At least two international lobby groups are calling for U.S. President Barack Obama to raise concerns regarding human rights issues, including those affecting the gay community in Jamaica, during his visit to the island this week.
The groups – GLAAD and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission – wrote a letter to the President on April 2.
They urged Mr Obama to discuss with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and other local officials, the country’s human rights challenges, pointing out that, in many Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, consensual adult sexual acts are criminalized.
According to the lobby groups, these laws often serve to justify and legitimise discrimination and violence against Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons, and they claim that LGBT people in Jamaica often live in a climate of fear of violence, including threats, sexual attacks, and other physical violence.
They added that members of the LGBT community are fearful of seeking treatment at health facilities because of discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.
The letter writers said a meeting with activists working for the rights of the LGBT community, as well as others promoting human rights in Jamaica would underscore the Obama administration’s commitment to full equality and human rights.
Concern
In response to news of the letter sent to the American President, the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS) has expressed concern about this development.
Dr. Wayne West, JCHS Chairman, told RJR News that his organization rejects efforts to encourage or legitimise behaviour that is high risk for HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
“We are urging the Prime Minister and the government to understand the ideological input, as opposed to the scientific and epidemiological consideration, and to understand the social constructs, which are based on experiments, rather than what human beings have experienced for millenia, and to reject this, out of hand, as totally illogical,” he said.
