Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

[DC]

<span style="font-style: italic">Jamaica is often said to hold the world record for the most churches per square mile. There’s a public place of worship for almost everyone — unless you’re gay. If you are, you must worship in secret.
Correspondent Lisa Biagiotti, producer Micah Fink and director of photography Gabrielle Weiss report on the secret underground church that is welcoming gay men and women to practice their faith. Reverend Robert Griffin, an American priest, leads the secret church. He believes religion is at the heart of Jamaica culture of homophobia, and the time has come to reinterpret the Bible for modern times.</span>

WATCH HERE

[DC]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

<span style="font-style: italic">This is one of the many comments on this piece (an di poster name ackeegirl to --wat a ting!). Anyways, in the segment, a Jamaican youngster alluded to this sentiment. Is it really a matter of how gays present themselves in the Jamaican society that makes them unaccepted? Aside from the religious reasons, I wanted to explore this aspect a bit.</span>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
12/29/2009 :: 06:00:04 PM
<span style="color: #000099">ackeegrl Says:</span>

<span style="color: #009900">It is not who you are but how you present yourself to others that concerns Jamaicans. Gays are not even looked at if they carry themselves normally just like heterosexuals. If heterosexuals start to parade and show themselves in a sexually explicit manner, trust me, we would have a serious problem with them too……. </span></div></div>

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

So where does the lesbian women of Jamaica worship?
Since I notice that only men wer in this church.

[DC]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So where does the lesbian women of Jamaica worship?
Since I notice that only men wer in this church. </div></div>

Good question. Maybe they are free to worship publicly? Maybe lesbiansm is not so abohorrent in JA society? Maybe they have their own church and did not receive similar publicity? Maybe they conducted a mini documentary on the men, as they are the ones seen as being more persecuted?
MI noh know--just a ask

[Peasie]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

I was struck by the demographics of the gay men in that church. As much as I could see, I observed young, black, very masculine men.

[rudemonk]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Silent_River</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So where does the lesbian women of Jamaica worship?
Since I notice that only men wer in this church. </div></div>

Good question. Maybe they are free to worship publicly? Maybe lesbiansm is not so abohorrent in JA society? Maybe they have their own church and did not receive similar publicity? Maybe they conducted a mini documentary on the men, as they are the ones seen as being more persecuted?
MI noh know--just a ask </div></div>

i mean, it's far from a scientific observation, but every lesbian I can think of just goes to church.

[Peasie]

Re: Gays in Jamaica worship in Underground Church

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: monk</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> i mean, it's far from a scientific observation, but every lesbian I can think of just goes to church. </div></div>

I was thinking about this. The gay and lesbian couples I know <span style="font-style: italic">with children</span> attend church.