensure that there are equal rights and opportunities for women and men towards achieving progress.

-- Bureau of Women's Affairs