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Flawed logic of anti-gay lobby
Published: Monday | November 14, 2011 6 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The argument posited by certain members of the religious right and the nouveau intelligentsia that it would be illogical to repeal the buggery law in light of the disproportionate rates of HIV infection recorded among men who have sex with men (MSM) in epidemiological data is flawed.
The claim is that retention of the buggery law in light of the rates of infection is in fact prohibitive towards new infections and is ergo a societal good. This analysis is fallacious.
The buggery law is but one of many variables which exacerbate the systemic vulnerabilities of MSM to HIV infection. I would never propose that repealing the law would serve as a panacea; in fact, it is merely the first step in the right direction for government in the creation of a supportive social environment.
A fatal (though intentional) flaw of Marc Ramsay's and Shirley Richards' diatribes in The Gleaner on November 12 was the failure to recognise how the buggery law legitimises hostile attitudes toward sexual minorities and how its retention is a symbol of the complicity of government in the abuse suffered at the hand of misguided homophobes.
MSM are not disease vectors any more than another societal demo-graphic, but the vulnerabilities faced by this population can only be addressed through open dialogue .
BRIAN-PAUL N. WELSH
Brianpaul.welsh@gmail.com
St Andrew
Published: Monday | November 14, 2011 6 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The argument posited by certain members of the religious right and the nouveau intelligentsia that it would be illogical to repeal the buggery law in light of the disproportionate rates of HIV infection recorded among men who have sex with men (MSM) in epidemiological data is flawed.
The claim is that retention of the buggery law in light of the rates of infection is in fact prohibitive towards new infections and is ergo a societal good. This analysis is fallacious.
The buggery law is but one of many variables which exacerbate the systemic vulnerabilities of MSM to HIV infection. I would never propose that repealing the law would serve as a panacea; in fact, it is merely the first step in the right direction for government in the creation of a supportive social environment.
A fatal (though intentional) flaw of Marc Ramsay's and Shirley Richards' diatribes in The Gleaner on November 12 was the failure to recognise how the buggery law legitimises hostile attitudes toward sexual minorities and how its retention is a symbol of the complicity of government in the abuse suffered at the hand of misguided homophobes.
MSM are not disease vectors any more than another societal demo-graphic, but the vulnerabilities faced by this population can only be addressed through open dialogue .
BRIAN-PAUL N. WELSH
Brianpaul.welsh@gmail.com
St Andrew
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