Orville Taylor | Married or marred? US and us

The opinion of a little black man in a tiny black country invisible from space may not matter to the most powerful set of people on Earth. However, sometimes wisdom is right at one’s feet. In the 1820s, when the groundswell in the British Empire, and Jamaica in particular, was pushing towards the end of slavery and the United States (US) was attempting to consolidate itself as a global power, President James Monroe declared in the famous Monroe Doctrine that the Americas were the footsteps of his country.

And he was right.

Jamaica may be a minuscule space in the American border, but believe me, the US does not need any enemies on this little piece of rock in the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Our support in the face of Chinese and Russian power moves, drug cartels forging links deeper than governments, and the move to replace the USA currency for certain international transactions may not be much, but every Jamaican counts.

Whatever the back story regarding reports that an impasse exists Between Uncle Sam and Jamrock over Jamaica’s refusal to accredit the same-sex partner of an American diplomat, an amicable resolution within the rules of international diplomacy and amity is indispensable.

It is also unknown as to what role Jamaica-born Ambassador, Kingston College old boy Nick Perry has in this matter. After all, despite his historical ties and his indelible Jamaican accent, he is American and the representative of the US Government. Therefore, irrespective of any personal opinion, he is here as Washington’s mouthpiece.

Indeed, if the reports are true that there is a standoff, Perry, like our Prime Minister Andrew Holness and even our human-rights activists, including J-FLAG, are all caught between a crack and a hard place.

Despite a 2006 Time magazine caricature that describes Jamaica as “the most homophobic place on Earth,” this label is absolute nonsense. In fact, Jamaica really is a soft target and any kind of inroad regarding gay rights is no more significant than when the West Indies cricket team beats a non-Test nation like the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Counter-intuitively, the data do not support the narrative that there is more hostility towards LGBTQ people in Jamaica than in the US. In fact, when one looks at homicides of sexual minorities in the US, the rate is three times that of Jamaica, the most murderous Anglophone country in the world.

CONFLATE

True, 70 per cent of Jamaicans think that anal sex should not be legalised. However, very likely, the respondents conflate ‘decriminalise’ with ‘legalise’.

Jamaican law enforcement does not target sexual minorities (maybe rogue cops do). The policy of the constabulary is not to dig into ‘buggery’ unless it involves a minor, is forced or occurs in a public place. Same protocol for heterosexuals.

Not surprisingly, surveys from within the LGBTQ community, social scientists, and HR practitioners have all revealed that the majority of employers have no discriminatory attitudes, policies, or practices regarding this category of Jamaicans.

There are 12 countries, including close American ally Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, where homosexuality carries the death penalty. Perhaps paradoxically, in Cuba, the country typified as having the worst human-rights record in the hemisphere, recently legalised gay marriages via the most democratic process: a referendum.

Around 70 countries and jurisdictions explicitly criminalise intra-gender sexual activity, and in some countries, even cross-dressing can elicit a long sentence, a big paragraph, or even death.

Believe this: It is not only the Islamic countries where there is resistance to the recognition of same-sex unions. In Israel, one cannot marry within one’s sex. However, it might be possible for your same-sex marriage to be recognised if performed outside of the country.

Apart from South Africa, the self-declared ‘rainbow nation’, no other black majority country has legalised same-sex marriages. Moreover, there is a major pushback on the continent against what African leaders consider the hegemony of the West in forcing unto the people of Kush something inimical to their values and constitutions.

Recently, ‘Jamaicanadian’ Maurice Tomlinson, fighting to have his same-sex marriage recognised here, won a small battle in having the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights entertain the argument that the Jamaican Constitution might actually violate his human rights. The problem is that a country’s constitution is not something that can be simply disregarded because external forces disagree. It is what gives legitimacy to an elected government. Thus, whatever its conscience, a democratically elected government cannot act contrary to it.

LAUDED

Singapore, whose model our pundits have lauded incessantly, has recently decriminalised anal sex and same-sex unions. However, in a coup de grace, holding close to its people’s values, is with the requisite two-thirds majority, modified its Supreme law to close the door on legal recognition of the unions as a marriage. According to Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, “We will try and maintain a balance ... to uphold a stable society with traditional, heterosexual family values but with space for homosexuals to live their lives and contribute to society.”

While I am no expert on law, my deep understanding of collective human behaviour tells me that attitude change and acceptance of novel ideas do not arise by perceived coercion.

Of course, were I US President Joe Biden, I probably wouldn’t send a Muslim ambassador to Israel or an orthodox Jew to Saudi Arabia simply because it would be an unnecessary distraction. Indeed, inasmuch as my spouse loves pork and my son loves beef, I have far too much in common with Hassan and Gujraj than to bring attention to a difference, which really ought not to divide us.

I await with bated breath to see what happens next.

- Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.