A proud day
Here every creed and race(from The Trinidadian National Anthem)
Find an equal place
and may God bless our nation
The Archdeacon of Tobago doesn't want Elton John to perform at the Plymouth* Jazz festival. Because he's not a jazz singer? No, because he's gay. And because Trinidad and Tobago is not so great at keeping its laws up to date and has altogether too many religions, there are still laws on the books against sodomy: passed as recently as 1986, the law provides for up to 10 years in prison for homosexual acts between consenting adults (but if you are a minor, and you commit the act, it's only five years... how lenient!). There's also another, much older law which prevents "self-confessed prostitutes and homosexuals" from entering the country, but I cannot find any record of it online.
It doesn't look like this will really happen, of course. Gay rights has come a long way in Trinidad in recent years. But this kind of story just makes me want to weep for my stupid, stupid, beloved country. This isn't being covered in "politics", guys, it's being carried in the "weird news" section! We are the laughingstock of half a dozen nations for even giving this idiot deacon the time of day.
* That's Plymouth, Tobago. British colonists were not good at original names.
Comments
jimmy
http://www.immigration.gov.tt/documentlibrary/downloads/13/Imm%20Act%20&%20Regs.pdf
"entry into Trinidad and Tobago of the persons described in this subsection, other than citizens and, subject to section 7(2), residents, is prohibited, namely -
prostitutes, homosexuals or persons living on the
earnings of prostitutes or homosexuals, or persons
reasonably suspected as coming to Trinidad and
Tobago for these or any other immoral purposes;"
What's telling is that this document was updated as recently as 1995.
Furthermore while you have experience of Trinidadians as progressive; this is by no means universal. Although I'd like to believe that Trinidad was slowly acquiring western values, statements like: "They want to Europeanize everything. They want to turn us into homosexuals. The European Parliament wants to pass legislation forcing countries that depend on them for aid, grants or technical expertise, and so forth, they want you to pass legislation so that homosexuality could become law (Finance Committee Report, Trinidad and Tobago Hansard, Sept. 22, 2000:908)" strongly suggest otherwise.
If the government and church criminialize homosexual activity and demonize homosexuals, and dancehall music calls for us to be shot, there's little hope for homosexuals in Trinidadian society in the near future.
Of course allowing Elton John to perform makes a mockery of the law. But the point remains, I would not feel safe visiting Trinidad with my partner, and equally would not feel safe immigrating as an openly homosexual man. Society demands that you hide your sexuality, and I'm no longer willing to live my life in the closet constantly in fear of being abused for who I am.
marc
What results is a society that, very much like Victorian England pre-1895, is not based so much on punishment or searching out transgressors, but one in which the semblance of respectability must be maintained at all times. The Wilde trials were iconic because they forced England to confront what was, essentially, fine as long as it was kept in the private sphere and out of the public. In a similar manner, you've got a society in Trinidad in which there are numerous well-respected public figures who are generally known to be gay but continue to be accepted by society as long as they don't breach the boundary between private and public. A publicly gay figure like Elton coming to the country plays havoc with that delicate balance and, therefore, you end up with Archdeacon Asshole coming to the rescue.
In summary: we're a fucked up society.
Laurie
I'm not sure I buy your theory that Trinidad has only now acquired an emerging middle class: our middle class was born in the *last* oil boom, in the 70s, and they've been hanging around pretty solidly since then. It has certainly grown considerably in recent years, but I can't say I've noticed much growing religiosity as a result of that. But that could be because I'm so out of touch with T&T.
Laurie
marc
jimmy
In 2000 the Sexual Offences Act was amended. The punishment for buggery was increased from 10 years of prison to 25 years.
See the Amendment: http://www.ttparliament.org/bills/acts/2000/a2000-31.pdf (and the complete act: http://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/Laws/Chs.%2010-13/11.28/11.28.htm).
" 13. (1) A person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment—
(a) if committed by an adult on a minor, for life;
(b) if committed by an adult on another adult, for twenty-five years;
(c) if committed by a minor, for five years.
(2) In this section “buggery” means sexual inter course per anum by a male person with a male person or by a male person with a female person."
What's nice is that if you run a brothel you'll only get 5 years in prison, but two consenting adults having sex will be locked up for a quarter of their lives.
Makes me sad :(
A Friend
The "buggery" statute is not primarily aimed at or used against homosexuals and ha not been for hundreds of years in Britain (and them Trinidad).
It is primarily a "filler charge" as anyone who watches the news can see--slapped mainly on heterosexual rapists who the prosecutor really wants to slam.
That is is "gay persecution" is mostly made-up by activists with nothing else to do. Honestly.
Nobody can produce a gay man charged with sodomy in Trinidad or Jamaica in 50 years. I challenge you to look.