The U.K. reality dating show Blind Date has come under fire after producers sent two bisexual men on a romantic getaway to a country where homosexuality is illegal.
The popular dating show recently paired up Jordan Shannon and Jesse Drew, its first-ever out bisexual contestants, sending them to the Eastern Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia.
There’s just one glaring problem.
Saint Lucia is super homophobic. Especially if you’re a man.
Gay sex between males is punishable by up to 10 years in prison plus a fine. (It’s legal for females, though). Same-sex marriage is also banned. And the country holds the unique distinction of being the only UN member in the Americas to formally oppose the an international declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Shannon told the Daily Star he wasn’t told about the homophobic law until he had already arrived in the country.
“I didn’t know [about the law] until I was told on the way to the hotel,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘What the f*ck?’”
What the f*ck, indeed!
He added, “The hotel security woman told me how most gay men were in the closet there as homosexuality is illegal. It’s 10 years in prison if caught.”
According to the U.K. government’s official travel advice for Saint Lucia, “LGBT travellers should be mindful of local attitudes and be aware that public displays of affection may attract unwanted and negative attention.”
It further states: “Local attitudes towards the LGBT community are mostly conservative throughout the Caribbean.”
“Public displays of affection (such as hand-holding or kissing) between opposite or same-sex couples are uncommon. Certain homosexual acts are illegal.”
Sooooo why did Blind Date send these two men there?
The question remains unanswered.
The show’s producers have yet to issue any comment, apology, or explanation for why they endangered the lives of two of their contestants, but a spokesperson for the network said, “We didn’t know and are taking this up with the production company.”
Luckily, Shannon and Drew returned to the UK without incident, although it’s unclear whether their segment will air given the controversy.
DCguy
It’s also mostly the parts of the Caribbean that were colonized by the British that have these rabidly homophobic views. The Dutch and French islands….no. St. Lucia’s name is French but the British took control in 1814.
Diplomat-G
@DCguy
St Lucia is a sovereign island country and while it is part of the Commonwealth of nations, member states have no legal obligations to one another or the crown. Instead, they are united by the English language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy.
MacAdvisor
Diplomat-G, you are simply wrong about there not being any obligations to fellow Commonwealth nations or the Crown. The Harare principles, which put a strong emphasis on human rights, require all members of the Commonwealth to abide by certain political principles, including democracy and respect for human rights. These can be enforced upon current members, who may be suspended or expelled for failure to abide by them. To date, Fiji, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe have been suspended on these grounds; Zimbabwe has quit the Commonwealth as did South Africa, before it could be suspended.
DCguy
@Diplomat-G
My comment pointed out that the countries in the Caribbean originally colonized by the British tend to be the countries with extreme homophobia, while the islands colonized by the Dutch and French do not tend to have those issues.
Your response had no relation to my comment.
Diplomat-G
MacAdvisor,
No actually your wrong, Common Wealth Nations as independent states period It is interesting that you site the Harare Creed Lets look at the governing principles, shall we.
We believe that international peace and order, global economic development and the rule of international law are essential to the security and prosperity of mankind;
We believe in the liberty of the individual under the law, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, color, creed or political belief, and in the individual’s inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which he or she lives;
We recognize racial prejudice and intolerance as a dangerous sickness and a threat to healthy development, and racial discrimination as an unmitigated evil;
We oppose all forms of racial oppression, and we are committed to the principles of human dignity and equality;
We recognize the importance and urgency of economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the vast majority of the peoples of the world and seek the progressive removal of the wide disparities in living standards amongst our members.
Where does it state that they respect sexual orientation?? NOWHERE.
Diplomat-G
DCguy,
Yeah except of course for the fact that St Lucia was colonized by The French they signed a treaty with the native Island Caribs in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. In ensuing years, it was at war with France fourteen times, and the rule of the island changed frequently (it was ruled seven times each by the French and British). In 1814, the British took definitive control of the island. Because it switched so often between British and French control. Noticed you left all that out rather convenient for you…
fur_hunter
WHAT IMBECILES!!!!!…..I hope the couple sues the game show for their stupidity and ignorance. And for possible harm that could have come to them.
MacAdvisor
While I agree the location was a poor choice, what would be the couple’s damages in a law suit? They didn’t suffer any harm while there in St. Lucia. They received what the show promised: a free vacation.
Stephen
Life endangerment. Most anti lgbtq countries cook up charges such as pimping, prostitution or anything dishonest to profile people. Even straight men have been arrested for looking a little effeminate. Caribbean region is homophobic and a higher crime rate as well. It’s dangerous to even go to Jamaica! Gay bashing is legendary. Caribbean should be off limits for game shows featuring lgbtqi+ persons. Curaçao is an exception. Guys bought into renovation of the depressed West End spending huge amounts of money. Encouraged by a gay billionaire. It’s so exceptional! Do support progressive countries doing their best.
MacAdvisor
In general, damages cannot be hypothetical. That something *could* have happened, but nothing did, does not give rise to a lawsuit. I don’t know British damages well-enough to say definitively, but there damage requirements are typically more stringent than ours and the US would not permit such a lawsuit. Has the couple flown home immediately upon learning of the danger, foregoing there vacation, I think they’d have a claim. However, they assumed the risk and went forward. Nothing untoward happened. Thus, I don’t think they have a cause of action.
Moreover, there really isn’t a cause of action, “life endangerment.” There is “reckless endangerment,” but that generally requires some action that puts someone at a high risk of death. In this case, the risk of death is mitigated by following the law and not performing any homosexual acts. Taking one to the top of a high building to see the view and saying, “don’t go within ten feet of the edge as the wind may blow you off” is not reckless endangerment because one’s life is only in danger if one breaks the instructions not to within ten feet of the edge. One’s own actions would bring about the danger.
James
sounds like an extremely stupid clueless show who only used these two bisexual men for their own ratings.
draven
I would never go to any racist homophobic country. I live in USA. It’s sad though in 2019 that it’s still like this. What if AIDS would have destroyed all the evil straight people and not killed millions of gay friendly nice people.
Brian
Are those really the two guys? Everything about those pictures screams 90s to me.