New Poll Finds Widespread Intolerance of Gays in Jamaica

This is not surprising. The Jamaica Gleaner, the island's largest newspaper, commissions a poll on attitudes toward gays and homosexuality and finds Jamaica "remains unaccommodating of gay lifestyles."

70 per cent of respondents believe that homosexuals and lesbians should not be entitled to the same basic rights and privileges enjoyed by heterosexual Jamaicans. ... 26 per cent of respondents believe that homosexuals should enjoy the same level of lifestyle as other persons.

The study found that women are more accommodating of gay lifestyles. Some 34 per cent of them said gays should enjoy the same basic rights compared to 20 per cent of males who share this view.

The poll also asked voters about Prime Minister Bruce Golding and his recent anti-gay rant to the BBC. Golding claimed Jamaica would not be forced to accept gays and said an openly gay man would "never" serve in his cabinet. Many voters were pleased by their prime minister's bigotry and "in total, 45 per cent of respondents said they are more likely to vote for Golding and his party because of the statement." Apparently, demonizing the gay community pays off in the United States and overseas.

If there is a silver lining to be found in the disappointing response to the survey, it is the fact that the newspaper commissioned the poll. The Jamaica Gleaner is slowly making progress. Once known for publishing ridiculously homophobic stories such as "High School Girls Gone Gay", the editorials and op-eds are slowly taking a more progressive tone and are speaking out against the nation's well-publicized anti-gay violence. In February 2007 an editorial urged the legislature to end restrictions on sodomy and gay rights. Last month, the newspaper applauded the decision by the Red Stripe brewing label to withdraw sponsorship from the popular Reggae Sumfest.

Poll finds continuing intolerance for gays [JA Gleaner]

More JAMAICA

Did You Read? ...
JA Observer Applauds PM's Anti-Gay Rant [R20]
Jamaican PM Blasts Gays [R20]
"Flaunting Sexual Preference May Incite Violence" [R20]
Guyana Will Ban Anti-Gay Bounty Killer [R20]
Financial Probs for Anti-Gay Bounty Killer [R20]
iTunes Canada Pulls Anti-Gay "Murder Music" [R20]
Buju Banton Concert Cancelled [Club Rimshot]
Buju Banton Busted By The Bay [Keith Boykin]
Buju Banton Pro/Con [R20]
Beenie Man and Buju Banton Cancelled [R20]
JA Gays Oppose Boycott Over "Murder Music" [R20]
Church: "Ludicrous" to Condemn Anti-Gay Violence [R20]
JA Gay Activist Attacked by Mob Seeks Asylum [R20]
JA Mob Attacks Two Gay Men [R20]
Angry Mob of 2,000 Jamaicans Attack Gays [R20]
Did Jamaican Cops "Rescue" Gays? [R20]
JA Leading Newspaper Demands Equal Rights [R20]
Justice, Jamaican Style [R20]
Bloodlust at UWI [R20]
"One Gay is Dead, What's the Difference?" [R20]
"Jamaica, Island of Hate" [R20]
Justice, Jamaican Style [R20]
Jamaican Newspaper Criticizes Anti-Gay Laws [R20]
"Gay Panic" Defense in Brutal Slaying [R20]
Who Killed Ambassador Peter King? [R20]
"Gay Panic" in Killing of Popular Priest [R20]

Comments

[ROBERT P]

Half of my family is Jamaican. I can verify this poll's accuracy from first hand.

[Kevin]

Did the indigeous people of Africa really oppose homosexuality?

There are claims of homosexuality ''existing'' before Islam and the tinkering of Christan missionaries in Africa, what gives? Why is it people from the West Indies claim homosexuality in Jamaica and else where is producut of European Imperalisim or White Supremacy? I always thought of it it as an example of Europeans enforicing their bad attitudes and religious beliefs on a group of people they deem savages. Do the people of Africa and the West Indies still follow the laws the Europeans left during colonization? Is homophobia really part of African/Black culture or a threat to Afro-Carribean values?

Being born in one of the three major Spanish speaking island nations (I'm Puerto Rican) it seems I'm not going to be coming out of the closet soon. Being gay within the Latino community is no picnic. But I guess since I'm not a ''person of color'' (do light skined Latinos qualify as POC?) I shouldn't be complaining about it, huh?

[Gregory Alexander]

The plight of our gay brothers and sisters in Jamaica, the Carribean and Africa is horrible. We complain about the creature comforts in our middle class gay existence and these poor men can barely escape with their lives.

[Shabaka]

Hey, KEVIN,

You got it right! Homophobia is a remnant of victorian-era attitudes from European colonizers who robbed indigenous populations of their lands claiming to be spreading/doing the work of God and therefore the indigenous original customs were wiped out because they were "un-godly".

And I don't know where you live but I have a few Puerto Rican and Dominican friends here in Toronto who seem to be fine with their homosexuality, but that's not to say that I know what goes on with their families. Oh and they consider themselves black so I think that one is yours to define for yourself.

[Kevin]

Honestly, I'm light skinned but I don't like the labels ''White'' or ''White Hispanic''. I'm neither ''Black'' or ''Mulatto'' My Dad is ''Brown'' and my Mom is ''White'' and it bothers me a lot to be label by skin color. It's like people are trying to portray me as this evil Spanish conquistador or some skinhead going around spreading the message of White Power. I don't even know if I have direct ties to Spain or not. I simply consider myself Puerto Rican and hate having to bring up my ''ethnicity'' because it basically takes away my ''minority'' staus in the USA. Am I a person or color? I know about the hypocritical racism in Latin America (The Spanish are not exactly fond of their cousins in Latin America and the ruling class aren't ''White'' by Euro standards)

With what's going in Jamaica, it seems it's very difficult for the average youth in the West Indies to open about the sexuality. I honestly it's not like that in every country in that region. I know the Bahamas oppose homosexuality but what other regions I wonder.