Inside Jamaica's gay world
Two young men tell of their experiences
Website: Sunday Herald
Writer: unknown
April 9, 2006
Unfortunately, the Sunday Herald seems to erase articles after a while. I found the article posted on the Real Jamaica forum.
Original link for this article: LINK
A member of the gay community, who said he had been at two of the specially-invited gay parties hosted by Jamaica's late Trade Ambassador Peter King, has made some startling revelations. The 21-year-old unemployed man, who wished not to be named spoke of the some of the wild activities that goes on at these parties and also the not-so-wild stuff. The man claimed to have been at two of Ambassador King's gay parties, one for his birthday last year and another in 2004. Alfredo (not his real name) stated that these gay parties are often taped particularly explicit scenes and round table discussions.
Gay pride parties
He said the word in the gay community is that King was a frequent host of what is known as gay pride parties, which is a forum where gays can willingly and freely express their homosexuality. They also dance together openly expressing their affection. In addition there are also structured forum where gays discuss among themselves some of the challenges facing them as gays in a very homophobic country. Alfredo stated "we also talk about the good thing of being gay, struggles we face along the way and what we want for the future." He told the Sunday Herald that he wasn't at the party that King allegedly hosted hours before his death but acknowledged that most of the gay rap sessions would be taped. "Anyone caught on the sex tapes weren't forced to be on them, but did so willingly," was his response to reports that seemingly under-aged boys were among those on the much talked about sex tapes.
Well attended
Alfredo disclosed "gay parties are very frequent these days not to mention well attended. We had a party two weeks ago in the country where close to 4,000 gays were in attendance for the $1,500 cover charge event." He added that fights would sometimes break out at these parties when rival gays groups meet up together. Last weekend three gay parties were planned. Two of them being in the countryside and the other at an undisclosed location in the Corporate Area.
'Sugar daddies'
Another gay, an 18-year-old sixth form student supported Alfredo's pronouncement of gay pride parties. He declared that he got his gay baptism at one of these gay pride parties having met his "sugar daddies there". Arthur (not his real name) was proud of his homosexuality adding that he felt free at these parties. Having been raped by his male neighbour at the tender age of nine he was brought to a gay pride party by a friend in the hills of upper St. Andrew. "What startled me was some of the politicians, businessmen, lawyers, musicians, actors and even journalists, who were gays and obviously enjoy themselves at the party," quipped Arthur. Despite being pressed to name some of these big men in the gay community, both gay youths declined, citing the secrecy edit of the gay community not to disclose people's identity.
Inner-city background
What was also interesting about the experiences of the two gays is their background coming from inner-city communities, where it is widely believed that homophobia is more pronounced. Alfredo's case could be considered extreme in that he spoke of community don's being gays but in secret. He lives in one of the toughest inner-city communities of Central Kingston and was raped by a community don. Alfredo said he was forced by the don to be his sex slave. He said the relationship continued for one and a half years in secret. However, they were caught in the act by the don's girlfriend, who happened to have come home earlier than expected to find both men naked in bed. An alarm was made and both men had to run away. Alfredo said he was spared by the community having explained that he was raped by the don, who this time had run away never to be seen again. Alfredo was sent away by his mother to the country when he began receiving death threats by community members. He managed to return because of two of his uncles, who he claimed are reputed dons of the area, one of who happened to be a closet gay. The 21-year-old unemployed gay added he has also learnt to stand up for himself by carrying weapons such as cutlass, knife and acid. He argued that "many of these dons when they go to jail they become someone's bitches, but when they go out they become gallis and start to bun fire on us gays." Alfredo stated that some of his lovers are from inner-city communities. Arthur had a similar story in that he was chased out of his community when he was found to be a gay and was forced to live for one and a half years with his sugar daddy, who is a prominent attorney, who financed his every need. Having returned to the community last year, he received death threats and returned to live with his lover in the hills of St. Andrew. Arthur longs to see his mother but would not risk his life to go visit her at their inner-city home.
••• BACK TO ORIGINAL WEBSITE •••.