I Am Not A Fish
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:35 pm
Last December, I went to Jamaica to start a project about LGBTQ Jamaicans' access to healthcare. The project quickly narrowed down to their access to HIV/AIDS care, because of the island's severe homophobia, and conflation of being HIV-positive with being gay.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510438169/i-am-not-a-fish
If you haven't already clicked the link above, here's the gist:
Men who have sex with men (MSMs) are particularly at risk for infection and reinfection, not only because they are afraid to admit their sexuality, but also because they are afraid to get tested. This is due, in part, to the way Jamaican public clinic structure works, but also because of confidentiality issues. Basically, if you get tested for HIV, everyone in your community will know about it. Because it is generally the poorer population that uses public clinics, in many cases, this means you and your family will be exposed to threats and acts of violence. Under Jamaican law, you are also assumed to have committed an illegal act -- the 'abominable crime of buggery'.
Even though the laws haven't been changed since Britain controlled the island, the Jamaican government hasn't made any moves to change the law, either, which means it tacitly supports violent crime against MSMs.
But it isn't just MSMs who are affected. It is the entire island. Closeted men who are afraid or ashamed to admit their sexuality to their partners risk infecting their partners with HIV, too, especially if their partners are operating under the assumption they are in a monogamous relationship. This keeps the virus alive and well on the island, despite the government's campaign to educate its citizens about safe sexual practices.
This is a very important issue that almost no one off-island knows about, despite the best efforts of LGBTQ activist organizations on the island. If anything is going to change, it is going to take the world knowing. Below is the link to the Kickstarter. I and the people I am trying to help would appreciate it if you would take a moment to check it out.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510438169/i-am-not-a-fish
Thank you,
Carolyn
P.S. Any feedback is welcome!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510438169/i-am-not-a-fish
If you haven't already clicked the link above, here's the gist:
Men who have sex with men (MSMs) are particularly at risk for infection and reinfection, not only because they are afraid to admit their sexuality, but also because they are afraid to get tested. This is due, in part, to the way Jamaican public clinic structure works, but also because of confidentiality issues. Basically, if you get tested for HIV, everyone in your community will know about it. Because it is generally the poorer population that uses public clinics, in many cases, this means you and your family will be exposed to threats and acts of violence. Under Jamaican law, you are also assumed to have committed an illegal act -- the 'abominable crime of buggery'.
Even though the laws haven't been changed since Britain controlled the island, the Jamaican government hasn't made any moves to change the law, either, which means it tacitly supports violent crime against MSMs.
But it isn't just MSMs who are affected. It is the entire island. Closeted men who are afraid or ashamed to admit their sexuality to their partners risk infecting their partners with HIV, too, especially if their partners are operating under the assumption they are in a monogamous relationship. This keeps the virus alive and well on the island, despite the government's campaign to educate its citizens about safe sexual practices.
This is a very important issue that almost no one off-island knows about, despite the best efforts of LGBTQ activist organizations on the island. If anything is going to change, it is going to take the world knowing. Below is the link to the Kickstarter. I and the people I am trying to help would appreciate it if you would take a moment to check it out.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510438169/i-am-not-a-fish
Thank you,
Carolyn
P.S. Any feedback is welcome!