BARBADOS' HOT 'SEX' DEBATE ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND PROSTITUTION
By Rickey Singh
Guyana Chronicle
November 9, 2003
THE DEVASTATING consequences on human capital from the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, African and Asian societies in particular, are fuelling more than intensive initiatives for appropriate remedial drugs, at affordable cost, for affected victims of the killer disease.
In what some view as a panic response, and others consider to be a sober and practical one, has emerged lively debates in a few Caribbean Community states - perhaps more vigorously so in Barbados - for the introduction of condoms to prisoners.
If the controversies stirred by such a proposal from official quarters, as well as medical doctors and social commentators, there has now come the recent call by the Deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General of Barbados, Mia Mottley, for changing the laws to decriminalise homosexuality and that oldest of profession - prostitution.
Like advocates for the introduction of condoms in prison - which she also favours - Attorney General Mottley, known for her militancy and liberal views - feels that legalising homosexuality and prostitution would result in a positive impact on the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS.
It is, however, doubtful if ANY Caribbean state will, even with their well-connected and influential "liberals", approve the legalising of homosexuality and prostitution.
Or, for that matter, even favour official sanction for the use of condoms in prison, given the prevailing enormous emotional opposition to homosexuality.
Among social scientists, priests and lawyers, among them an ex-Attorney General, with whom I have spoken, the prevailing view is that there could be no question of introducing condoms to prisoners without first amending the law on homosexuality (buggery) which remains an offence that could, on conviction, result even in life imprisonment.
What message, they asked, will the authorities be sending to prisoners with the introduction of condoms without changing the law to decriminalise the offence of buggery?
Buggery or rape remains a criminal offence for prisoners as well as those outside prison walls. Therefore, to introduce condoms in prison without first legalising homosexuality would be making a mockery of existing laws.
And, they further contend, empirical evidence that decriminalisation of homosexuality and prostitution can positively contribute to arresting the HIV/AIDS epidemic is as lacking as the argument in favour of retaining the death penalty for murder.
Opinion Survey
Here in Barbados, where the Attorney General's call for legalising homosexuality and prostitution - conviction on the latter could result in a BDS$5,000 fine and or five years imprisonment - a random telephone survey conducted by `The Nation’ newspaper company revealed an overwhelming rejection by the 616 men and women interviewed of any legal endorsement for either homosexuality or prostitution.
Much earlier, and especially when the sentencing of youth to prison for small quantities of marijuana occurs, public debates had focused in Barbados - also in other CARICOM states, including Jamaica and Guyana - on the need to decriminalise that widely consumed and traded illegal drug.
The current intense debate in Barbados, sparked by Mottley's proposal for decriminalising homosexuality and prostitution, is taking place against the backdrop of fierce controversies among clergy and laity of the Christian faith over the preferred same sex lifestyle of the openly gay Rev. Gene Robinson, who was consecrated as Bishop of New Hampshire last Sunday.
The passion that debates over such lifestyle issues generate, inevitably obscure rational arguments and often result in more confusion and bitterness than enlightenment and healing.
It came as no surprise, therefore, that while others screamed "hypocrites", "abomination", and warned against a "nation of whores and sexual perverts", others in Barbados have been urging "tolerance", "sex education", "non-discrimination" and respect for "individual sex preferences".
Hard working and respected liberals like Dr Carol Jacobs, who heads the HIV/AIDS Commission, feel that the battle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic would be enhanced should homosexuality and prostitution be decriminalised. Also, if condoms were introduced to prisoners.
Just over a week ago the Men's Educational Support Association (MESA) - formed as a counter to the overwhelming focus on "women's rights" but not in opposition - came out against the Attorney General's proposal with a suggestion also that the decriminalisation of such human sexual behaviour be subjected to a national referendum.
Unresolved Issues
But it is hardly likely that such a development could take place in this island whose landscape is dotted with church buildings of various Christian denominations, where clergy and laity are implacably hostile to any legal respectability for gays and lesbians, and which society continues to contend with a questionable reputation as a place of fertile same sex practices.
Well meaning as she may be, some of her detractors think that Mia Mottley - one of the more eloquent of ministers in Prime Minister Owen Arthur's cabinet - has set out to cleverly fan the flames of deep-rooted social prejudices on explosive human sexuality issues, knowing that ultimately, they will be left on the pile of other unresolved social and political questions of our time.
If a long promised national referendum on constitutional reform, with a change in status from the monarchical system to a constitutional republic as the centrepiece, is yet to be implemented, or if the once contentious matter of casino gambling remains to be officially revisited, it would be most surprising for the current, or any other government, to put Barbados through perhaps its most traumatic political exercise in democracy by a referendum on the decriminalisation of homosexuality and prostitution.
Moreover, as some have already noted, if the government has been shying away from legalising the use of marijuana, in specified quantities for personal consumption - yet to happen also in this other CARICOM states - then the proposal to decriminalise homosexuality and prostitution seems a non-starter.
What is important to note in the debates on the decriminalisation of homosexuality in particular, is that it should not be opportunistically distorted to suggest opposition to the rights of homosexuals. Nor any favouring of discrimination in employment and other practices against known gays and lesbians.
If what some rightly view as an "abomination", but others strongly hold to be their "equal right" to live out their same sex relations in private - 'private' being the operative word here - then that is certainly different from those who wish - like openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson - to flaunt their lifestyle in your face, and even to secure legislation to endorse their sexual preferences, including same sex marriages.
In the case of the gay Bishop Robinson, he clearly wanted more than "the right" to live with his male lover, having abandoned an earlier lifestyle with a wife who bore him two children. He also wanted his place in history, in the name of God, to be consecrated the first openly gay Bishop of the Christian faith. This remains a highly divisive issue.
In the meantime, we wait to learn of the eventual official outcome of Mia Mottley's proposal for the decriminalisation of homosexuality and prostitution. But I, for one, will not bet on any such legislation soon, or ever, in this third term of Prime Minister Owen Arthur's administration that could also be his last.