Orville Taylor, Contributor
MAYBE I live in another country or my eyes are 'wide shut,' but clearly Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeing things that most of us don't know about. Its report outlines "state-sponsored homophobia and discrimination against homosexual men and women, sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS and the misguided fear that HIV is transmitted by air or casual contact." This gives the impression that in the land of "wood and water," not only are we mostly hewers of wood and carriers of water, but we use these elements to beat and drown homosexuals without restraint. My first reaction to the alleged comment of a bystander in the aftermath of the murder of a self-acknowledged gay activist was that Jamaicans never say "he get killed." So, immediately I doubted the accuracy of the report.
HIV TRANSMISSION
All major agencies fighting the disease and university researchers report a high level of national knowledge regarding the methods of HIV transmission. Therefore, the so-called ignorance is fallacious. As in other parts of the world including the great "farrin", USA, people have taken a long time adjusting to accepting HIV positive persons as 'normal'.
However, attitudes are changing although slowly. Don't single us out! Still, there is indeed discrimination in the corporate world where persons are required to be tested as a pre-condition to employment or accessing life insurance irrespective of their general health status. Nonetheless, the state fails in not enacting legislation to counter these practices bearing in mind the human rights implications of this epidemic.
If HRW had done real research it would laud the work of the church in giving support to sufferers of the disease, rather than focusing on its anti-homosexual stand. What's the point anyway? The church discriminates against me because I have sex outside of marriage, use curse words, make fun of people and on very, very rare occasions tell a little lie. Despite my misgivings about the King James Version, in the church one must work with biblical principles. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin so, if you want to get the church's blessing, live an 'upful' Christian life. To become a church member I must desist from certain non-biblical practices even if I think that I was born 'that way.' Sociologically speaking, behaviour is mostly learnt not inbred. Since I was not delivered by Caesarean section I was born a "vaginophile." Sorry! if you are homosexual or bi-sexual you can't have it 'both ways'.
SEX DISCRIMINATION
Incidentally, sex discrimination in Jamaica is logical. With gender equality under Section 13 of the Constitution women would be liable to maintain their husbands under the Maintenance Act. Then again, why not?
Nevertheless, the reports of police apathy and even complicity in the abuse of gay men are disturbing. Even if it is only one proven incident there must be zero tolerance of any unlawful act of violence and justice must be meted out.
With the high murder rates and increase in violence (including sex crimes) against children and women the police must step up. Last week a fifth former stabbed a third former at Jamaica College and a teacher at Snowdon Basic School in Manchester was knifed in full view of her five-year-olds. A day before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women the jury held that the murder defence of the jealous husband was not "Gooden nuff." "Wha 'im feel like?"
Still, the crime rate is truly bothersome. There is talk about netting kingfish and targeting dons. Remember this! Notwithstanding their repugnance, dons developed to fill a void in the system of governance created by our historical failures to incorporate the marginal inner-city type populations. They also prevailed because the police force was not originally designed to have warm and co-operative relations with this populace.
To eliminate dons without putting in place viable alternatives would lead to anomie (chaos). Chaos? imagine, gunmen stealing a patrol car! By the way, how come soldiers get lost in the mountains? True, they are trained in search and rescue but come on! I did not think that the training was for their own benefit.
BLEACHING CREAM
On another note, a Black woman and her Chinese colleague were convicted of selling bleaching cream. The judge allegedly lambasted the woman for her self-hate even though she professed ignorance of the law. It is ironic that he only sees it so narrowly given that it is not only self-concept that is linked to skin colour.
In fact, considering that the majority of inmates are dark-skinned and high-brown offenders have got 'slaps on the wrists' for stealing millions while custodial sentences are often imposed on Black offenders for minute amounts, perhaps suggest that there are tangible benefits associated with light skin in this country. In any event, given that she was born in a society that undervalues darkness, what makes her offence worse than the Chinese lady's? You don't buy this plantation crap? Fool yourself!
Still in the wake of all of these developments, we must eliminate all forms of inequity even in our perception of gender relations.
A well-known Jamaican woman recently married an 'Age Five' youth almost half her age. What's the big deal? Many of our prominent men and even heroes have married their 'daughters' and nothing comes of it. This is so even when the age differences are embarrassingly obvious. That's discrimination! Best of luck, even without the dye you look like a "Chris' teen."
My preference? Sorry, yu too nosy!
Dr. Orville Taylor is lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the UWI, Mona.
