From CARIBBEAN360

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Monday August 3, 2015 – The homosexual community in Jamaica this weekend began a series of gay pride activities with the support of Minister of Justice Mark Golding who pleaded with citizens to “respect their right to do so in peace”.

A flash mob in Emancipation Park in the capital on Saturday morning was among the activities organized by the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) as the PRiDE JA 2015 week kicked off.

Other events include what the organization described as “Jamaica’s largest ‪pride‬ party” on Wednesday, an art exhibit and a symposium on coming out.‬

J-FLAG, the main organization in Jamaica advocating for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, will not be hosting any parade, however.

“This is partly because of security concerns and our belief that a parade is not the only way we can celebrate our pride and freedom as LGBT Jamaicans,” J-FLAG associate director Latoya Nugent told the Gleaner newspaper.

“I believe together we can, and we will, demonstrate to all of Jamaica and the world, in the spirit of this year’s Independence theme, that we are proud and free Jamaicans breaking the rules of oppression.”

In a statement issued over the weekend, Minister Golding backed the gay pride celebrations, saying that he supported the right of all Jamaicans, including members of the LGBT community, “to express their opinions through any lawful means of their choosing”.

“As the LGBT community embarks on a week of activities to build awareness of the rights and needs of their members, I urge all Jamaicans to respect their right to do so in peace, and hope that the week’s activities will further the goal of making Jamaica a place where ‘Out of Many, One People’ is a fundamental guiding principle by which we all abide,” he said.

“All Jamaicans, regardless of race, class, creed or sexual orientation are citizens deserving of being treated with civility and human kindness.”

The minister acknowledged that while society was moving towards greater tolerance, many Jamaicans were still opposed to, and uncomfortable with, non-heterosexual forms of behavioural expression.

Golding therefore stressed the importance of deepening the “collective understanding and acceptance of non-violence and tolerance towards others whose opinion or practices we do not agree with”.

IMAGES:
IMAGE: A GAY PRIDE FLASH MOB WAS HELD IN EMANCIPATION PARK, KINGSTON ON SATURDAY. (PHOTO SUBMITTED TO CARIBBEAN360)
after flash mob photo
J-FLAG’S PROGRAMME OFFICER KAREN LLOYD POSES WITH AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS ELLEN PAGE AFTER THE FLASH MOB. (PHOTO: J-FLAG FACEBOOK PAGE)

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/gays-in-jamaica-begin-activities-with-full-support-from-islands-justice-minister#ixzz3iL2tQktZ