1340333323608op1
(BI) Feedloader User
On Tuesday, I sat in an audience at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences to hear a talk by the "Lady of Burma". The legendary democracy and justice campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, who after decades of house arrest and oppression by the Burmese junta, made an emotional and symbolic return to the United Kingdom. I listened to this great woman plead for justice and equality and the right of all citizens of Burma to live in peace and dignity and, also, for the enshrinement of the rule of law.
All the while, my mind kept on drifting back to Trinidad and Tobago and the lessons we can take from such a courageous human being. I reflected on the difference in narrative from Daw Suu Kyi and the sermon espoused by Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris in relation to gender policy, and it struck me that we have a great distance to travel and much to learn.
The national gender policy has not yet been laid before Parliament, but it has already elicited wild and spurious accusations and paranoia from many sectors, including some segments of the religious community. It is dishear- tening that religious leaders who are supposed to live the values of their religion instead choose to hyperexaggerate and play politics.
It is ironic that the Archbishop represents the Catholic Church, an institution which for centuries regarded non-whites as less than human, was complacent about slavery and which had one of its popes divide the world into two via the Treaty of Tordesillas, effectively giving dominion over his and my ancestors to the Spanish and the Portuguese.
The Church later had to apologise for its sins with regard to slavery and many other atrocities, yet it is mind-boggling how it is not realising it is also wrong on sexuality. Far from espousing the values of Christ and great leaders such as Gandhi and Daw Suu Kyi to live in peace and tolerance of each other, the Archbishop has sought to use the fig leaf of "love the sinner, hate the sin", which is again ironic since according to his own Church's doctrine, we are all sinners, yet, somehow, gay and lesbian people need to get a special mention.
The Archbishop would have been better off had he used his platform to rail against the marriage of 13-year-old girls, which is still legally allowed in this country. He should have sought to espouse the right to life and dignity of all citizens, the need to tackle crime and the lack of father figures in homes.
Beyond the misguided words of the Archbishop, however, some religious leaders have come out in favour of treating all citizens with respect, including the prolific Pastor Winston Cuffie. These religious leaders, the Humanist Society, students of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and many other citizens across the length and breadth of this nation are in full support of a national gender policy which comprehensively deals with gender issues facing our nation.
Gay marriage is not a point of concern to us at this time and is not on the agenda. This is a red herring being used by unscrupulous individuals seeking their own interests to distract the public. The issues at hand are about the equality of women to men, legally recognising the rights of women as human beings and equal citizens.
A comprehensive gender policy should seek to recognise the inherent social construction of gender and make allowances for those who may not fall into our neat male/female gender dichotomies. A strong gender policy should address the issue of sexual freedom. Not only should it seek to decriminalise same-sex relations, but it should also deal with sexual violence.
As a country, we are lagging behind the rest of the advancing world in recognising marital rape and spousal violence as serious crimes. The national gender policy should seek to enshrine protection and freedom of HIV-infected citizens. Finally, a holistic gender policy should lay the foundations for proper sex education in schools. This is needed now, more than ever, in a world where children are being exposed to sex and sexuality at younger ages.
The Government must stand strong against any move to capture influence on this policy by any group. In order to have the greatest support, the Government should engage in widespread consultations, engaging the perspectives of as wide a cross-section of the population as possible. It would be wise for the current regime to engage with young audiences such as A-Level students and at universities. The perspective of young people cannot and should not be ignored as we are the ones who will have to live the longest with this policy and deal with its implications.
The religious community is free to voice its concerns, support or resist the measures, but they are to be one voice among many. Our nation is a secular republic, and we recognise the right of religious freedom but not the rule of religious law. Religious figures who seek to exert undue pressure should be made aware that we are not guided by the tyranny of the majority and, instead, are a nation that affords rights and dignity to all.
A proper gender policy sets the foundation for social interaction and is an indicator of a nation's ability to deal with taboo issues. This document has tremendous symbolic value and signals to the world the trajectory our nation is taking.
We cannot allow the image we project to be one of a nation guided by paranoia, prejudice, intolerance and fear. Rather, we should seek to create a document that creates a space where religion can thrive, where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens can live in peace, where women are equal to men and where difference is not a source of division but rather strength. We should use this policy as a road map to build a progressive, secular nation where all are welcome and respected, and say no to the forces of fear and preju- dice which seek to retard our advancement and prosperity.
—Rajiv Gopie won the President's Medal in 2006 for business/modern studies. He is an MSc candidate in international relations
at the London School of Economics.
rajivgopie@hotmail.com
