A gay man in Jamaica was attacked by his own family members.
While attending his great grandmother’s funeral in Westmoreland with his partner, a 24-year-old man, who only wanted to be referred to as K Martin, was attacked by his cousins.
K Martin says that he is no stranger to gay bashings. He has been stabbed, beaten, and chopped before. In addition, the man has lost partial sight in one eye after being attacked by coworkers.
"I am very good at my job but for the past eight months I cannot work because a few of my co-workers set up a chemical and it spill in my eyes so now I can't see clearly. But other than that, me just can't manage the insult dem," he said [sic].
Unfortunately, that didn’t prepare him for being turned on by his own cousins.
As the man told The Jamaica Star:
"If me did listen to mi mada this would not have reached me because she tell me say me shouldn't go. Me still go because me a say a me great granny ting and me say me and me partner a go. But by the time mi aunty give me a wreath and say me fi go put it beside the casket, a man walk up to me and lick me on my shoulder," he said [sic].
Not all of his family members supporting the bashing however. One of K Martin’s aunts tried to rescue him. Unfortunately, that led to her becoming a target as well. The three, Martin, his aunt, and his partner, then ran for safety.
"All a them a some cousin whe me don't even know and me don't do dem a ting. Dem a go tell me say dem no wah no b***y bwoy round dem and me never see dem at all. My partner is even upset because he is saying that I invited him somewhere and my family do him tings. Me feel really bad because to know that we all share the same blood and this happened," he said [sic].
In Jamaica, male homosexuality is illegal through anti-sodomy and/or buggery laws that ban anal sex. On the other hand, sex between two women is legal.
Due to this, Jamaica has created a deep-seated atmosphere of homophobia.
That said, there is support for LGBTQ people and rights in the country. Jamaican activists have started sharing gay stories through the “Gay Agenda” magazine and gay activists were outspoken enough to get anti-gay pastor Steven Anderson banned from the country.
But unfortunately, there seems to be no sign of LGBTQ rights on the horizon for gay Jamaicans, so violent scenes like the ones pushed onto K Martin will surely happen again.
h/t: The Jamaica Star
“He has been stabbed, beaten,
"He has been stabbed, beaten, and chopped before." ….. Please tell me that things have changed since I visited Jamaica some decades ago. Back then, a "chop" referred to someone being attacked (and possibly killed) with machetes. This man is living in a horrific environment. ….. Another place that won't see a penny of my tourist money until things start to change.
There is no mention of his
There is no mention of his partner being attacked as well. This makes me question whether there is more to the story than being attacked for being gay.
Families fight. Even at funerals. Everyone is angry and hurting. There may have been more going on than we know. It may or may not have had anything to do with being gay. If that were the only reason, why leave his partner alone?
In either case, it's sad. Things do need to change in Jamaica and many other places.