Gays in Recent Jamaican News

For better or for worse, the issue of gays, their lifestyle and rights in Jamaica has become a regular part of the weekly news cycle.

Just about every week, it seem, brings another report of either the results of an investigation, or an attack from a pastor, a family member or a mob.

Today's Jamaica Observer brought a headline article entitled Inside a Gay Church.

Last week there was an article, again in the Observer, that showed an alleged cross-dresser being beaten by a mob -- with the above picture being included.

I remember an earlier post I wrote on the issue of homosexual hatred in Jamaica, to which reader responded by saying that I was exaggerating the existence of this sentiment. While the extent of this hatred might be open to question, the fact that it is real is tough to argue with.

While mob violence is still an ongoing problem in Jamaica -- for alleged thieves and other criminals -- there have been very few prosecuted for the crime.

I understand that the people pictured above, however (who happen to be women) are in fact being charged with a crime -- which is a first... that I can remember.

It is said that an idea whose time has come is first ignored, then violently opposed, and then quietly accepted as a norm. Maybe we are in the second stage of a major change?