The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

The history surrounding the genesis of sex toys is rather vague and quite intriguing.   Sex toys and sex are still very much tabooed subjects in most parts of the world and this oftentimes clouds a honest and open discourse regarding such issues.   In fact there was an era not so long ago when the use of sex toys was seen as repulsive and abnormal requiring medical intervention for those who seek the pleasure of these gadgets.   However, human sexuality over the years has evolved and continues to do so at a rapid pace. The definition of human sexuality differs according to the context in which the term is used, however, in simple terms human sexuality is the way by which we express our maleness and femaleness; in other words how we experience the erotic and express ourselves as sexual beings. It is estimated that the sex toy industry is a multi-billion one in which many of the pleasure toys are designed after popular female porn stars and by extension cater to the whims a...

"AIDS today is not a death sentence. It can be treated as a chronic illness, or a chronic disease"- Yusuf Hamied I first met Jaye in 2002. She was always elegantly attired and went about her tasks in a professional manner. Jaye is approximately 5 feet 5 inches and was born in the parish of Clarendon, the last of five children. She mentioned that her childhood was difficult despite growing up in a nuclear family. “We were poor, but surprisingly, we did not realize it then”. “My mother made sure we had something to eat”. Jaye, has been living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since she was diagnosed in 1998 at age 29. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the end of 2016 there were 36.7 million people living with HIV, of which 20.9 million are on antiretroviral therapy. Regrettably, since the onset of the global HIV epidemic women have been disproportionately affected and infected by HIV. According to UNAIDS, HIV disproportionately affects women and gi...

The male sex drive is undoubtedly one of the most powerful urges which oftentimes seems unbridled to our female counterparts. However, if one subscribes to Darwinism, one might argue that this cannot be helped and that men are merely acting out their animal instincts. Much of a man's masculinity is bottled up in his sexual capability. It can be argued that should man’s sexual capability be taken away then man and manhood would be viewed as a lion without teeth. This untamed sexual urge has held man captive from the beginning of time; however, this should not detract from having a good healthy sex drive. Masculinity and Pornography It bares thought that pornography has becomes more than just an attraction. If masculinity is caught up in sexuality and viewed solely via this lens; then pornography is undoubtedly an affirmation of masculinity for many. Pornography appeals to; the visual, stimulates the physical and temporarily satisfies the emotional, without a commitment. It is of...

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. It is rather disturbing and disingenuous that in the discourse surrounding gender relations, the issues which are of concern to men are often kicked to the curb.   Our general stereotype of men and masculinity often runs counter to having an enlightened engagement of men’s issues, and sadly those who advocate for men’s issues are frequently looked upon as strange. However, not to be daunted there is an urgent need for a concerted and sustained campaign to realign and re-balance the narrative to one of gender inclusiveness. Perhaps there is no better time to sit down and discuss men’s issues than International Men’s Day (IMD) which provides such a platform on which positive manhood can be celebrated.   Needless to say we will never have gender equality if we continue to ignore the plight of any one ...

“My wife and I are deeply committed to each other but to have a happier marriage we need more sex”. Those are the words of my colleague, Alphanso, age 43; one might add the sentiments expressed by him are quite common in today’s society, especially among men. In almost every research done on relationship and the extent to which couples are happy, sex is usually the number one area of concern for both partners. The frequency of sex between married couples is often a private matter and as such lends itself to much debate with regards to what makes for a healthy marriage. “Sexual intercourse is dynamic and should be in a marriage” so says Andrew, Whether we admit to it or not we live in a sexualized and an instant gratification world. Sex, is one of ways in which intimacy can be expressed between couples. Denton, age 44, who is also married, adds a different dimension.   He opines that some women withhold sex in a marriage as a way of punishing the husband.   According to Denton,...

“Black men struggle with masculinity so much. The idea that we must always be strong really presses us all down- it keeps us from growing”. –Donald Glover    Historically, the male gender has been privileged, not only in Jamaica but also on a global scale. According to Mark Figueroa, in the book, Interrogating Caribbean Masculinities: Theoretical and Empirical Analyses , “ The male gender has had access to a broader social space; it has had greater control over a wider range of resources and has been more able to enjoy that it has controlled”. The privileging afforded to the male gender has significantly contributed to what some may view as the unhealthy and undesirable state of masculinity in the Jamaican society.   Additionally, the notions of masculinity and manhood are deeply entrenched and associated with the sexual objectification of women. It can be argued that all men at some point in their lives struggle with society’s standards regarding the unrealistic benchma...

Three days after Ellen Campbell-Grizzle (PhD), received the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for service in the field of pharmacology locally and regionally, I sat down with her at her New Kingston based office to get an insight into the life and work of this remarkable and industrious daughter of Jamaica. The fifth of seven children, Dr. Grizzle was born in St. James; however, her parents migrated shortly after her birth to Grange Hill, Westmoreland where she completed primary education. A past student of the Grange Hill Primary School, she displayed early scholarly smarts and was rewarded with a government scholarship to St. Andrew High School for Girls. Dr. Grizzle described her late father, James Constantine Augustus Campbell as amazing and gentle who encouraged her to read from an early age. “He made me feel like a ‘princess”, she said of her dad. Interestingly, her dad was also a pharmacist who discouraged his daughter from pursuing a similar career path due to the long wor...

“Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul”- Dave Pelzer Jamaica is often referred to as a Christian society. The society’s strong Judeo-Christian upbringing and socialization contribute to many of us being familiar with the Bible verse, Proverbs 13:24, “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly”. By now everyone would have watched or have heard of the video involving a mother dressed only in her underwear beating her pre-teen daughter with a machete. By now you would have come to arrive at some conclusion. For some in the society the mother should serve time in prison, while for others the mother should be given some counseling as well as parenting sessions. Historically, there is a sub-culture of a totalitarian approach to discipline as it relates to our children. Our perception of discipline is often skewed and most times no one comes to the defense of the victim. “A bad di pickney b...