Page 11 - My Scrapbook project 2 Citizenship

Firstly, they live in a country that does not even begin to understand the meaning of human
rights. In 2008, during an interview with Stephen Sackur on the BBC programme Hard Talk,

then prime minister Bruce Golding openly stated that he would not tolerate any gays in his
cabinet. By saying this, he legitimized job discrimination against gays in this country. His

statement suggested that sexual orientation took precedence over attitude, aptitude,
qualifications, competence and experience. It was an asinine and bigoted thing to say. What I

also found to be disturbing, was the fact that there was no public outcry. Most Jamaicans
appeared to be okay with what the prime minister said, and life went on.

I recall speaking with a Christian lady in a café about Mr. Goldings remarks, and she fully

supported him, using her religious beliefs to bolster her argument. During our discussion, I asked
her if she had ever had a conversation with a gay person about their sexuality and she replied,

with a scornful look on her face “No! Why would I want to do that?”

Which brings me to another point. Jamaican LGBT folks live in a society that is obsessed with
human sexuality, but does not understand it, or even try to. Many people insist that queer folk

choose to be the way they are, when research will tell you otherwise. They will insist that
“nobody is born gay” when they really do not know. They will also insist that prayer will cure

homosexuality and that the “affliction” is the result of demon possession, which is utter
nonsense.

The ignorance and lack of empathy is glaring, even among the educated. I recall attending a

session at a Medical Association of Jamaica symposium a few years ago. The topic for
discussion was HIV and ethics, and the panel consisted of a medical doctor, a Roman catholic

priest and a lawyer. I arrived during the priest’s presentation, during which he said that he
disagreed with the LGBT community being referred to as “a vulnerable community” because

“we are all vulnerable”. I was disappointed that he posited that opinion, despite knowing that
LGBT persons in our country are marginalized and discriminated against.

The medical doctor, an outspoken Christian who heads a coalition for a “healthy society”, and is

obsessed with anal sex and its risks, used the opportunity to embark on a rant and insult and
denigrate the LGBT community, at one point claiming that “the society has a vested interest in a