St Lucia Government apology

[wallypbear]

Just saw in Purpleroofs.com newsletter that the St Lucia Government has apologized for the anti-gay attack and does not condone this type of behavior. No it does not make up for what has happened but don't dismiss this beautiful island when your ship stops there. We have anti-gay attacks here in South Florida also. Even though there is a large gay population here the same negative attitudes toward the GLBT community exits as does on some of the Caribbean islands. I have had neighbors that refer to us as the fag house and have vandalized our cars. Have had fire crackers thrown at me in Key West on Duval street and have wiped the blood and tears from a friends face who got beat up right on the beach for acting "queer" by a drunken idiot. I am sure you are not going to stop cruising out of Ft Lauderdale and Miami. Are you?

[bbenson]

Now I haven't stayed totally up to date on this but the last thing I heard they had arrested 2 people and were looking for 3 more.... let them show the seriousness of their appology and determination to prevent further problems by finding those individuals and prosecuting them to the full extent of the law. Furthermore, it's still a crime to be gay in St. Lucia, whether the law is enforced or not. Until it's taken from the books why should I or any other gay person be willing to step foot on their soil? Or in this case dock at their cruise pier. Talk is cheap...let their actions show their sincerity....

 

I know it's hard to avoid all the anti-gay countries in the caribbean or the world... so I will simply stay on the ship if it docks there. They'll get docking fees but nothing else from me and if I can avoid the worst islands, Jamiaca, now St. Lucia...I will.

[jamessemaj]

For the most part, all African origin countries are extremely anti-homosexual, Africa and the Caribbean included. If you are flagrantly and obviously homosexual, it is best to avoid such places. In fact, among African-Americans it is not wise to display homosexual behavior. Thank their interpretation of Jesus and the Bible for that.

[jamessemaj]

A second thought. Why worry over the African/Caribbean/African-American fixation? I have traveled widely, and there places where people can be as they are and not worry about being ostracized, beaten, or killed. Countries with African populations are not such places. I go to them for the climate, the beaches, the ambience, but not for acceptance of who I am as a human being. I am very good at appearing str8, and have no problem, but they are contemptible to me. Back to my original point: promote homosexual free societies, not smothering ones.

[shepp]

It's probably worth noting that in many places, including sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and perhaps the Caribbean, much of the homophobia, rather than being indigenous, dates from colonization. Antigay laws in India, for instance, were a legacy of the raj. Plenty of Caribbean homophobia has to do with Christianity, not the fact that segments of the population are descended from slaves. (Though this is not to say that antigay attitudes were wholly a European import.) And - in fact - "among African-Americans," there are plenty of pro-gay folks, not to mention plenty of people who are LGBT themselves.

 

Also, how, precisely, does one go about "appearing straight?" Memories of that butch-it-up scene in La Cage aux Folles spring to mind...

[jamessemaj]

It's probably worth noting that in many places, including sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and perhaps the Caribbean, much of the homophobia, rather than being indigenous, dates from colonization. Antigay laws in India, for instance, were a legacy of the raj. Plenty of Caribbean homophobia has to do with Christianity, not the fact that segments of the population are descended from slaves. (Though this is not to say that antigay attitudes were wholly a European import.) And - in fact - "among African-Americans," there are plenty of pro-gay folks, not to mention plenty of people who are LGBT themselves.

 

Also, how, precisely, does one go about "appearing straight?" Memories of that butch-it-up scene in La Cage aux Folles spring to mind...

 

I admire your response, shepp, especially the "appearing straight" observation. I guess I meant that I appear str8 because that is how I appear. My post was clumsy. I apologize to you. As i said earlier, I should have just said that I agree with the OP.

[jamessemaj]

To further show my disorientation, my reference to the OP was to an OP on another thread about gay cruises. Stupid me.

[shepp]

I admire your response, shepp,

 

Thanks. I generally do agree with you...I avoid cruises that go to Jamaica, for instance. On the other hand, South Africa's constitution was the world's first to explicitly include LGBT rights, which it did while "sodomy" was still illegal in your state, Texas - a law that was finally overturned 7 years later by the Supreme Court.

 

So now I guess I can take a cruise out of Galveston. :)

[jamessemaj]

Thanks. I generally do agree with you...I avoid cruises that go to Jamaica, for instance. On the other hand, South Africa's constitution was the world's first to explicitly include LGBT rights, which it did while "sodomy" was still illegal in your state, Texas - a law that was finally overturned 7 years later by the Supreme Court.

 

So now I guess I can take a cruise out of Galveston. :)

 

shepp, that is funny. I guess you could say Texas led the way in gay rights with the Supremes ruling. Please do take a cruise from Galveston. You will be very welcome. And by the way, I live in Austin, the very hotbed of gay rights in Texas.

[Boytjie]

shepp, that is funny. I guess you could say Texas led the way in gay rights with the Supremes ruling. Please do take a cruise from Galveston. You will be very welcome. And by the way, I live in Austin, the very hotbed of gay rights in Texas.

 

No, Texas did not lead the way! Texas was smacked down by the Supreme Court ruling. :rolleyes:

[jamessemaj]

No, Texas did not lead the way! Texas was smacked down by the Supreme Court ruling. :rolleyes:

 

You are absolutely correct, Texas got smacked down. We have a communication problem relating to semantics. Texas led the way by getting smacked down; Texas did not lead the way because they were smacked down. It was an advance any way you want to view it. Unfortunately, don't look for more such advances with the current court.

[Marian Paroo]

Aren't some of the Eastern European countries that were part of the Soviet bloc rather gay hostle? I'm thinking of Poland and the Ukraine, in particular.

 

And this too, because of their churches.

 

On the other hand, gays can marry in Hungary.

 

[keithm]

Just saw in Purpleroofs.com newsletter that the St Lucia Government has apologized for the anti-gay attack and does not condone this type of behavior. No it does not make up for what has happened but don't dismiss this beautiful island when your ship stops there. We have anti-gay attacks here in South Florida also. Even though there is a large gay population here the same negative attitudes toward the GLBT community exits as does on some of the Caribbean islands. I have had neighbors that refer to us as the fag house and have vandalized our cars. Have had fire crackers thrown at me in Key West on Duval street and have wiped the blood and tears from a friends face who got beat up right on the beach for acting "queer" by a drunken idiot. I am sure you are not going to stop cruising out of Ft Lauderdale and Miami. Are you?

Trust me, if I "knew" for sure which neighbors were doing the vandalism,they'd get it back 10 fold. Same with the firecracker jerks. Sorry, I don't turn the other cheek. I'm ready to "crack" gay basher heads as well as the bashers think they're able to do it to me.

[shepp]

And by the way, I live in Austin, the very hotbed of gay rights in Texas.

 

Ah yes, an island of sanity!