THIS ARTICLE is written in response to an article about five young women who have now decided to be in a heterosexual relationship. And just like they have a choice, women who do not want to be in a relationship with a man also have a choice. I wish the five young ladies well in their relationships.Let me state that there are a lot of normal, healthy, happy and God-fearing homosexual women and men in Barbados who are making valuable contributions to their families, communities and their country, and their sexual orientation must not be an issue the same [way it is not an issue for a heterosexual person].Same-sex relationships have the same issues as heterosexual relationships, and homosexuals, like heterosexuals, will associate, socialise and party with each other and have group sex if that is their thing.The notion that once you get into a “normal” relationship life will be a bed of roses is misleading as we see many unhappy married women and men, who not only live with physical abuse but mental abuse as well. But “normal” society would accept that this is okay. Many women who have decided to be in a same-sex relationships [chose so of their own accord] and not because they were “introduced” by someone. In fact many “normal” women have encountered this “exposure” and decided to [continue as heterosexuals]. It is your choice. The hypocrisy which is seen, especially in the church, is sad. Most people see homosexuality as a big sin, but sins like fornication, adultery, cheating, gambling, gossiping, stealing time from an employer and pilfering, to name a few are accepted and there are no campaigns against these things. If we are going to wage a war against this “homosexual plague” then we have to wage it against all the other things that are not “normal” in our society as well.The homophobic attitude is so mind-boggling that we see our young men being brainwashed into thinking that if they embrace their male friend in a brotherly way it may be seen as an homosexual act. But that same young man can take up a gun and shoot his friend and there is no campaign against male violence; or two “normal” females can beat up each other over a man, and again there is no campaigning against this kind of behaviour. What must be accepted, but is still difficult for society to do, is to accept the simple fact that people will be different and there will be people who would want to be in a heterosexual relationship, people who would want to be in a homosexual relationship, bisexuals, and people who would want to remain single and celibate. What we, as a people, need to do is to accept these differences, teach our people to respect and love each other and treat each other as God would expect us to do. We should wage the war where it should be, which is against things like child molestation, domestic violence, crime, greed, material gain at all cost, disrespect for law and order, gambling, illegal drugs, and alcohol abuse among many other things. People must be free to express their love for each as consenting adults and to treat each other with respect, care and compassion free from judgement or ridicule. To all homosexuals, I say, accept yourself as you are, you are NOT abnormal. And to all heterosexuals, the same applies to you.
