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Human beings have always been afraid of the things they don’t understand. We are born different, with different attractions, different tastes. As far as I know, there are homosexuals in every nation. Unfortunately, common practices and beliefs in communities across the globe refuse to accept homosexuality. According to statistics, one person out of ten is born with homosexual attraction, which means we all have a brother, a sister, an uncle, a niece, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker who is inclined to same-sex attraction. A lot of people are trying to keep this aspect of their life a secret because of shame and fear of discrimination, but having a sexual orientation that differs from the mass population is nothing to be ashamed of.
Let's face it, who would believe that homosexuals woke up one morning and asked themselves, "How could I complicate my life? Oh yeah, got it! A different sexuality!" It just doesn't make sense.
Some say it’s just a matter of logic. A man must go with a woman for procreation. This I admit, for procreation. But let’s put it this way: in the course of the average sex life, procreation may represent as low as 0.01% of sexual activities. The rest being for reason of personal and mutual pleasure. No one needs to feel obliged to live a certain way, because society tries to impose it. Above and beyond the physical contact, homosexuality between two women or two men is about love. Some people often tend to put homosexuality, pedophilia and bestiality in the same basket. This is totally unfair. Homosexual acts imply two consenting adults, as is not the case in the two other practices. I find pedophilia and bestiality immoral and non-acceptable.
At first, Iwas discouraged by society trying to “normalize” every human being, and it took me a lot for me to know, accept and love myself. But I welcome that challenge. Now that I fully accept my sexual orientation, I will not let anyone put me down for being who I am. And I welcome all my brothers ans sisters, homosexuals and heterosexuals, of not tolerating any discrimination over sexuality.
Eventually, homosexuality will be socially accepted in every nation. It is only a matter of time. Unfortunately, some countries are just not ready for this social change. I think that television may have a positive impact on this growing acceptance. Thank God I was born in this century, and in Canada. I love to go to the Caribbean, and I hope I see some tangible positive changes in the upcoming years.
In order to encourage a greater acceptance, we need to talk about homosexuality at home and in schools. When I was in high school, I remember that only one teacher talked about homosexuality for about 10 minutes. That wasn't enough for me to be able to understand my sexuality, but at least it was a start. That was 20 years ago. I hear they talk a lot more about it now – a sign that times are changing. Having role models in show business that are openly gay has had a positve impact on addressing the discrimination problem. There are also movies and TV shows that have gay characters. To help the community, there are several gay help lines. There are also gay pride parades and annual walks where several thousands gay and straight people unite for one cause: eradicating homophobia. These events occur in large cities. It is only a matter of time until Jamaica gets it's own gay pride parade. Violence and aggression are unaccceptable. Acceptance and understanding are the tools we need to build a better world for everyone.
As for dancehall music, I really don’t appreciate how some Jamaican singers incorporate their exaggerated homophobia in their songs, telling those who want to listen that homosexuals are a sin, unpure, and therefore will burn in fire for the purification of the race. Some even suggest stepping on us, beatting us, pushing us off a cliff or to putting a bullet in our heads.
The majority of my friends are not gay and like many other heterosexuals, they find these songs stupid and sick. Dancehall is often listened to by children and teenagers, who are easily influenced. Blacks have been oppressed for so many years – has no lesson been learned?. When I look at history, this kind of hate propaganda reminds me of the Klu Klux Klan: whites decided to get rid of the African descendants because they were afraid of the growth of black liberalism. When I look at history, I am reminded of the Holocaust: Hitler wanted to create a “perfect race” and eleminate the Jews. More recently, I am reminded of the Rwanda genocide in 1994, where millions of Hutus decided to eliminate the other ethnic groups. 800 000 Tutsis were killed in the space of four months, with guns and machetes. This was sponsored with hate messages broadcasted on national radio by a bunch of Hutu rebels (see the movie Hotel Rwanda for an adaptation of this conflict). I can still hear the message, on the radio saying “we must kill the cockroaches”. Sounds similar to “bun out the chi chi”, doesn’t it? Be careful what you listen to, Mister DJ, be careful of the vibes you spread. Let’s change this stupid philosophy before anything really bad happens. And Jah knows, mankind is capable of so much atrocity. Like Bob Marley sang: “What’s wrong with you my brother, puss and dogs they get together, what’s wrong with loving one another?”
I don’t condemn the whole dancehall movement. I think there are some great songs and great singers, but so many of the singers have to put a “chi chi” here and a “batty” there, like filling-in the blanks of unfinished songs. Some singers even shout “bun out the chi chi” in between their songs when they are performing onstage, to boost their performance when they feel they are loosing the crowd. One thing really strikes me: the number of songs written by the same singers on the subject. It's like an obsession, talking about homosexuality. It reminds me of the theory that one who yell the loudest against gays and lesbians are often homosexuals that cannot deal with their own sexuality. The only way their social context allows them to express themselves about a different kind of sexuality is through negativity. This theory seems true to me, as I've witnessed this behavior in at least two people I've met in my life: they later admitted being attracted to same sex partners.
Have you ever been aggressed verbally or sexually by an homosexual? The answer is probably “no”. So why all this strong hate? Nonsense. If a gay ever tells you that he or she finds you attractive, it’s a compliment. If it isn’t for you, simply reply that you are not interested. This can be done in a polite way, which is a sign of tolerance.
I hope that one day a reggae or a dancehall singer will have enough guts to sing a positive song about homosexuality. Or at least a neutral song that would teach people respect. I’m sure some signers might have already considered this, but probably backed out because it might greatly tarnish their career. The only singer that I ever witnessed speaking positively about homosexuality is Lucky Dube. He’s from South Africa. Now we need a dominant Jamaican figure to teach Jamaican youth. I think Joseph Hill* or Linton Kwesi Johnson would make great spokespersons. Challenging, isn’t it? I’m sure if Bob Marley was alive he would not have tolerated the degradation of the situation as it is today even if his spiritual beliefs were the opposit.
So to all of you: Beenie Man, Capleton, Elephant Man, Buju Banton, T.O.K., Spragga Benz, Sizzla, Bounty Killer and countless other disrespectful singers, I am sending you some good vibes so your souls can be uplifted. If there really were a Judgement Day, I wouldn’t give much for a soul that was spreading all this hatred propaganda. And this does not exclude Randy Chin, Clive Chin, the owners of VP Records, and the producers at Greensleeves Records and Jet Stars for distributing all this hatered over the years. You may have come to an agreement in February 2005, but the large amount of songs that you have been distributing between 1992 and 2004 are still spinning on DJ's turntables.
I could talk about this subject for hours, but I'll finish by mentioning these facts: Did you know that homosexuality also occurs in the animal kingdom? The book Biological Exuberance exposes homosexuality, transgender, and nonreproductive heterosexuality in 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals worldwide.
Did you know that in 1996, South Africa became the most progressive country in the world, at least on paper, when Nelson Mandela's governemnt established the post-apartheid constitution's Bill Of Rights? A constitution banning descrimination against gays, lesbians, transsexuals and bisexuals. Two years later, the old British Colonial Law against sodomy, used to prosecute gays and now found unconstitutional, was struck down by the court. Nelson Mandela is one of the greatest black leaders of the 20th century, appreciated by African communities all around the world. I think the Jamaican government could surely use some tips from the new South African constitution's Bill Of Rights.
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. As far back as 1979, AI recognized that "the persecution of persons for their homosexuality is a violation of their fundamental rights". The organisation uses the Bob Marley song Get Up Stand Up as their official anthem.
I invite you to read the excellent article published on the subject in the JAHWORK.ORG Internet magazine. You will find it in the LINK section of this website. Or consult the booklist, articles or documentaries found in the GET INFORMED section of this website. I also give a list of movies that deal with homosexuality – an easy way to open up your horizons.
Thanks to all of you who are supporters of the cause, and to all the organisations that put on a daily fight for the protection of our right to freedom. If you have any feedback, please e-mail me. As for writing hatred messages, please don't waste your time as these messages will be deleted without being read.
May this website be a seed that flourishes in the future.
e-mail: irieites72 (at) yahoo (dot) ca
PS1: this Editorial was writen in August 2005. After a year of research, I added a personal conclusion that you will find in the LINK section.
PS2: If you feel concerned by this issue, you could make a donation to J-FLAG (Jamaican Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays). Any contribution would greatly contribute to a better and a safer place for Jamaican gays and lesbians in which to evolve.
PS3: If you wish to learn more about me or visit my other reggae websites, click on the link section of the main website SoulRebels.org
*On August 19 2006, Joseph Hill of the reggae group Culture passed away. He was among the most apreciated rastafarian singers. He will be greatly missed.
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