Let me say that I was annoyed that the article did little to dispel the general perception of homosexuals in Jamaica. They were painted as “bizarre”, “paranoid”, “disordered” and “violent”. While some attempt was made to highlight that this behaviour is not uncommon amongst heterosexual lovers, in pathologizing homosexuality, the article was clearly biased against homosexuals. In a day when homophobia is still rampant in our society, I think it is dangerous to perpetuate myths and biases about this minority while ignoring the role pervading homophobic attitudes play in precipitating this behaviour. Carolyn Cooper’s “Blind Vengeance” published in the Sunday Gleaner fleshes this out quite well.

I encourage you to muse on our national motto: “Out of many, one people”. On paper, we profess to embrace the diversity of those that grace our shores. In practice this not how the Sankey is sung. In the future, shall we revise the commentary that enters the public sphere so that it no longer demonizes a group that could cope quite nicely without worse publicity?