SAVE THE CHILDREN: Stop families of gay young boys from banishing them from their homes.

  • by: Selwyn Quamina
  • recipient: Jamaica's current Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller

On July 22, 2013, 16-year-old Dwayne Long Jones was stabbed, beaten with blunt instruments, shot to death and thrown into bushes during a public street-dance near Montego Bay. It is no secret that the attack was prompted by the fact that he wore gender nonconforming attire and was dancing with someone of the same sex, making this an anti-LGBT hate-crime.  It is sad to think that this sort of crime is almost a common occurrence in Jamaica, a country that has repeatedly resisted calls to repeal its anti-gay laws and has been criticized by a number of human rights groups for its often institutionalized homophobia. But that is another issue.

What we are dealing with here is the human rights abuse which young boys with gender dysphoria  are usually subjected to at home until finally being kicked out. Some are as young as 12. This is also a common practice in Jamaica and it has been going-on for quite a long time, owing to a culture of intolerance manifested in the public; even neighbors get behind parents, persuading them to banish their young sons from their homes because of their perceived sexual orientation. The boys usually become homeless, since no one will take them in, living on the mean streets of some of Jamaica's most violent slums, subjected to all kinds of dangers and bad influences, some prostituting themselves for money just to buy food, and often times it has happened that a boy ends-up being brutally murdered in similar fashion like what happened to Dwayne Jones. Poor Dwayne was only 13 when he was kicked out of his home by his parents after they discovered that he was gay.

It is our hope that through this petition the Jamaica government may be persuaded to put an outright stop to the callous treatment of gay young boys by their own parents and other family members as a first step towards stemming the spate of hate crimes against the LGBT community in Jamaica.

Dear Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller,


It is no secret that your country is one of the most anti-LGBT nations in the world. You have laws outlawing homosexuality and  people of that ilk live under constant threat of violence. Indeed, some are even killed on the streets by mobs. But that is another issue.


What this petition represents is a cry for action by your Government to pass legislation that would dissuade  Jamaican families from  banishing young male members from the family home on account of their perceived sexual orientation.  Stories have been told of young boys as young as 12 and 13 being forced out of the family home and have to live on the streets.  This, as you may well know, could lead to tragic circumstances for these young children; some turn to prostitution and crime to survive, and as often the case, some end up being brutally murdered. 


We, as a concerned group representing the international community, and in the interest of the welfare of children, implore you, Madam Prime Minister, to put your feet down on this dastardly practice affecting the lives of these poor, innocent children whose only fault is that they were born with gender dysphoria ― a persistent unease with the characteristics of one's gender, accompanied by a strong identification with the opposite gender. It is not a vice. They were born this way.  It is even possible that they may be helped through counseling and understanding.  Far better that this be done than to have these children subjected to such inhumanity, wouldn't you agree?  Take the case of a young girl in America called Jazz Jennings for instance. The following are excerpts from an article about her which was published on Yahoo News. You may find it inspiring:


Jazz Jennings was born a boy, but started to show leanings toward a feminine side at only 15 months old. By age 2, Jazz started to verbalize her feelings that "she was a girl," and by 5 she was one of the youngest people ever to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria ― a persistent unease with the characteristics of one's gender, accompanied by a strong identification with the opposite gender. After the diagnosis, Jazz's incredibly supportive family decided to embrace her inner feelings and allowed her to start transitioning from male to female while she was only in kindergarten. Although she was teased on occasion, Jazz maintained her outgoing personality and never let anyone stand in the way of her confidence about her gender identity. Now, at 14, Jazz has co-authored an illustrated memoir aimed at children called "I Am Jazz." The book chronicles the early years of Jazz's life, from her diagnosis to her struggles at school, and it's not just for kids in the LGBTQ community but for anyone who feels like they don't fit in. Isn't it a pity that young boys like Jazz don't have that same kind of support in Jamaica?  

Update #28 years ago
To all signers of this petition__ thanks again. We have 207 signatures and this is encouraging, but still far short of our goal. We can reach it if each of you persuade at least 5 friends to follow your lead and sign this petition. And please check our fund-raising campaign here_ gofundme.com/n4rx9s
Update #18 years ago
Again, thanks for signing this petition. But meanwhile, however, the situation in Jamaica grows increasingly difficult for these homeless, gay children. A shelter for them is urgently needed. To raise funds for this purpose, I have written a novel based on their experience and it is available for download here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R54N3MG - costing just US$2.99. Please download as many copies as you can.
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