AIDS ACTIVIST Darcy Dear wants Rev. Dr Marcus Lashley to produce “the evidence” that there is domestic violence among Barbados’ gays.
Dear was responding to comments by the Anglican priest and psychologist in the last WEEKEND NATION that “there is a lot of violence because it is a close-knit community. It is, in essence, a minority community and therefore there is tremendous possession, tremendous jealousy, tremendous fear and that motivates a lot of the actions”.
“Bring the evidence, Dr Lashley, bring the evidence,” urged Dear, who is the president of the United Gays And Lesbians Against Aids Barbados.
He told the DAILY NATION at last Saturday’s National HIV/AIDS Commission T-shirt campaign launch in Jubilee Gardens, that he was nothing else but disappointed at the accusations and that there was more love and unity in the gay community than in the heterosexual.
“I don’t want to say that he doesn’t know this, because he said that he counselled gays and lesbians, and heterosexuals. And the last death that we had in the gay community, through a lovers dispute, was five years ago.
“We have thousands of police in Barbados; we have police in almost every parish. And if there was that amount of violence within the gay community, it would be reported one way or the other,” Dear said.
The activist added: “[Lashley] said that the reason for the jealousy is because it’s a small community; that they try to hold onto their partners. So if because of the size of the community they can hold onto their partners – I have held onto mine for almost 36 years.
“I think the heterosexual community needs to be broken up into smaller communities as well.”
Dear said he had heard there were 14 divorces being filed for in court every day.
“So if there are 14 divorces in the heterosexual community per day in Barbados, and the gays like myself are going for 36 years, then I think that Dr Marcus needs to come to us for advice, which he can pass on to his clients . . . , ” he said.
