» Squeezed?
Cayman Islands' Tourism Minister Pilar Bush "resigned" today, saying that she needs to be with her family. Some say, however, that the government forced her out after she apologized to American homo Aaron Chandler, who was wrongly detained for dancing with his boyfriend. [Cayman Net News] |
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Departement of Tourism director Pilar Bush recently apologized after coppers detained American Aaron Chandler for kissing his boy friend in public, a story Queerty broke last Friday. Today, however, we hear that Tourism Minister Charles Clifford describes Chandler's act as "offensive." The Minister presided over a town hall meeting Monday night and told his constituents that while he and others found Chandler's gay ways distasteful, he can't do anything about it: All of us in this room and most people in Cayman would agree that what happened in that incident at Royal Palms was offensive to most people in Cayman. Chandler told us earlier this week that there's still debate as to whether a law against public gay affection even exists. That's where authorities should start their investigation. |
» Cayman Apology!
Aaron Chandler, the American who found himself dragged to a police station for same-sex public affection in the Cayman Islands, received a personal apology from the Cayman Islands' tourism minister, Pilar Bush, who, we're sure, is also talking to other gay jet-setters: "On behalf of the entire Department of Tourism, I apologise for your upsetting experience and want to assure you that the Cayman Islands is a welcoming jurisdiction to all people… What happened to you was an isolated incident, and is not representative of Cayman. We know that thousands of gay and lesbian visitors travel to the Cayman Islands every year and enjoy their vacation.” [Cay Compass] |
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» Cayman Update
As we first reported Friday, American national Aaron Chandler had a nasty run-in with an anti-gay copper on the Grand Cayman Island. Said copper disapproved of Chandler and his boyfriend's same-sex dancing, so he had him dragged down to the police station. We spoke will Chandler today to offer congratulations on making international news, and he gave us a bit of an update: the LGBT Foreign Policy Project and the ILGA are lobbying the British government to get their Cayman territory in check. Meanwhile, police tell Chandler there may be no law banning gay public affection and the arresting office may simply have been blowing smoke. |
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The 23-year old wrote in from the Grand Cayman Islands, where he and some friends are currently on vacation. Chandler explained that he, his boyfriend and some gal pals went out for a night of dancing when a police officer broke up their party to reprimand Chandler for "showing public affection" with his boyfriend. The men originally blew the copper off, but learned a lesson when, after they kissed again, the copper called for backup. |
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