Jamaica’s ‘Face of Pride’ stabbed to death

Jamaican fashion designer, video director and LGBT rights activist Dexter Pottinger, who was known as “the face of Pride,” was found stabbed to death at his home on Aug. 31. Continue reading →

Jamaica celebrates twice: Pride, then more Pride

“Jamaica needs more Pride, more often,” says Khavor Demario Brown, co-organizer of Montego Bay Pride 2017. His comments came after the successful national PrideJA celebration of early August as he prepares for upcoming Montego Bay Pride activities in the country’s second capital city. Continue reading →

Homophobia in Jamaica: Time to end the cowardice

It’s time for Jamaica to turn its back on homophobia and take a stand for the human rights of LGBTI people, activist Lloyd D’Aguilar writes. “Those who recognize the validity of the struggle for gay rights — especially those who are straight — but remain silent for fear of ostracism, need to look in the … Continue reading →

Russia, India, Jamaica, Africa: Many attacks, some progress

News items in this recap mostly were excerpted with slight modifications from two published round-ups of the world’s LGBTI-related news– UNAIDS’s Equal Eyes and ILGA’s LGBulleTIn. Physical attacks and arrests Police arrested about 20 activists supporting the LGBTI community during the annual May Day parade in St. Petersburg, Russia. Two days before the march, Meduza … Continue reading →

Challenge to Jamaican anti-sodomy law gets under way

At the first hearing of my constitutional challenge to the Jamaican anti-sodomy law held today [Feb. 23], the Public Defender (PD) applied to be joined as an Interested Party. The PD is seeking to exercise her statutory right and obligation to protect and promote the rights of Jamaicans. [Editor’s note:  Jamaica’s Public Defender is Arlene … Continue reading →

I refuse to be a victim, so I took a stand, Tomlinson says

I considered myself to be a very confident person. That changed suddenly a few years ago when I received a particularly vicious email death threat because of my advocacy for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) Jamaicans. In vulgar language the author made plain that, if I did not immediately … Continue reading →

Commentary: Jamaican activists need to change focus

Jamaica needs to make a wide variety of improvements in its human rights record with regard to its LGBT citizens — which may not be possible if activists focus too much attention on the nation’s buggery law, says Jaevion Nelson, program and advocacy manager at the Jamaican LGBT advocacy organization J-FLAG.  In today’s Jamaica Gleaner, … Continue reading →

Jamaica: Good Samaritan near death from anti-gay knife attack

A young man who works with homeless LGBT youths in Jamaica is in critical condition in a New Kingston area hospital, suffering from knife wounds inflicted Oct. 24 by a group of anti-gay men attacking LGBT youths who have been repeatedly evicted from wherever they choose to stay. Police removed them in January from the … Continue reading →

Jamaica: Fear of gays as silly as fearing kangaroo invasion

Excerpts from a commentary by Michael Abrahams — gynecologist, obstetrician, comedian and poet — about the Sept. 27 anti-LGBT rally held in connection with British Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent visit to Jamaica. The commentary was published in the Jamaica Gleaner. Misplaced priorities and the anti-gay agenda … When one objectively examines the issues adversely … Continue reading →

How Jamaican dad supports gay son’s activism

Tribute to My Supportive Dad As a Jamaican father who raised his three sons in a very fundamentalist Christian church, my dad, George (or “Tommy”) was not exactly thrilled when I came out, or when my same-gender marriage made front-page news in our small country. He was particularly upset when, as he predicted, work colleagues … Continue reading →