3 gay couples to wed in Negril - Activist says move is an act of defiance

Activist says move is an act of defiance

Despite same-sex marriage being illegal in Jamaica, a supporter of the gay community has informed THE WEEKEND STAR that three same-sex couples will be coming to Jamaica to have their wedding ceremony at a hotel in Negril tomorrow.

Micheal James, who says he is straight, but is a gay rights activist, said the move is an act of defiance of the part of the gay couples, which will send the message to homophobic Jamaicans that "same-sex marriages will become a norm in Jamaica, so they need to get with the programme and get tolerant".

James said the couples are Jamaicans living overseas who feel they should tie the knot in their home country. They comprise two female couples and a male couple.

"For security reasons, they have made it a combined effort to do one big ceremony here at the hotel. They will fly in with their guests and pastors, and have pictures and videos taken to capture the celebration," James explained.

marriage legal

After the ceremony in Jamaica, the couples will then go back to the United States and do the paperwork to make their marriage legal, James said, noting that these ceremonies are just the first of many to come.

"More couples will be coming to Montego Bay, Ochi, you name it. The hotels are well aware of what is happening, but they don't care because it's all about the money, so I advise Jamaicans to stop fighting against it," James said.

Although there has been much debate about repealing Jamaica's buggery law, it still stands. Section 76 of the Offences Against the Person Act states that "anyone convicted of buggery [anal intercourse] committed either with mankind or with any animal, shall be liable to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for a term not exceeding 10 years."

To this, the 51-year-old father of five said, "I think people should have a right to live their lives the way they choose to. What is the Government going to do to stop it? Put a police in people's bedroom to tell them what to do?"

Reverend Herro Blair Jr, national director for Jamaica Youth for Christ, said he has heard of such practices on the island. "No doubt they do it all the time, but at the end of the day, it's not something we as a church are intending to accept," Blair said.

He said he is overly concerned that homosexuals are succeeding in their efforts to become accepted in Jamaica.

"As long as they continue doing what they do, and we as a church continue doing less of what we do, they will succeed. We as a society have to continue our work and go further than just arguing about the issue," Blair said.