est. 2007

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LBGT Segment is a Niche Market in the Rough

Submitted by Due Diligence While recognizing that in homophobic Barbados this is likely to be a taboo topic, I want to share it with you and the BU family. Pride Toronto is the not-for-profit organization that represents a broad array of identities such as, lesbian,bisexual, gay, transsexual, (LBGT) transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited, and allies;…

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Submitted by Due Diligence
study also found that during the final weekend of the ... festival between June 28, 2013 and June 30 there were 1.2 million visitors ...
… study also found that during the final weekend of the … festival between June 28, 2013 and June 30 there were 1.2 million visitors …

While recognizing that in homophobic Barbados this is likely to be a taboo topic, I want to share it with you and the BU family. Pride Toronto is the not-for-profit organization that represents a broad array of identities such as, lesbian,bisexual, gay, transsexual, (LBGT) transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited, and allies; and celebrates the history, courage, diversity and future of Toronto’s LGBT communities. The organization stands for the rights and dignity of LGBT people, celebrating their lives stories and culture.

Pride Toronto hosts the city’s Pride Festival, an annual event in downtown Toronto during the last week of June and one of the premier arts and cultural festivals in Canada. It is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the world with an estimated attendance of over one million people. An Economic Impact Study has revealed that the Pride Toronto Festival brings incredible value to the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario, with $286 million in purchases related to Pride 2013. The study found that the 10-day festival and related activities and events created or maintained 3,470 jobs and generated $60.9 million in total tax revenue for governments. The 2013 study also found that during the final weekend of the festival between June 28, 2013 and June 30 there were 1.2 million visitors.

This week Pride Toronto is hosting WorldPride 2014 Toronto an international celebration incorporating activism, education, and the history and culture of global LGBT communities.  WorldPride brings people together from around the world to honour the past, celebrate the present, and inspire a better future for LGBT communities everywhere. It is estimated that WorldPride 2014 will bring 2 million visitors to Toronto.

These same people in the LGBT communities in Barbados’ largest  source markets are generally considered to have average incomes greater than that of the general population, and take vacations in destinations of sun, sea and sand. The point of this is to point out that its anti gay laws and homophobic culture Barbados is excluding a large segment of the population of its largest source markets. Laws can be changed if the politicians have the will to do so. The culture will take much longer to change; but will do so over time when the laws are changed .

For purely economic reasons the laws must be changed; but who among the elected representative has the courage to step into the 21st century on this issue?

28 responses to “LBGT Segment is a Niche Market in the Rough”

  1. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    Now there’s a nice one…..

  2. SheriVeronica Avatar
    SheriVeronica

    Barbados is homophobic? Seem like what they want you to believe they resist is persisting quite nicely!

  3. ready dun Avatar
    ready dun

    Wow, money is the only reason?

  4. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    You know that you are getting old when…..

    Every now and again I find myself bearing the brunt of an attack by BU-ians who call me an ole fart and then seek to assault the ole man calling him an anachronism and less kindly nouns.

    Sometimes, as part of the volley of insults and verbal licks one or two then go on to speak to calcification of the brain, “the strong man bowing” and wonder why, quite incredulously, the ole man just dont lay down and die.

    A few have even offered to aid the ole man to his grave with a few kicks to the noggin..and they seem impervious to the passage of time.. forever young denizens having found the fountain of youth..

    But you know that you are getting old when as a niche marketing effort we are proposing that LBGT is a “niche” to be explored

    So in keeping with this exploration of niches let the ole man show that he is not to be considered an anachronism by suggesting a few more niches for your consideration..

    Scatologists – there is a category of deviant sexual behaviour(s) called scatalogy where, like golden showers one has one’s sexual partner shit on you and one may even eat the excrement

    And, let us not stop there, we have a category of paedophilia which I am reliably informed, while of concern to international policing agencies, has a lucrative offshoot, child sex videos.

    Why not let us incorporate the two of these with the other variants of tourism marketing, with witches and wizard conferences, establish these niches under the New Cultural Industries Bill of 2011, and get Delta Airlines recently returned to Bulbados to bring all of these persons to our shores..

    Too far east is west… certainly belies the statement for east is eas and west is west and never shall the twain ere meet…

    I am really getting too old for this one Dear Lord, it is time for ole farts like me to go home

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @PODYR

    The challenge to your last comment is that it disregards the validation developed countries have giben to the rights of homosexuals.

  6. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ David

    You know that I have a serious fight with this one because I simply do not understand this “anomaly” in nature a female incarnated in a male body and vice versa.

    How far will our “acceptance” ultimately go David?

    Yesterdays laws relative to suffer not a witch to live becomes todays rights guaranteed under a constitution re human rights to worship whomever we choose.

    I proposed the currently unacceptable practices only to highlight how with the passage of time we are being diluted by tolerances and the age of consent moves from 18 through 16 down to 12 in some regions of the world and, potentially what we believe to be paedophilia today will be the norm tomorrow.

    Where do we draw a line in the sand?

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @PODRYR

    It does not matter what we think in little Barbados, we will have to go with the flow, eventually. Some of is will defend personal positions in the name of morality but it will not influence national policy.

  8. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David wrote “It does not matter what we think in little Barbados, we will have to go with the flow”

    That is inevitable. Those of us living in Canada have had to accept the LGBT as equals.Our newly reelected premier of Ontario is a Lesbian.

    pieceuhderockyeahright I understand how you feel because it is difficult for us old farts to accept the modern day openly gay construct.

    Change is difficult when you are getting old.lol

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/kathleen-wynne-begins-toronto-pride-with-a-camp-joke-1.2684507

  9. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    @PODRYR

    From one ole fart to another ole fart, I gotta say that your comments normally reflect a wise ole fart; but this time you got it wrong.

    DD submitted this piece to David as friend of Barbados, to point out that Barbados’ anti gay laws and homophobic culture are excluding a large segment of potential tourism business.

    DD is not a member of the LGBT community, and is a regular visitor to Barbados.

    If I were a member of the LGBT community I would check out potential vacation destinations by doing a bit of Googling to see which ones are LGBT friendly.

    Here is something from
    http://www.globalgayz.com/caribbean/barbados/

    “Section 23 of the Barbados Constitution provides that “no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect” and that “no person shall be treatedin a discriminatory manner by any person by virtue of any written law or in performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.” Despite such a resounding proclamation against discrimination, LGBT individuals in Barbados face an ongoing battle for basic human rights which are denied on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The central, most egregious violation of LGBT rights in Barbados is the state’s criminalization of same sex sexual activity. The buggery laws, as they are known, typically apply in an arbitrary fashion only to homosexuals, reflecting a wider cultural consensus regarding the immorality of non-heterosexual human relationships. Barbados also supports the death penalty for juveniles under 18.”

    And from an article “Gay Life in Barbados” at http://www.globalgayz.com/gay-life-in-barbados/2602/

    “Nevertheless the status of LGBT people is one of living as outlaws with the discrimination and stigma deriving from cultural, religious, and social taboos and beliefs. “It appears that any expression of sexuality outside patriarchal heterosexuality is uniformly unwelcome,” wrote one researcher.

    The long standing tradition of rejecting homosexual behavior was initiated by the British when Barbados and many other islands were small Caribbean colonies.

    Ironically, it is now the British of a very different generation who are coercing all former UK territories to change course and remove anti-gay laws from the books. British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced if Barbados expects to continue receiving financial aid from Britain laws that discriminate against homosexuals will have to be reversed.

    That is the conflict that all seventeen former British Commonwealth Caribbean colonies (now independent countries) now face. Change or lose money. Some have already altered their statutes while others are resisting the push. These seven Commonwealth countries have changed their laws: Anguilla 2000, Aruba, Bahamas, BVI, Cayman, Montserrat 2000, Turks & Caicos 2000. (In severe contrast the  French Empire–including its overseas colonies–legalized homosexuality in 1791.)”

    In 1966 Barbados cut many of the shackles of its former colonial masters, but still clings to its anti-gay cultural, religious, and social taboos and beliefs that the masters have long since abandoned.

    Interestingly the aforementioned article includes a link to the 2007 BU blog at: http://barbadosunderground.wordpress.com/2007/05/09/homosexuality-and-barbadiansthe-fear-of-an-orderly-society/
    as evidence of the homophobia in Barbados.

    As the article says, for strictly economic reasons Barbados’ laws that discriminate against homosexuals will have to be reversed, or it will be cut off from receiving financial aid from Britain, as well as to become a destination for tourism to the LGBT community.

    As David said “It does not matter what we think in little Barbados, we will have to go with the flow, eventually.”

    Perhaps it is up to the wise old farts to lead the way into the 21st century by leading the way to change the anti-gay cultural, religious, and social taboos and beliefs that the masters (and most of the developed world) have long since abandoned.

  10. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    “…..it disregards the validation developed countries have giben to the rights of homosexuals.”
    ++++++++++++++++++
    …so you are saying that we should follow a multitude to do shiite…!?!?

  11. Waldo Avatar
    Waldo

    Why not legalise the herb? That will bring in a lot of money too. Legalise prostitution as well there is a lot of money to be made. What a bright idea of twisiting our values so we can make money. I mean some mothers are already pimping out their daughter for economic gain. We should not frown on such practices because of the economic value it adds to the household. Genius!

  12. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    ready dun | June 24, 2014 at 8:32 AM |
    Wow, money is the only reason?

    No money is not the only reason, but it is the only thing the politicos understand.

  13. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    Waldo

    Your genius comments suggest your values are already twisted.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    No but resisting the inevitable makes for idealism?

  15. lighthouse Avatar
    lighthouse

    Look we have had enough prompting to enter the bulling arena from metropolitan countries. We do not want money at all cost. Principles do matter. Soon you will tell us Mr Canadian that we have to accept bestiality and paedophillia. For once we can teach people like you what decency ought to be. We here in Barbados are rays of light for all to see and independent thinkers too. We have invested so much in education to become followers. Why the hell all bullers do not try such stunts in other religious countries. Bun fyah pun all wunnah batty boys.

  16. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ lighthouse,

  17. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    man David….
    If shiite is inevitable then we may as well just look for a “Jim Jones” type…

    The WHOLE POINT of life is to, in the midst of shiite, exemplify cleanliness……in the midst of chaos; calm, in the midst of ignorance; wisdom.

    Don’t you realize that this is the same argument the politicians who we all abuse, use…..”EVERYONE ELSE is stealing and taking bribes – what the hell wunna expect me to do…?”
    …”everyone” is goofing off at work…what do you want me to do…?
    Everyone else is just talking….

    How about having, and living by, personal STANDARDS of integrity?
    How about NOT sacrificing our moral standards just because it is easy money?….not prostituting our country for a few peices of silver?

    …sheep follow crowds blindly, brass bowls tend to just sit there and watch….But wise men THINK, PLAN and DO the right things…

    @ Hants
    You have moved to the right place….a country that waxes neither hot nor cold…..no position on ANYTHING…and open to everything..
    It is wealthy, stable and organized…..but has NO CHARACTER….
    …..and as Bushie ALWAYS says…..the whole point of life is about the development of righteous character……everything else is just a means towards that end….

  18. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Yes Bushie I fit right in. I have very little character but at least I am doing Barbados a favour by staying away andd keeping my unrighteous character out of Barbados.

  19. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Hants
    Don’t come around Bushie with that attitude…
    You run down there fuh sweet life …and yuh got um…
    GP run to the US to get away from unfairness and brass bowls…
    …and he got away….
    Money Brain run to Canada so he won’t have to share his lotta $$$$$ with poor Bajans via taxes

    CHARACTER would have called for the three of wunna – who are clearly bright boys – to face the lotta shiite and brass bout here and to STAMP wunna authority and HIGH STANDARDS on the damn place.

    Instead, wunna gone long behind sweet life and got poor Bushie calling (in vain) on Caswell to do what wunna have been given the talent to do…

    Now we have reached the stage where a visionary like DD is asking us to bend over and tek some money from the LGBT sector…as it will enhance out forex……

    Wunna can see how this is wunna fault yet?
    …don’t mind Pacha with that “leaderless” talk hear….this is exactly how we ended up with jackasses running things…..cause people feel that anyone can be a leader…..

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @Tea Bush

    What it is, we are not an island, we are of this world, if we want to eat, we will have to bendover.

  21. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    There is no line to be drawn in the sand. Just accept life for what it is because we’re not here to change what the Holy Scriptures has manifested already.

  22. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @’David
    What it is, we are not an island, we are of this world, if we want to eat, we will have to bendover.
    +++++++++++++++++=++++++
    LOL
    You just articulated the logic used by almost every deviant who ever existed…
    But Since Bushie just happens to be IN this world….but not OF this world ….you can see how a completely different philosophy would apply.
    Eat shiite…Bushie would haffa starve…..

    Oh loss….
    It look like a certain Jack has some spare time on his hands again…since his blog has been getting no hits…..LOL

  23. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    David, Bush Tea is absolutely correct when he tells us ‘ he is not of this world. Of course he is not of this world…. we knew all along that he had escaped from Black Rock many years ago.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    And we always come back to the same place this why the moral compus quiver.

    Don’t worry about the JA, we know who it is, the coments will be deleted, eventually.

  25. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    David

    I don’t understand you at all David. So it is okay for Bush Tea to malign others here without impunity? But when the opposing perspective does it to him, you run quickly to Bush Tea’s side as though he needs help. We ought and must extent to everyone here the same measure of justice. It’s that what a fair and just society is predicated upon? And the same principles BU supposedly adheres to?

  26. ac Avatar
    ac

    but uh…know what PDYR,,,,your comments gave me a belly laugh ,,but come’to think of it… WHY NOT,,,,,,, lawd hav merci …………………………………………………….
    however on a serious note , the labels that were meant to define us as a people have done more harm than good,,,,whether it be or ethnicity or sexuality ,,for whatever reasons those labels seem to divide us and tear us apart,,…name it race ,,religion ..or sexuality..the negative responses have all been the same,,not surprising that the homosexual who have openly let the world know that they exist and will not be going away are experiencing what others human beings have experienced before….. by hate and scorned ,,blacks had their turn ,,jews had their turn,, everyone who have walked this earth have felt hatred and scorn by one group or another,,what would be surprising is if those unfortunate eras were never repeated in this lifetime.. so now it is the homosexual turn to drink of the bitter cup of hatred,,, ..nothing new under the sun….

  27. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    I support it but the public of Barbados is not mature or ready for this sort of thing.

  28. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    Human Rights Watch: LGBT Jamaicans are targets of violence
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-29714586

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