Gay Cruising misunderstood .......

Dated I know is this report but someone asked if I could give my take on it, not that it matters as the Star news usually goes into silly season mode to sell papers and preying on the unsuspecting public's ignorance. Truth be told cruising could be as old as prostitution itself I dare say for as long as sex is for that matter, this is certainly not new and same gender loving and experimenting men worldwide have adopted their unique methods of the hunt in nabbing a one night stander or groupie for the more adventurous.

The headline itself is ridiculous as it implies men other than gay men are being targeted when we know that only other gay, bisexual or bi-curious males would respond and there are checks and balances. The tabloid obviously has nothing better to do in "investigating" the writings on the bathroom walls yet such practices also exist in what could be called heterosexual spaces such as strip clubs where numbers are left on the walls of the bathrooms or the changing rooms too having attended quite a few in a professional capacity in HIV prevention work, the Star does not go "investigatiing" those spaces though I wonder.

Have a read of the entry excerpted below and see what you make of it. 

THE STAR understands that some homosexual males are allegedly using the male bathrooms of a popular university to advertise sexual favours.

THE STAR carried out an investigation upon receiving the information and noticed on the walls of some of the campus' male bathrooms, an image of the male genital accompanied by a phone number and sentences outlining the different skills being offered.

One of the ads read, "I need a man, a good looking man. Call me at." While another stated, "For a good ... call this number'

When the news team called three of the numbers we were successful with one.

On answering the phone, the self-proclaimed gay man identified himself as David, after which he asked, "What size are you?"

After identifying ourselves, the man revealed to THE STAR that he has been advertising his 'wares' in male bathrooms for years, but has so far only performed his skills on one person at the university.

He also stated that a lot of persons have called him in recent times, but he never got the chance to meet them.

David told THE STAR that the reason he used the male bathrooms was, "I decided to do it because this is how I felt at the time."

He also attempted to ply his 'wares' to the male reporter, "So what height are you? Because I am good at what I do enuh!" he expressed.

David stated that he'll be removing the ads he posted soon, "When I have the time I'll try and go up to and wipe out my contact as I am busy these days, and don't have the time to meet much people anymore."

A final-year student at the university told THE STAR that he has seen a number of these ads in male bathrooms across the campus and stated his displeasure.

"I've seen them and I think they are malicious damage of school property, and it's probably done by persons who have a personal vendetta," he stated.

More snags for the cruising community in 2013

Disclaimer: I have no formal psychological training but have been interested by the outdoor sex phenomenon for some decades now as applicable to Jamaican MSM experiences. I also decided to drop this one here as entries of this nature would be seen on Gay Jamaica Watch but due to the urgent legal matters that are at hand GJW will be hosting those posts only for now. 

This entry is not about the typical standing on or walking by a street corner or plaza in some city centre and employing ones gaydar to catch poon tangs that is easy and comes natural for some of us but this is about the masculine grizzly targeted thug hunting experience in a specific geographical zone complete with musk, grit, grime, industrial wasteland or green spaces (green grass hotel), sweat, pheromones, no deep emotions, non feminized elements and importantly un-attachment for that quick release of virulent pent up sexual desire in the end however short the time of contact. Some time ago when I last looked at sections of the outdoor cruising communities and sub groups under the MSM umbrella I noticed that some members were bitterly complaining that their haunting grounds were overtaken by the preponderance of homeless or displaced MSM who do not necessarily cruise in this specific sense especially from the New Kingston and Seymour Lands areas and beyond to the outskirts of Old Hope Roads when the homeless groups occupied illegally lands and houses but have since been removed by the local authorities namely the parish council with the aid of the police. Also see: Robbers target male hookers

The Jamaica Observer Clovis cartoon depiction of the problematic homeless MSM scenario relocated to the Barbican area, the online version from their website was removed following some complaints but I managed to get it scanned from my hardcopy edition of May 31, 2013, the paper has been in love hate relationship sorts ever since their first coverage of the matter when the men launched an attack at the former JASL/JFLAG offices August 23/4, 2011: MORE HERE and HERE

The migration pattern of that group has since gone northwards to Barbican as their options become less after the eviction of Jamaica AIDS Support, JAS and their LGBT offshoot Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays, JFLAG from 4 Upper Musgrave Avenue (actually an old cruising haunt for MSM and female commercial sex work spot in the early nineties when previously unoccupied) newer populations still congregate in New Kingston proper. 

The men now located at a house in the Millsborough area for now as the caretaker there has insisted that they have to leave as the situation has become untenable the proper response to that issue is still forthcoming from the relevant agencies. With the migratory pattern occurring that has not helped any the comfort somewhat of the cruisers who before when the homeless MSM were far less in numbers and more docile coexisted peacefully often overlapping as commercial sexual arrangements would sometimes result if the cruisers were not making any headway for sexual pleasure via their modus operandi. 

Now it seems the bemoaning the loss of “space” continues as they are still limited to a certain quadrant in the New Kingston area added to that the other zones are limited or have since become unworkable as recent public incidents have impacted their usage and safety. Case in point is a matter of two alleged partnered masturbators who were caught in the act some three weeks ago in downtown proper at an old haunt for generations by a man who eventually called attention to the issue, the men one allegedly a handcart operator made good their escape however but not afterwards the authorities were somehow notified and the area bushed, rubble removed and cleared so as to avoid any further “batty business” thugs were apparently ordered to or hired to watch the area for now.

That particular spot down-town and other older ruins have had incidents prior and as posted here as well but it seems to always been able to recover despite major physical changes made to it and has been used for generations of cruisers as a haunt, heterosexuals also use the area for the occasional sexual encounters and a few female commercial sex workers/substance users also operate in the area by day, they were aware of the shenanigans that took place there but it is a symbiotic relationship it seems according to my cruiser source, the men are not a threat to their business since the cruisers would stay clear when met with such hetero circumstances and vice versa. 

The groups would also exchange information and safer sex implements when available among other socializations. The old industrial factory space seems to be an irresistible attraction for men whether on the down low  cruisers or commercial sex workers as the masculinity of the environment seems to be the draw card. In speaking to one of the senior more experiences cruisers who has assisted me before in examining this issue of cruising in Kingston he said that the place just has a thing to it that he has to go to see if any men are there and according to him there is often time someone there, if not a new face then some regular. What is the draw card to me especially for far younger users or cruisers is puzzling, how do they know instinctively that that spot is for sexual connections (usually non penetrative or outer-coursal activity) is baffling, gaydar perhaps? The physical outlay of the area seems a major qualification for such a pull of these persons and subsequent sexual activity I can recall some years ago an old rice factory in Spanish Town as well (now turned the JUTC bus park) that attracted men from all over I took particular interest in the phenomenon then as it became a sight for my HIV outreach work with men who have sex with men and it was there I realized we were dealing with a totally different set of variables and practices not covered by the HIV response at all. Often times these are men with normalised lives, girlfriends, “babymothers,” even wives or just homo curious recluse who use unusual short impact sexual contact as release it seems so as to avoid too much personal contact and invasion of their psychological space. The impersonal nature of the contact, no possibility of emotional traces, the intense physical satisfaction and thrill of the hunt in doing it in public but not getting caught are also factors that I have come to understand, a kind of utilitarianism. This is of course outside of persons who do not have the convenience at their place of residence for open consensual same sex intimacy.

I will admit I too have passed through the area in Kingston for a haunt or two but it is not really my cup of tea but one thing is clear all kinds of characters are there surprisingly, some even look like your typical homophobe if seen in another setting and these are not the same populations of men one as experienced as I am see in the LGBT social scene nor in other so called cruising zones as well. This leads me to think that there are many other males though not self identifying as homosexual who prefer this kind of urban discreet rugged outdoor contact for that quickie as a release. I prefer to approach thug types in their own spaces as I have developed my skills at reading them and know the ones to avoid or to approach even when they are homo-curious or bisexual. Anal penetrative sex is not usually the chosen type of contact in outdoor spaces such as this I learnt over the years during my HIV outreach work as safety and ease of escape if discovered is crucial so less tedious activity is chosen that won’t involve removal of clothing that may impede such escape if found or caught by an unsuspecting person who may use the area to also to urinate or defecate. 

They tend to go for partnered masturbation or solo masturbation while watching another male either masturbate also unbeknownst to them being seen or if another should urinate the proverbial glory hole type voyeurism but in an outdoor scenario. Oral/anal activity may occur such as rimming if convenient my cruiser friend advised me that he often heard of some men carrying a bottle of water on their persons for a quick enema which is not surprising as many male commercial sex workers do so as well to make themselves presentable to their clients, sadly the HIV response locally is yet to move progressively to make fleet and other such types of implements available and indeed engage these sub groups under the MSM label.

Scatting and such practices do not factor here in Jamaica although the site as indicated earlier is used as a bathroom since the public restrooms charge for usage so persons avoid them.

Exhibitionists also pass through occasionally according to my trusted senior cruiser friend (who also still wants me and him to hookup) but they come few in between for open masturbation usually alone but more so after a shower or rain when less passers-by are around but enough persons to give them the drive to publicly masturbate seeing that is their urge and incessant need sexually speaking. The two aforementioned partnered masturbators were said to be frequent pass-throughs and my cruiser contact seems still concerned of how they got caught, he even speculates that maybe another would be cruiser may have been upset at the two pairing and not himself being a partner to the act.

In early 2011 that entire section in downtown was bulldozed I can recall under the then Jamaica Labour Party JLP administration when a certain mayoral candidate was around as the area falls in the constituency of that party and some years prior to that a nude handcart man was found dead in the vicinity the cause of death was not clear but a newspaper report suggested he was raped as tests revealed anal trauma. The once vibrant Emancipation Park area in New Kingston that was also a haunt prior to its construction and which attracted persons even after it became a public thoroughfare seems to have lost its fervour. Vendors, police patrols and car parking have since crowded the spot and the occasional exhibitionist as well are not so prevalent any more as an amusement park sits across the street attracting many children, exhibitionist have a particular aversion to carrying out there act in front of children which also is another mystery to me psychologically speaking although it makes some sense as they are not paedophiles so prepubescent persons would not fit their intended profile for near public erotic exposure.

Some questions come to mind some of which I have asked before I believe;

What would attract this set of MSM to these outdoor spots?

Why do they not also social on the main LGBTQ scenes?

Outdoor sex implies an element of danger hence the attractiveness of it?

Why is effeminacy not a prominent trait in this group of MSM?

Is hyper-masculinity or forced masculinization (including aesthetics) a means of protection in these outdoor spaces to avoid profiling or suspicion?

Another incident that came to hand was in western Jamaica by a certain beach front stretch this time however penetrative sex was involved both persons just barely escaped the doom as men swooped down on the unsuspecting couple who were allegedly in high ecstasy while making love. While not a direct cruising matter it was only this month I posted on GLBTQJA of a male couple in St Catherine who had to flee their community after being caught in the act by the grandmother of one who arrived unannounced. Such are the challenges that sometimes cause persons to seek alternate outdoor secret arrangements to compensate for lack of space apart from the other attractive reasons relative to the individuals involved. In that same post I also examined a previous incident in the same parish by a man made water course where a partnered-masturbating male couple were caught and the police also got involved to literally save them from a thrashing from an angry mob that converged after the men swam to safety and retreated in bushes on the opposite side of the canal.

Such are the risks with hook-ups and outdoor cruising but with all those issues persons still seem drawn to the practice/phenomenon I guess an old English adage the closer you are to danger the further you are from harm has some resonance in this somewhere as who would often suspect raunchy illicit sex in open spaces quite unexpectedly? After all female commercial sex workers also use this form of hiding right under your nose ideology too, many of them do engage clients in car parks and inside motor vehicle unbeknownst to passers-by as one would never suspect that activity to close by. Parts of Central Park in New York comes to mind despite police patrols and a vagrancy law I believe but men hook up none the less, France for example has red zones where outdoor sex is allowed undisturbed be it homosexual or heterosexual and the infamous bathroom glory hole cruising is a special feature of French gay male culture. Many Jamaicans who go or now live there have told me the erotic stories. Amsterdam is noted for these zones as well married with open substance use as well whether Jamaica will ever get to this kind of progressive thinking is left to be seen seeing that policing homosexuality is still a major priority in the face of the disease control, The religious/biblical fundamentalist anti-homosexuality imperative; protecting vulnerable youth from homosexuality, as conflated with paedophilia; the imperative of the ‘unnaturalness’ of homosexuality and the imperative of the purity and authenticity of a primordially homosexuality-free global African culture all of which drive our entrenched or hardened positions towards male homosexuality in particular. If we can’t even get passed just making same sex intimacy private for consenting adults on the face of a “keep it to yourself” public sentiments then how are we going to allow some unconventional personal freedoms (though not impeding others) in public spaces?

Sex; we seek it, we enjoy it how some go about it may be unconventional at least bizarre at best but it’s the human condition I guess, after all if we did not have buildings to contend with we may have all been doing it in the bushes.

Peace and tolerance

H

also see: 

Cruising community challenges continue  2011

Some cruising challenges .......... 2011

Doing 'business' in New Kingston ...

The Cruising community’s dilemma .....

Fame FM's "Uncensored" on Piercings, Men fighting ...

Thugs caught lovemaking forced to flee for their lives 2013

Down low gone mad, Biphobia, or Sexual Abuse?

The unofficial practice by churches in using marriage to cure homosexuality

Hello readers,

I held on to this post until today International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, IDAHOT and also Children’s month to highlight another challenge and related social issue out there for LGBT people here in Jamaica. In a follow up discussion on LOVE 101FM’s Morning Watch hosted by theologian Reverend Clinton Chisholm dealt with the issue of supposed heterosexual spouses of homosexual partners known or unbeknownst to them on the strength of a letter to the Gleaner’s editors on May 13, 2013, the poll question of the day dealt with the issue as well and some of the answers were as expected espousing sheer ignorance and indifference:

“It should never even by thought of by anyone”

“There is no way to stop a person from being a gay, that’s not the church business”

“That only shows that they have no knowledge of the dark kingdom, being gay is caused by a spirit”

“The only treatment for sin is repentance”

“.......... Homosexuality cannot be cured by marriage it is a demonic force of darkness............”

“ ........... a scriptural biblical mockery ................”

“Marriage does not fix that behaviour it can worsen it .................... "

Guests on the show were (anti gay) Psychologist Dr Leachim Semaj (formerly known as Michael James) who seems not to follow the DSM’s guidelines on homosexuality, Dr Reverend Neil Walker – a Guyanese living in the states who also runs a reparative outfit, the letter writer a Jamaican living in Miami Florida nurse Mrs. Debbie Thomas Brown who also runs a faith based outreach and advocacy site South Florida Connect Inc for other wives or women who have found themselves in marriages or relationships with a down low man or vice versa.

The discussion for the most part seems level but what bothered me was there were no guests representing the MSM side of the equation but I shouldn’t be surprised supposed discourse like this tends to be one sided although the letter’s author made her position quite clear very early in the exchange which to be fair to her was respected as her tone did not come across as homophobic although she did hint to a possible cure without saying it in so many words, although she also used the word “orientation” as opposed to “lifestyle” as done by other anti gay voices.

“..................... my letter to the editor was to bring awareness .............. to open a dialogue that we never seem to have that we should have had a long time ago ................ people misunderstood what I was trying to say ............... as the men who are gay they seem to understand that they can do that to hide their orientation and to make themselves look stronger and appear more effective .......”

“....... because of our culture in Jamaica that treat homosexuals in a bad way ......”

She continued that the church is not paying attention to what has been happening and women are being hurt. Dr Semaj weighed that deception is the issue as persons use that reality to cover up their behaviour. He mentioned the married but just for the record bit as well that exists in social circles. He said persons deliberately or consciously set out to destroy another person’s life as persons present themselves as one entity he then made the disease connection where he said many wives were at risk at HIV/AIDS, I found that a bit problematic as it tacitly presents the disease as a homosexual one even after all these years although we must take into account the high rates of infection in the MSM population. My other concern was innate bisexuality was never brought up in the exchange even though the cross infection was hinted to.

What if the partner was innately bisexual but due to fear or recrimination did not or could not disclose his same gender attraction as well?

Would that be deception altogether on his part or the withholding of information with disastrous consequences? Many persons would fear that during courtship that might be the end of the formation of the union and other more far reaching consequences with family and social standing.

Dr Semaj continued that in the development of the relationship all the cards must be dealt face up, that is easy for him to say as a psychologist tell that to the man who has a decision to make knowing our own homophobia and indeed biphobia from within the gay community as well as they are also seen as disease carriers and misguided or confused, there are many other layers that this exchange never even came close to addressing. The denial or ambivalence upon learning the information was briefly examined where Dr Semaj juxtaposed the issue of incest as well where blame has to go somewhere in that case the child in a down low case however self blame or hate may set in and the feeling of competing with a man for another man or the acceptance or tolerance of another woman as the extra marital partner works to find out it is a man is too much in some case, it also raises self esteem concerns for the woman involved. “The purpose of the defence mechanism is to preserve ego, preserve the self ...... you have to put the blame somewhere else ...........” after a while the whole thing starts to crumble. He said women require a lot of work to put the blame where it really should be and move on to healing.

The other guest Rev Dr Walker spoke to his familiarity with the down low phenomenon in the United States as he runs an outfit that address such issues, the rift also between mega churches versus small churches where pastors are sometimes labelled as mumblers came through as he made the point that it is easier for a down low man to camouflage himself in larger populated congregations that his smaller outfit. After declaring his heterosexuality (with full support from Dr Semaj – “heterosexual body, mind & spirit” other guests laughing) as it were he continued on the point of his referral system where churches send him clients where he addresses the females who suffer from the fallout of the secret coming to light. He highlighted the emotional rollercoaster and the devastation the women feel. Reverend Chisholm brought the down low clergy ambit in the mix where Dr Walker again touched on the mega church versus small church issue and Bishop Eddie Long’s recent troubles, he lamented that pastors such as Bishop Long consider themselves superstars as they command mega churches and are immune to the issue of the down low phenomenon, he criticised Bishop Long saying he had an opportunity to come clean instead resorting to the infamous five stone comment he made in response to the allegations of inappropriate behaviour with male members.

Nurse Thomas Brown brought her own experience to bear with her near miss marriage to a down low man and her emotional turmoil that led to her research and formation of her advocacy group. She lamented that local churches have this issue and it is the place where other down low men come and use the covertness to meet and hide their relationship. She pointed out clearly that a gay man cannot recover from his homosexuality through marriage, “ .......... that will never happen through marriage ......” one thing was clear that she was not one of those guests as is customary to be spoon fed points in the thrust to drive the point home. She continued that it was a public health issue but the figures she quoted seem unverifiable as she said about 56,000 MSM may be here and of down low men 50% of them are in relationships with heterosexual women, she never provided her source for this data that flowed easily of her tongue.

She continued on the point of social pressure and the noveau intelligentsia who marry into a heterosexual set up to become accepted or regularise themselves although she seemed to have overlooked the commensurate side to this in that many single men are known to be gay and do exist unperturbed by open hostility at the upper socio economic levels it is when one starts to descend the ladder that the caustic responses sometimes translating itself via violence get more pronounced. The aesthetics was briefly examined as well where she rightfully looked at effeminacy, masculinity and profiling and that most down low men bear no discerning signs. “They can hide in a mega church, they can hide in any church because they look as macho and as masculine as the next straight guy, you cannot look at them and tell our women don’t understand that because Jamaican women are accustomed to them being effeminate ... and they are not like that.......you will never see it if that’s what you are looking for.” She then promoted her website.

Nurse Brown concluded that for women who find themselves in this situation that there is nothing wrong with them and that they should try to move on as best as possible, she said “......... you cannot change him, you did not make him gay, don’t listen to ignorant people who are gonna ask you, he married you so he must not have been gay when he married you? He was, he just did a very good job of hiding it from you and everyone else, so don’t blame yourself for your spouse being gay, it has nothing to do with you and don’t ever think that you can change him because yes you cannot compete with a man .........” she went on that heterosexual men also complain about having lesbian wives meeting them in church in some instances but are afraid to expose them. Dr Semaj brought up the threesome piece or ménage-a-trois which locally for all intents and purposes I dare say is very popular just go to any strip club and see open erotic lesbian themed entertainment.

Reality coming to the fore here has brought some sense to an exchange about homosexuality it seems only when it hits very close to home that theologians or anti gay voices have to face such reality, as for the deception aspect of this coming out open and honest is still a major issue across the board and in intimate relationships be they gay, bisexual or heterosexual couples, disclosure is also a major complaint I have heard a lot over the years. The matter of advocacy here in Jamaica not matured (only in age it seems) and sophisticated enough cannot be overlooked as my expectations for a fifteen year old agency would be to address if by a tight referral system issues such as this but again another possible outcome of poor leadership and program development crops up again.

Peace and tolerance

H

Gang leader wanted for buggery ..............

The communities of Central Village and Windsor Heights have been rocked by police reports of buggery leveled against the St Catherine South division's most wanted fugitive, Stokely 'Pepper' Collins of the Pepper gang reports the Star News

Deputy Superintendent Albert Dyer related a shocking tale of victims being hospitalised after alleged acts of buggery to initiate new male gang members and drive fear into female victims.

"We have an investigation going on about the initiation of a young man into the gang that can be construed as an act of sodomy," Dyer told The STAR.

"The matter is being investigated by the Central Village police. He was brought to the police by relatives because his life was in danger. We can't say much more about his situation because we have to protect his identity. He is now at risk not from only the gang leader, but also people, in general, because of the perception of people who this act would have been committed on," DSP Dyer added.

beaten

The senior policeman related the ordeal of a female from Windsor Heights, who was beaten and hospitalised after making public her incident of buggery.

"There have been reports of similar acts being performed on females. One was almost beaten to death by the gangsters because she went back into the community and made this known to other persons. She was beaten so badly that she was admitted to the Spanish Town Hospital for days. She and her relatives had to move out of the Windsor Heights community as a result," DSP Dyer added.

Collins leads the Pepper gang and was last month named among the Area Five police's 11 most wanted men.

Also known as 'Stinger', Collins is the division's most wanted. His gang operates in the Windsor Heights/Central Village areas and extorts businesses in the parish.

DSP Dyer told The STAR Collins has been on the run for close to two years but has proven elusive, aided and abetted by the hilly terrain of Windsor Heights.

wreaking havoc

"He was wanted before I came to the division in 2011. Several attempts have been made to get him to surrender to the police. He has been hard to catch due to a combination of the terrain and his modus operandi. He goes into the hills when he is hot. When we go after him, he slips out of the community and lay low then sneaks back in."

Dyer said the Pepper gang has been wreaking havoc in the area. "He is wanted for kidnapping, shootings, beatings, all the works that go into the gang lifestyle. Right now, that gang operates one of the largest stolen car rings in the island, coming out of the Central Village area. For last year, we've recovered about 20-odd stolen vehicles, including nine recently found in the hills behind Winsdor Heights. It's the same gang operating there," he pointed out.

ENDS

Remember this one

After being caught in bed...Naked thugs pull guns on residents

There was excitement in a section of Denham Town in west Kingston last week (Jan 2011) after the sexual affairs and preferences of three men were revealed when they were caught in an uncompromising position.

Information reaching THE STAR is than on Sunday morning, a friend of the three men walked into a house where they would normally hang out, and to his surprise found his friends enjoying each other's company a little too much.

THE STAR heard that the three men who are in their early 20's were seen on a bed, two in the nude and the other in underpants, and all sweating profusely.

Further arguments are that other residents were alerted and summoned to the house where some became irate and called for a proper beating of the men, but had to make a hasty retreat after the men drew guns.

"Di same set a man dem weh seh dem ago beat dem afii run up and dung when di man dem rise dem machine," a resident said.

It took the intervention of another set of men from the community who out of some form of respect for the men, urged persons to leave them alone before giving them an opportunity to leave the area.

The men have since taken heed and have fled the community with family members who came to their assistance .................

see more from Gay Jamaica Watch: 

So thugs do love too ...... After being caught in bed...Naked thugs pull guns on residents 

Also see this one linked below

GO HERE

Q&A ON BISEXUALS: Examining Stereotypes and Misconceptions

Q: What is bisexuality?
A: Bisexuality is the capacity for physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to more than one gender/sex. A bisexual identity affirms a reality beyond dualistic categories of sexual orientation and challenges the foundation of binary thinking in this regard.

Q: Do bisexuals have to have partners of different genders/sexes to be satisfied?
A: Bisexuality is the potential – not the requirement – for involvement with more than one gender/sex. This involvement may mean sexually, emotionally, in reality, or in fantasy. Some bisexuals may have concurrent partners; others may relate to different genders/sexes at various time periods. Most bisexuals do not have to be involved with more than one gender/sex at a time in order to feel fulfilled. 

Q: Aren’t bisexuals “oversexed”?
A: Attraction does not necessitate acting on every desire. Just as there is a range of behaviours within heterosexual society and the lesbian and gay communities, there is also a range within the bisexual community. Some have one partner; some choose to be single; some have multiple partners; some bisexuals are celibate. The bisexual population has the same variety of sexual activity as other groups.

Q: Can bisexuals be counted on for long-term committed relationships?
A: A bisexual, like a lesbian, gay, or heterosexual identity is independent of relationship choices: monogamous; polyamorous; non-monogamous; or whatever the parties agree upon. Bisexuals are as capable as anyone else of making a long-term monogamous commitment if that bisexual is also a monogamous person.

Q: Isn’t calling oneself bisexual just a phase a person goes through because he or she is afraid to “come out” as lesbian or gay?
A: Some people do go through a transitional period of bisexuality on their way to adopting a lesbian, gay, or heterosexual identity. For many others, bisexuality remains a long-term orientation. In fact, researchers have found that homosexuality and heterosexuality are often transitional phases in the coming-out process for bisexual people.

Q: Aren’t bisexuals just “confused”?
A: It is natural for bisexuals, gays, and lesbians to go through a period of confusion in the coming-out process. Historically, society has stigmatized same gender/sex attractions and denied the possibility of a bisexual orientation. In this situation, confusion is an understandable reaction until one is able to come out and find a supportive environment. Most bisexuals are absolutely clear about their sexual orientation.

Q: Do people choose to be bisexual?
A: For bisexuals the choice is to live openly and honestly or to be silenced by the invisibility of the closet. No one really knows the origins of sexual orientation, including bisexuality. However, whether it is biologically determined or not, sexual orientation should not determine one’s access to full participation in society.

Q: Do bisexuals want “special rights”?
A: Bisexuals want to live their lives without the threat of discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, and the military. To ensure their basic civil rights, bisexuals are seeking equal protection under the law, including same-sex marriage.

Q: Do bisexuals spread AIDS?
A: Bisexuals have been scapegoated as “carriers” of HIV/AIDS to heterosexuals and lesbians. The fact is, risky behaviours spread HIV, not one’s sexual identity. HIV is transmitted when the body fluids of an infected person (e.g. blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk) enter someone else’s body. Practising safer sex and not sharing injection drug paraphernalia is important for everyone – bisexual, heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or transgender – who is interested in stopping the spread of AIDS.

Q: Should the lesbian and gay communities be inclusive of bisexuals?
A: Bisexuals have always been a part of, as well as apart from, the lesbian and gay communities. Bisexuals are part of the generic definition of gay in the same way that lesbians are. Because heterosexuals lump them all together, bisexuals encounter the same kinds of harassment and discrimination as gays, lesbians, and transgender people. Bisexuals lose their jobs, their homes, and their children, and are discharged from the military when they are honest about their sexual orientation. It is important that bisexuals be included to accurately describe the larger gay community.

Q: When the going gets tough, won’t bisexuals hide in the heterosexual community? Don’t bisexuals dump their same gender/sex partners for different gender/sex partners to pass as straight?
A: People leave relationships for all kinds of reasons, and not just because of the gender/sex of their partner. Anyone regardless of sexual identity who is unable to make a commitment to a relationship may use a person of any gender/sex to leave. To “pass” for straight and deny one’s bisexuality is just as painful and damaging for bisexuals as it is for gays and lesbians to stay in or re-enter the closet. Bisexuals are not heterosexual.

Q: Do some bisexuals identify as heterosexual? What about lesbian or gay?
A: All human sexuality studies have found that there is a notable disparity between what people do (sexual behaviour  and what people call themselves (sexual identity). Many people are unaware that identifying as bisexual is even an option. 

(Significantly, no studies have measured the incidence of bisexual feelings and fantasies that have not been acted upon.) Many people who have sex with more than one gender/sex do not identify as bisexual for a number of reasons, including fear of discrimination and social stigmatization from both heterosexual society and the lesbian and gay communities. 

Thanks to Bialogue for sharing this. 

HIV rates among MSM in the US & St Lucia are up .......

download the Report HERE

The findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detail the most recent HIV/AIDS numbers in the United States. They show that in 2010, there were 47,500 people who were newly infected with HIV, down from 2007's number of 53,200. The authors of the report noted that the rate of new HIV cases in the U.S. has stayed at around 50,000 each year since the '90s.

From 2008 to 2010, black women experienced a 21 percent decrease in new HIV infections (from 7,700 to 6,100). But overall, African Americans are the racial group most affected by HIV (with an HIV rate almost eight times higher than white people), comprising 44 percent of all the new infections in 2010.

The report also showed that young men who have sex with men experienced a 22 percent increase in new HIV infections during the same time period (from 7,200 to 8,800). Men who have sex with men -- a term used by researchers to focus on behaviour and bypass issues of sexual identity -- comprised about 78 percent of new HIV infections in men in 2010, and 63 percent of total new HIV infections in both men and women that year, the report said.

Young people were the most likely to be newly infected, with 31 percent of new infections occurring in people between ages 25 and 34. Twenty-six percent of new infections occurred in people between ages 13 and 24, and 24 percent of new infections occurred in people between ages 45 and 54. People ages 55 and older made up five percent of new infections.

Earlier this year, a report from the United Nations Program on AIDS showed that North America had around 1.4 million people with HIV in 2011, and about 20,000 people on the continent died from the disease that year, Reuters reported. And in 2011, there were a little over 34 million people with HIV around the world.

Meanwhile in St Lucia the National AIDS Program Secretariat, NAPS is reporting today that the rates are up especially for those who do not disclose their preference or are on the downlow. 

This was the same group who called for the repeal of the buggery law in August last year.

St Lucia like Jamaica grappled also with homosexuality in schools and while not going the route we did with out Home and Family Life curriculum and the suggestions of reparative therapy for supposed abusive lesbians in schools earlier this year they seem to have taken a more mature approach based on reports:

Discussions on homosexuality should be included as part of sex education on the island's schools, so says former chief medical officer, Dr. Stephen King. Dr. King says that students are constantly grapple with issues of homosexuality and need to be educated on the issue. The statement comes as Dr. King says that a health study conducted by the Pan Health Organization (PAHO) indicates that many children have homosexuality tendency and confusions during puberty.

Students are struggling with issues of homosexuality and need education and guidance on the matter. That’s according to former Chef Medical Officer, Dr. Stephen King. As a result – he believes sex education should include conversations on homosexuality as it is part of human sex behaviour  The statement comes weeks after a female student was allegedly sexually assaulted by three other females at a secondary school on the island.

Dr. Stephen King says findings from health surveys show many children engage in homosexuality and conversation on the matter would actually lessen confusion on the issue. The pathologist by profession added that discussions at schools would also help to reduce stigma and discrimination and stop the violation of human rights against gay individuals.

See more HERE: Homosexuality in schools in St. Lucia 

UPDATE December 24, 2012