Jamaica has the reputation of being one of the most violently anti-gay countries on earth.
Male homosexual acts are criminalized – and can be punished with up to 10 years of hard time in prison. While this law is not actively enforced, it is widely seen as a bulwark against immorality.
"LGBT Youth in Chicago" Chosen as an Official Student Selection of the 2011 Peace on Earth Film Festival
Published January 4, 2011
"LGBT Youth in Chicago," a documentary created by Chicago Public Schools students working with Free Spirit Media and in partnership with the Pulitzer Center has been chosen as an Official Student Selection of the 2011 Peace on Earth Film Festival. The documentary was created during a six-week summer program run by Free Spirit Media in Chicago. With guidance from Pulitzer Center grantee, Lisa Biagiotti, who has reported extensively on homophobia in Jamaica, the team of students who developed the film sought the opinion of community members, parents, and students regarding homophobia within the Chicago Public Schools and the homes of CPS students. The video explores how many LGBTQ students are afraid to expose their sexual orientation because they believe their parents and schools cannot, or will not, accept them.
The 2011 Peace on Earth Film Festival is scheduled for the week of February 25-27 at the Chicago Cultural Center.
After being shot by anti-gay gunmen, a young lesbian from Jamaica was granted asylum in the Netherlands.
Simone, a refugee fleeing homophobia in her native Jamaica, attempts to heal from the wounds inflicted by violent oppression.
Gateways
Kate Seche joined the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in September 2010. Since graduating from The College of William and Mary with a B.A. in History and Elementary Education in 1999, Kate has...