The homophobic violence that Jamaica tolerates no longer just draws the ire of human rights organizations — it’s now the center of an organized boycott. Out with the Red Stripe and Myers Rum, insists Boycott Jamaica, since those products generate profits (and tax dollars) for an island nation that does little to stem serial attacks on gays. But if Jamaican products are worthy of a boycott, what about other organizations that support Jamaica?
Like Wheel Of Fortune. The game show, in its 26th season, awards cash and prizes to contestants. Among the offerings Wheel is offering, at least to its email subscribers? A trip to the Jamaican Sandals resort. Which means Wheel is on board to market a resort destination in the land of gay hate. Does that mean we need to boycott Pat Sajak and Vanna White? What about their advertisers? Sony offers a cross-branded credit card with Wheel. Should we stop buying Vaio computers and plasma TVs from them?
Drawing the boycott line, which Boycott Jamaica organizers did earlier this month, becomes quite a wide open swath of grey pastures.
Expedia.com offers Jamaican travel packages; should we refuse to book any travel through that site? Apparel company Kappa and airline Virgin Atlantic sponsor the Jamaica Football Federation; should they lose our dollars? Conde Nast’s Brides.com teamed with Beaches Resorts in Jamaica for a contest giveaway; should we cancel our subscriptions to The New Yorker and Vanity Fair? A new Adidas ad campaign spotlights Jamaican reggae; must we stop buying their running shoes? MTV Networks Nickelodeon partnered with Royal Caribbean to offer a family cruise that stops in Jamaica; should we ban VH1’s reality shows, boycott SpongeBob SquarePants, and refuse to watch, uh, MTV’s gay network Logo?
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
You can see how quickly this gets out of hand. But BoycottJamaica.org says that until Jamaica commits to ending assaults on gays and the prime minister condemns such anti-gay violence, “this nation should be avoided at all costs.” It’s unclear just how far organizers Jim Burroway, Wayne Besen, and Michael Petrelis want us to go. But if they really want Jamaica to suffer, all of the above, and plenty of other perks in life, must be stripped from your life.
Who’s willing?
mb00
The way I’ll boycott Jamaica is by not going there. Actually, even before all this, I’ve never had the desire to go there period. As for products that come from there, I’ve never bothered to buy them, even more so now.
As for the above mentioned TV shows, I’ll watch what I want. I’ve always found it ridiculous that people threaten to not watch certain program because of the sponsors. You know, there are organizations of people who hate us and make the exact same threats to the shows and broadcasting stations because the said shows, broadcasting stations support the GLBT community.
Me, personally, I don’t and won’t play that game.
Wayne
Boycott means Boycott. And any company that supports Jamaica should be made aware of the anti-gay brutality that is being openly condoned by the Jamaican government. Let’s put “Wheel of Fortune” and anyother company that supports brutality against gays on notice. The gig is up.
Wayne
This is the reply email address I have for the Sony Rewards/Wheel of Fortune Jamaican Resort Give-away:
[email protected]
I’ve sent them an email informing them of the brutal treatment of gay people in Jamaica and how shocked I was that they would support it.
Coxygru
How about organizing something big instead of boycotting? Something that makes a statement and changes lives? How about an organized group of 2 to 10,000 gays from round the world holding a huge, highly visible, and very noisy gay rights fun-fest / Carnaval on one of the most strategic areas of the island? Hire locals for all infrastructure and services. Then, make sure they go home nightly with a real sense of having participated and having been rewarded with appreciation, decent wages, etc., etc.
That would do Jamaica far more good than any boycotting.
As they say, the more the merrier! So let’s be merry, mary!
tsagrednerp
I’m reading all the responses and thinking its awesome that you wish to boycott a nation that in your opinion doesn’t support the LGBT community. Certainly the opinion of some persons in this country is that they believe homosexuality is wrong, I completely and totally disagree with this thought but who am I to try to push my beliefs on someone else? I would then turn into those people I am against. You can have your opinions and certainly there have been attacks against gay people in Jamaica but what I think is that this we are being used as a scapegoat. What about the instances of blatant homophobia in your own country what boycott is being done for organizations that are conspicuously against the LGBT community? What has been done to report the instances of beatings and deaths and other atrocities done to those persons and persons of other persuasions in your own country? What have you personally done in your own country to ensure that discrimination is a only a word in the dictionary and not a movement?
I’m glad you’ve noticed the splinter in our eyes but I’m saddened you still ignore the log in your own.
Contrary to popular belief gay people aren’t hunted down and burned at the stake here. I guess you’ll never know that because you’ll be boycotting.
rapport
Jamaica has so many problems, it shouldn’t be too surprising that they’re violently homophobic. We’re also not going to fix anything by boycotting Jamaican products, all 8 of them. Jamaica will be nicer when the poverty there is alleviated, and elections are fair. Until then, the population’s going to take out it’s frustration on a scapegoat. Jamaica is a very violent place, not just to homosexual people. If you want to help gay people in Jamaica and around the world, do something to stop suffering in poor areas, where ignorance is allowed to breed and fester.
Wayne
@
Those who commit violent acts against gay people in America are prosecuted as criminals, not heralded as good citizens, like in Jamaica. The Jamaican Prime Minister and his recent comments about homosexuals speaks volumes. As does the bigoted responce reported on earlier by this very site:
http://www.queerty.com/jamiacans-respond-who-are-they-to-be-imposing-their-beliefs-20090417/
In 2006 Time magazine labled Jamaica “The most homophobic place on earth”. The brutality against gay people is rampant, and has been an open problem for years!The blatant homophobia is no “splinter in your eye” it is a veritable forest of large bigoted logs! Gay Americans, or anyone who supports equality and human dignity should boycott Jamaica.
Wayne
sorry that last post was @ tsagrednerp
Latebrosus
As trivial as this may sound, I’ve wondered if this means I have to give up Blue Mountain coffee beans.
Wayne
@Rapport “Jamaica is a very violent place, not just to homosexual people.”
That is all the more reason to boycott Jamaica and to make sure that all the American tourist companies (and Corpartions like Sony) stop offering vacation give-aways to such an incredibly violent place to unsuspecting Americans!
hardmannyc
“Contrary to popular belief gay people aren’t hunted down and burned at the stake here. I guess you’ll never know that because you’ll be boycotting.”
Um, you’re lying. They are hunted down and they are burned. It’s people like you who make me want to boycott your fucked-up country all the more.
Oaklander
A boycott is an excellent tool, that our community has used well in the past. Shame on anyone who does business with Jamaica right now, and that must include Wheel and Logo, and Expedia. I think all three of those will respond responsibly ASAP, and then it is our job to reward them with our loyalty. Just as, when Jamaica grows (if that happens in our lifetime) we need to embrace them.
Cam
You’re joking right? They are tolorating gay people being attacked and murdered over there and you are acting like it’s a big deal for us to Use Orbitz or hotwire instead of Expedia?
strumpetwindsock
This is fucked up.
Why are they still attacking RedStripe (Guinness) even after that brand has stopped providing sponsorship to violent and homophobic reggae acts?
An out of control vendetta is not a boycott, and winds up hurting those who have nothing to do with the policies you want to change.
I agree with a tourist boycott (services represent 60% of Jamaica’s economy), but sorry, the beer company doesn’t run their cops or ministry of justice, and the taxes they provide to the government is hardly enough to twist their arm.
Or if you’re standing on principle, better check out the rest of the booze companies that Guinness is tied in with, and then get yourself a carboy and siphon.
Go after Alcoa if you want to actually do something besides not visiting. Alumina and bauxite are their major export. Or pressure the government to tie international aid to human rights.
I support the move to change things down there, and I support the tourist boycott, but the rest of this is poorly-thought out and fucked up.
Wayne
@strumpetwindsock
You might want to dig a bit deeper on Red Stripe. They pulled their sponsorship from a violently anti-gay music fest, but refused to say it was beacuse of anti-gay violence, just violence in general. And Red Stipe also made sure to assure all the bigots who attended the fest that they would still continue to have Red Stripe available to purchase at the fests.
Lyndon Evans
Yawn …. Zzzzz
DMAKron
I think you’re being a tad ridiculous here in this article. Are you saying Jamaica doesn’t deserve to be punished for the hideous things they do to our kind (Not that Iraq is better by any means)? Common sense and your own outrage should apply here.
IMO, anything with a direct connection to the reggae state of hate should be botcotted. No travelling there, no taking part in cruises or travel agents that specialize in that locale and no buying products made in Jamaica. Anything else is entirely up to you.
Although boycotting the Logo network is sorta like swearing off eating lima baeans for Lent. Not exactly a sacrifice is it?
Tony
There are plenty of reasons to boycott Logo without adding this to the list. Most importantly, it is a boring network. Nuff said.
osocubano
Not a problem, there’s nothing on LOGO I want to see, and I’m over Wheel of Fortune.
D-Sun
Wheel of Fortune is still on the air……Huh…This is news to me.
mikeandrewsdantescove
I tracked internet buzz for Sandals and it’s a well known fact, they treat gays poorly. I feel part of this is fueled by Jamaica’s reggae lyrics laced with anti-gay sentiment.
Mike
New Video – Giovanni Colapietro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5fxE-kupzo
...
I guess we should stop buying gasoline and computers too then.
strumpetwindsock
@Wayne:
Are you saying that everyone who attends a music festival is a bigot? They have pulled sponsorship from the event; are they supposed to put themselves out of business too?
You may disagree, but I think once a business has shown compliance (and especially when they are not the direct offender) they should be removed from the boycott.
To do otherwise is irresponsible, in my opinion, and undermines real boycotts.
Yes, I realise this is a serious and deadly issue, but we have some responsibility in how we wage a campaign against it. Otherwise we risk being as dangerous as a bunch of grade school kids with a shotgun.
I’ll be supporting other legitimate parts of this boycott, but not that.
Landon Bryce
@strumpetwindsock:
I appreciate the conversation from both Wayne and you on Red Stripe. I can certainly see the issue either way and I think your extension brings an issue that was fairly shallowly introduced in the main article to a more substantial place. On the one hand, I think it makes sense to reward the action that Guinness has taken. On the other, that action is fairly meaningless if it is is not accompanied by a condemnation of homophobia. And I do think everyone who pays to go to a music festival where they will dance to songs celebrating the murder of homosexuals can fairly be accused of bigotry, yeah.
TANK
@Wayne:
Further, they only did so after international outrage was expressed at the homophobic content of the lyrics. It was, if anything, a PR move.
TANK
@strumpetwindsock:
Why do you hate yourself?
Wayne
@strumpetwindsock
You are right, I do disagree.
Red Stripe is playing a shell game. Nothing more. They say on the one hand, that they are withdrawing thier sponsorship of the event (but fail to even mention it’s because of violent lyrics and the promotion of violence against gay people) And then on the other hand, they tell the same bigots who attend these anti-gay music fests that – wink wink- Red Stripe will still provide the beverages to all those who want to get their drink on while promoting hatred and violence against gay people.
walt zipprian
Red Stripe beer tastes like crap.
LOGO is very boring and the original programming is an embarrasment.
Wheel of Fortune is only for nursing homes.
Jamaica is a filthy stinky third world banana republic.
This boycott is the easiest boycott ever!
Buddy
Boycotts, regulations, laws, they all have challenges when it comes to drawing the line. At least when it comes to boycotts, we can use some common sense and decide for ourselves how far to go.
For me that means not knowingly buying consumer products made in and exported from Jamaica, nor supporting any travel or tourism to Jamaica (and I’m a part-time travel agent). It also means letting people know why, and letting companies that do business with Jamaica know why they shouldn’t.
GranDiva
When I think of Jamaica, I think of supporting Staceyann Chin. I love her.
sal
well its either good local marketing as in hiding Americans from the disturbing truth of gay life here in the Caribbean or ignorance of the american/european people who couldnt give a rats arse about the gays here and just wanted a vacation in paradise, the gated kind.”omg i cant boycott wheel of fortune or educate em on the treatment of gays there,thats too much,yes these are peoples lives but who cares i NEED wheel of fortune!!” nice message queerty
strumpetwindsock
@walt zipprian:
This boycott is the easiest boycott ever!
Telling words.
Why not cut your power off, stop driving your cars and eating fresh food in order to boycott LGBT oppression and execution in oil-producing states?
Because then you’d actually have to sacrifice something significant (like drinking Guinness, TANK) rather than just making an easy brand switch, demonizing a vulnerable developing nation, and pretending you’re actually accomplishing something.
Like I said, part of this boycott is just whipping the first dog you can get your hands on, whether it has bitten you or not.
@Landon Bryce:
And do you want to start analyzing the lyrics and politics of all the artists whose work you enjoy, or make sure everyone who is on the bill with a group you want to see is kosher?
mark
This boycott is not well thought out and goes against the wishes of the queer people of Jamaica. The queer activists of QueerToday.com stand against this boycott.
mark
@Coxygru: Much better idea.
mark
The ads by google below is an ad for wheel of fortune, so i guess we should boycott queerty now.
Chitown Kev
@mark:
The first part of your statement (it’s poorly planned) I agree with. A boycott is still a good idea, though.
walt zipprian
Maybe instead of boycotting we ALL go there all the time and make the locals realize we are not that bad?
Maybe we open a few hair salons convince them that dreadlocks are ugly.
Maybe have Marc Jacobs open a store.
sal
@walt zipprian: good luck with that lol
strumpetwindsock
@sal:
Actually I think Walter might be on to something.
Don’t know if it’s a strategy that would seriously work, but by not going there we’re just giving the homophobes what they want – a completely underground and invisible gay culture.
There would be a certain satisfaction in mobbing their beaches and clubs, making a general nuisance of ourselves and rubbing it in their faces en masse.
walt zipprian
Well, people say that homophobes tend to be less so if they personally know a gay person.
Except for Rudy Giuliani, apparently.
HeteroDefenseLeague
Why would Jamaica care what 1-2 percent of the population at best in the U.S. wants?
Your homosexist bigotry is once again showing….I am sure they could use male homosexuals not traveling to Jamaica to spread HIV.
BobP
Don’t go to jamaica. If you know people who are thinking of going there, explain how they have the highest murder rate in the world. They are not only violent towards gays, but to each other. NYC police recognize jamaican related drug murders by their over the top violence.
When a straight American female travel writer “disappeared” while there several years ago, the scummy government officials blamed HER and tried to make her look like a slut. That’s how much they care about people who travel to and spend money on their little paradise. Yuck.
It’s sickening reading posts where people make excuses for these fiends. They hate us and anyone who travels there is taking their life in their hands.
Allan
This article is just one of several on QueerToday.com against the boycott.
Now that Mark D. Snyder, founder of QueerToday.com, has definitively declared for everybody writing on the site: “The queer activists of QueerToday.com stand against this boycott,” I can give up attempting to discuss this with anyone on the site. I’ve had enough, and the door just slammed shut.
Now that we know that all of the so-called “queer activists” here support the deadly status quo in Jamaica, and after talking this issue to death elsewhere, I can definitively declare: Mark D. Snyder and QueerToday.com, this very Queer boycotter of Jamaica, on behalf of the beaten, hacked and murdered gay Jamaicans, declares that you and QueerToday.com can go fuck yourselves.
For whatever it’s worth, I’ll be adding your name and site to my personal Jamaican boycott list, and will be encouraging others to do the same.
Jai
Hey, apparently Ted Haggard (No. 41) reads Queerty!
jason
I think we need to get serious on Jamaica. It’s a physically beautiful country with a hateful reputation, which is deserved. If we can boycott anything associated with Jamaica, we should do it. We in the GLBT community need to send a message that hateful attacks on its own citizens is NOT to be tolerated, nor is the official cavalier attitude to such attacks to be tolerated.
If Jamaica wants to join the league of human nations, it needs to earn the right.
jason
Let’s not forget how the music industry has contributed to the positive PR surrounding Jamaica. Oh, Jamaica is the home of reggae and Bob Marley so it must be OK, right? Wrong! The music industry has contributed to the homophobia in Jamaica by helping to disguise Jamaica’s true ugly nature.
sal
@strumpetwindsock: well i say come prepared to fight(literally),sure wouldn’t mind the support of my international bros and sisters here once in a while……..but here’s a tip ,learn some Krav Maga b4 ya come
Bruno
We don’t boycott Wheel per se, we boycott Sandal’s. It’s called calling for divestment.
MTB
The boycott of Jamaica for me is an easy one since I had been there with a US-AID project years ago. I saw the violence first hand and have never been back.
I now work for a health care company that was going to sponsor a week long seminar in Jamaica, I was able to sit the Companies President and explain why I would not return. He was gracious enough to choose another venue in a gay friend environment. While I have no doubt that the money pouring into Jamaica from the straight tourism and liqour export will continue, I personally felt better spending my money and the company that I work for spending their money in a place that fosters diversity.
I’m not withholding money from Jamaica, I’m just spending in in Countries and activities that appreciate all people, and offer a safe environment to work and play.
anonymous
@Allan: We stand against the boycott in solidarity with the LGBT JAMAICANS who are asking you not to boycott on behalf of THEIR best interests. We of course condemn the violence and oppression of LGBT Jamaicans but we do not agree with the strategy of the boycott. Let’s join hands where we do agree – condemning the violence.
Allan
@anonymous: You “of course condemn the violence and oppression of LGBT Jamaicans,” you’re just not going to do anything about it. I understand, Anonymous. Your words of condemnation mean absolutely nothing when the only action you will take is none, including as action is defined in this case by a current handful of surviving Jamaicans among the hundreds of thousands who have been violently forced to accept things as they are, despite all efforts, for decades.
They and you keep expressing your condemnation of the violence. They will keep getting hurt and murdered and you will keep condemning.
Which do you think will be positively addressed in Jamaica first? Poverty, or this extreme level of violent, anti-gay superstition?
I have more faith in the humane qualities of the Jamaican people toning down the murderous anti-Queer behavior by choice, than I do in changing the non-Jamaican businesses maintaining the classist system that is keeping the people of Jamaica from developing what should be mostly a service-, agriculture- and construction-oriented middle class, instead of a slavishly underemployed population of poor Jamaicans.
Waiting for the cure for Jamaican inequality and poverty to come along and solve the anti-gay scapegoating problem is a much longer-term plan, which will eventually give a big assist to problems with inequality issues, because getting rid of the extremes of those problems should already have begun years earlier, like now.
The brave Queer survivors in Jamaica will keep saying, “Don’t boycott, because ‘they’ will blame us for increasing poverty.”
Or, “You’ll ruin what we’ve got going on already.”
Then “they” will do what in response? Kill you, beat you, chase you down? Hit you, call you names, drive you out of town? They already do, as you noticed outside last night.
Until it is safe for gay people from outside of Jamaica’s forcibly, violently limited, repressed perspective to even visit as tourists without a real danger in being outed, this boycott is a wedge.
JFLAG must continue using whatever techniques they find best.
JFLAG and the Jamaican government must realize though, that the people of the world have a legitimate interest in what happens to the individual people who happen to live in Jamaica (or anywhere else it is happening), when those people are being treated as poorly as Queers in Jamaica.
We won’t tolerate it, and you can’t just keep doing it year after year. No excuse is acceptable. “It is happening elsewhere too,” is not an excuse.
The attention of Jamaica’s government, local non-extremist churches, the business community, and the rational Jamaican people must be focused — they have left nothing that hasn’t been tried sincerely, except outside international economic pressure, to add to the separate, local work of JFLAG.
Of course, no one is suggesting that the Jamaican population in the U.S. be targeted for boycotting, and no one is suggesting harassing heterosexual Jamaicans in the U.S., or other forms of violence in return.
Emma
For a start not all Jamaican people are homophobic, so a complete boycott across all their goods and services seems a little unfair. Also, would you boycott other countries that do not tolerate homosexuality – as there are quite a few of them across the world. Yes Jamaica and it’s culture needs to move on and become more accepting – but this boycott won’t hurt anyone but the hard working people of the country, usually the women. I would personally boycott Israel for murdering thousands of Palestians, but I’m sure your too self invoved to worry about that.
Tallskin
Emma
I am astounded! “but this boycott won’t hurt anyone but the hard working people of the country”
What hard working people? Since Jamaicans just laze around fucking and smoking ganga all day, and going out seeking out gays to kill.
You ask: “Also, would you boycott other countries that do not tolerate homosexuality”
Er, yes. I personally refuse to travel or give my money to any muslim country, but since they produce nothing but dates, carpets, pistachio nuts and oil, this is easy, (since I don’t own a car). As vast areas of the overpopulated muslim world is dependent upon our food aid I would cut this off as well, but I am not in charge, so can’t.
LA
now you see why people around the world hate americans and gay people.
LA
? i love jamaica and i will never stop loving my country. the boycott jamaica will never ever ever work because we are loved all around the world, jamaica is know worldwide, people are proud friendly loving caring nice,thats why 3.7 million tourist from all around the world visit our beautifull island each year, jamaica is the most popular island in the caribbean and it will always be that way no boycott will work. jamaica has world famous people,world famous music,world famouse food,world famouse athletes
hephaestion
I’m boycotting Jamaica AND its homophobic music. And I’ve talked several people out of traveling there already. They’re going to Spain instead, where gays can marry and the food & wine are divine.
LA
hephaestion” spain is one of the biggest reggae countries in the world,many jamaican musicians go thier on tours.reggae music is not homophobic,i can bet my life you can’t name 10 or even 5 homophobic songs. you want to know why you can’t because reggae is not homophobic.reggae is about love,equality of all races,fighting injustice,back to africa movement,peace.but you have a spoon full of them who sing about being gay is not right but not to KILL them like some of the LIEING racist gay activist say.RACIST
LA
the gay activist wayne basen and his followers are a bunch of gay racist,who lie on the internet about jamaica because they can’t get what they want,like to stop american tourists from travelling to jamaica so they lie,they use buju banton as thier poster boy for boycott jamaica,buju banton made the song BOOM BYE BYE when he was only 19(YOUNG AND DUMB).he is mature now and he no longer sing that song he has never written or sang another homophobic song since.all of his song are positive not homophobic
LA
jamaicans don’t get up everyday looking for LGBT people to kill,like what the racist wayne basen say and jamaica is not the most homophobic place on earth but the people don’t think being gay is right it is a sin jamaicans are very religious,90% of the people don’t think LGBT people should die,its the ignorant ones who think that 1%of the population.just like the muslims,majority of them don’t believe in killing americans or commit suicide bombings etc.most of them are good people and very religious.
LA
the fact is from 1992-2009 there was 36 gay men that was murdered 75% of them was done by thier own lovers not by homophobic jamaicans.but those lieing international gay activist(wayne basen)lied and blow it up in the international press to make it seem as if it was the jamaican homophobic people who did it.wayne basen forgot to tell you that brazil,mexico and america are the leading countries every year in LGBT murders and bashing in this part of the world not jamaica.this year brazil lgbt murders are up
LA
85 countries around the world ban homosexuality not only jamaica,some of them kill them by law,jamaican law don’t say kill LGBT.like what the activist say. LGBT people don’t even get arrested in jamaica, i don’t know why you people think we jamaicans worry about you everyday, jamaicans have more to worry about than think of LGBT people.
j
reggae sucks and jamaica is a festering carribbean garbageheap
TampaBayTed
Ganja does not seem to mellow out the haters in Jamaica.