Jamaica and Alternative Lifestyles

ErinB · July 30, 2008

I just found this...

Greetings to all:

Our policy has not changed and is consistent across all resorts. Same sex couples, regardless of sexual preference, are accepted at every Couples Resort.

Having said this, it must be understood by all that homosexuality is illegal in Jamaica. PDA's by either two consenting males or two consenting females is not recommended, particularly off property, as much of the Jamaican population may find such behavior offensive.

As I have stated numerous times, 99.9% of couples at our resorts are opposite sex and every piece of literature and collateral we produce is directed toward opposite sex couples.

The absolute bottomline is that Couples Resorts accepts all couples in love.

Luv n' Life,

Randy Russell

CRO and SVP

Couples Resorts

lambert13 · July 30, 2008

Karen and I were talking about this last night and it made us come to a few conclusions....

1. I wonder how much of this is fear based propaganda. People still say that it is not safe for anyone to leave the resort in Jamaica. That is just not true at all. Sure, some areas may be dangerous, but definitely not everywhere in the country. I just wonder how much of the 'danger' for same sex couples is real.

2. How much different is it than a same sex couple kissing in public in most of the US? Outside of most metropolitan areas I am usually under the impression that people frown on it. It sucks, it really sucks that it is like that...but a lot of times it is true in our own country, not just Jamaica.

3. The Jamaican attitude towards homosexuality really came to the public eye because of some dancehall music in the 90's that had extreme anti-gay lyrics. There was an international outcry about it which further publicized the attitude and I feel it painted the country with possibly too wide of a brush in regards to that. I could be wrong. I am not sure. That is just how I see it.

There is/was quite a bit of anti-gay sentiment in rap/hip hop here in the US. Sometimes there is a movement against it, but often times not. But, that does not mean by any stretch that the whole US is anti-gay just because of the words or actions of a few.

Just like the attitude that Jamaica is not safe beyond the resort walls that has been perpetrated for quite a while, the sentiment that Jamaica is not safe for gay people may not be entirely accurate. I would hate to think that it is true. While there may be a large number of people who for whatever reason do not condone same sex couples, I would imagine that they would never want to harm them. Hell, I do not agree with a lot of things people do. But I would never harm them for their choices, actions, beliefs, or just who they are. And what I have always found to be true is that 99% of people in the world are good, kind, and generally nice people. That goes for here, Jamaica and anywhere else. Hopefully that translates to people of any orientation in Jamaica.

Banana11 · July 31, 2008

I'm sure some of it is fear based propaganda. There are many stories of homosexuals being targeted with violence in JA and the police don't punish people for these crimes. In the US you would be jailed for such acts. That's the major difference and why you can't compare the countries on this issue. But I would too like to think that there is a bigger majority of people are excepting of all.