While doing my Sunday usual ( drinking my Chai tea @ STARBUCKS and reading my NYTimes), I came across an article titled: “Attacks Show Easygoing Jamaica Is Dire Place for Gays”, surprised I was not. It has been common knowledge for years, that of all the West Indian nations, Jamaica- has been known for its abhorrent intolerance towards gays.
Everyone from the young to the old - the “educated” to the illiterate, has at one point or another voiced their displeasure with the act of homosexuality. By Jamaican law, the act of homosexuality - known as buggery - is damn near a felony act. Some people use the law as the basis for their disdain but most tend to quote very selected Bible scriptures.
In the article, it gave two horrific stories of mobs going after individuals (some on their own property) and pummeling them, even using machetes.
What perplexes me is, for a culture that claims to HATE (their word - not mine) buggery, gays and all things homosexual, their anti-gay representatives (i.e., T.O.K., Beenie Man, ELEPHANT MAN** and others) have some suspect behaviours!
In 1998, there was a song with the lyrics: “Bad man nah dress like girls, we nah bore nose ana we nah bleach face and we nah wear drop curls….”. Sounds homophobic? Well it is! If you google a picture of ELEPHANT MAN, you will see that he does NOT appear to be any lumber jack type of guy. In fact, he is known for his outlandish colored hair styles, his VERY tight pants, and all his other “eccentric” behaviours that would by all means be considered Very FLAMBOYANTLY HOMOSEXUAL.
In the last five or six years, Jamaican men have taken to plucking and tweaking and bleaching all things that are usually done by women. If you take a look at any Passa-Passa tape, you will notice then men in their tighup pants, very pointed tip shoes, tight shirts, and some rather large belt buckles. I don’t know about them, but to me, that just says: Snap for the KIDS! Here in the NY, generally speaking, that there look, is reserved for the flamboyantly gay. As in queer- as in HOMO-SEXUAL!
If you live in NY and have been to the Brooklyn clubs like SQUADS and XO - udunknowatagwan!!! You spot them as sooooon as you comt through the door. Smellin sweet like a french whore.
In one breath Jamaicans can denounce the gayness of one, yet praise the slack culture of pregnancy out of wedlock, promiscuity ( leads to getting da HIV!!) and just their all round slack behaviours of today, i.e Passa-Passa. For a country who loves being known for its exotic beaches, its easy going touristic feel and its rich coffee amongst many other things, it has very far to go in regards to bringing up a country of tolerance and open-minded individuals. Which is sad to say the least.
Due this anti-gay movement many careers have come to standstill, none more famous than Buju Banton. In the early 90’s, a young and very talented Buju made THE single biggest career blunder ever - he released an anti-homosexual song. Not only was the song anti-homosexual but the lyrical content was mind-blowing, ” Boom bye bye inna battyboy head”. After the numerous demonstrations and sponsors who weren’t willing to be associated with him, his career has NEVER been the same.
Harassing Homosexual people is like harassing Jews, it’s just some shit you don’t want to do. Some people you just don’t want to piss off.
T.
Posted: February 25th, 2008 under V's Crazy Views on Politics, V's Music World Rants, V's Rants on N-E & EvRYthing.
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