Colonization – A sexual twist

22.MAR.11

EDITOR: Homosexuality is an old and complex issue. Before biblical times, the island of Crete became known for the prevalence of that practice.{{more}} Reactions to homosexuality ranged from indifference to the death penalty and in 304 AD the religious Council at Elvira went so far as to proclaim that those who abused boys to satisfy their lusts were, even at their last breath, to be denied the absolution of Holy Communion.

However, many anthropologists noted that homosexual practices were comparatively rare among the natives of Africa, the source of the majority of people living in these Caribbean islands. Therefore, the evidence of increasing homosexuality here suggests an increase in a behaviour called ‘acquired sexual inversion’. Many believe this occurs when the normal sexual instinct is turned into an abnormal channel. Such a channel exists when external conditions, for example in the separated military, provide opportunity for males to be sexually awakened to other males and females to females. In time, doing homosexual acts can result in a modifying effect on normal sexual instincts and it is thought that homosexuality done in early youth has a lasting effect on sexual instinct. This means that homosexual love or a preference to have intimate relations with members of the same sex may be learnt.

Locally, practising homosexuals seek to use these observations to exploit young boys and girls, those just becoming aware of their raw sexual capabilities. Money and gifts are the enticements used to deliberately corrupt the young, leading them to homosexual habits which may end up really changing their normal sexual instinct. This is truly a secret “colonization” of an unsuspecting

society that is largely made up of those with normal sexual instincts. It becomes a sort of vicious cycle with these colonies of sexual “converts” attracting more “converts”.

For us, apart from the legal duty to prevent abuse of the young, the abnormality of acquired homosexuality may be easier seen as a problem of social hygiene rather than moral values. To begin with, given the centuries-old disgust that native Africans and their descendants hold against it, any advance in homosexuality will create much social tension within our Caribbean society. This sexual colonization can also distract the vulnerable young, especially males, to the disadvantage of society, compared to the personal satisfaction of a few. Young persons turned to premature sex, can uncaringly, become victims of AIDS. Our Christian faith has served us well and for the forseeable future the majority of our citizens may not tolerate homosexuality, so at variance with our deep-rooted heritage and Christian beliefs.

This new colonization then appears bad for our present society. It seems fair to say that these Caribbean islands scarcely possess the luxury of extra human and material resources to deal with the growth of acquired homosexuality.

It will then be hygienic and sensible to prevent its rapid growth through the exploiting of the young, by appropriate sanctions on the adult peddlers of this trade in sexuality.

S. J. Wyllie