Sunday, November 14, 2010

Is the media condoning lawlessness?

By K. Johnson
The topic of Lesbians, Bisexuals, Gays, and Transgenders (LGBT) has been a very sore topic in Trinidad and Tobago for a number of years. People are afraid to discuss the issues that surround LGBT’s in our society mainly because they are afraid that they are going to offend some people. The ones who are more on the fearful side are the LGBTs. The reason for that, aside from blatant discrimination from the general public, is that the law is not on their side.  
The laws of Trinidad and Tobago view Lesbianism, Bisexuality, Homosexuality and Transgenderism as criminal acts punishable by imprisonment.  “Trinidadian criminal code prohibits sex between two people of the same sex, as is the case in much of the English-speaking Caribbean. Section 13 of the Sexual Offences Act 1986[1] criminalises "buggery". This section, strengthened in 2000,[2] states: (1) A person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment: 
a. If committed by an adult on a minor, for life;
b. If committed by an adult on another adult, for twenty five years; 
c. If committed by a minor, for five years."
Even as the law is expected to be common knowledge to all, some of our local T.V. Stations and Newspapers  broadcast and publish content that are not in accordance with our laws. The Ellen Degeneres Show, Will and Grace and even America’s Next Top Model, are just a few of the shows that encourage what our law is against. I personally have no issue with LGBT’s, they are human beings just like the rest of us and should be treated as such. The question here is whether or not media houses have a responsibility to broadcast content that upholds the law of the land? Or is it okay to adopt the copycat syndrome even if it goes against what we as a nation are supposed to abide by?

4 comments:

Believer said...

"I personally have no issue with LGBT’s, they are human beings just like the rest of us and should be treated as such."
That is what your blog states but I have one question:-
Do you read the Bible and better more do you BELIEVE in the Bible. Please do read the following excerpt in the website below.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6&version=NIV#en-NIV-28477

BloggerzinE said...

Believer thank you for reading our blog and commenting. Just to make things clear, this post is not religiously based. We are not looking at "LGBT-ism" from any other perspective other than the legal perspective. This post is not intended to condemn or judge anyone but rather to discuss whether or not the media encourages certain illegal activities by portraying them in a positive light...

Lily said...

I totally get what the article is trying to say and its unfortunate that 'Believer' did not understand too. I think visitors should read the information on the left before they comment about the blog on the right. You all (ttbloggerzine) have good points and it would be remised of me if I did not say that our local media seem to be following every movement from the international media instead of publishing and broadcasting our very own rich culture.

Anonymous said...

media = private institution = profit....so what will garner such, that is what they will give. With regards to LBGT's they kno right from wrong and I will not waste my time repeating it to them, they're big and have sense