Jamaican Gay Unions? Lisa Hanna Says Jamaica Not Ready For Same-Sex Families Despite Int'l Redefinition.....HRC urging them to recognise that families are becoming more sexually, ethnically, racially, religiously and stylistically diverse than generations ago.

Anastasia Cunningham, News Coordinator Gleaner Published: Friday | July 4, 2014

With the paradigm shift from what had once traditionally been held as a family, discussions are now taking place on the international front to move the world towards recognising same-sex unions as part of the normal, modern family make-up.

Lisa Hanna, Minister of Youth & Culture

Organisations such as the International Human Rights Commission have been in discussions with countries like Jamaica, urging them to recognise that families are becoming more sexually, ethnically, racially, religiously and stylistically diverse than generations ago.

In fact, already several countries - including the United Kingdom and some states in the United States - now legally recognise same-sex marriages.

However, without hesitation, Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna declared that Jamaica is far from ready to accept the international proposal of the redefinition of family.

"Some of the interesting things coming out of the new reports of the International Human Rights Commission, and what their policies are looking at, have to do with the traditional family and what the traditional family looks like or shouldn't look like and redefining the traditional family, as we know it," Hanna stated during a Gleaner Editors' Forum on Wednesday.

"However, at this stage, Jamaica is not ready for this new definition of family. That is going to take a tremendous amount of cultural change."

The culture minister was quick to point out, however, that "with the dialogue taking place internationally, Jamaica cannot afford to get behind the eight ball, and we cannot afford to be seen as not living up to our obligations … . Whether or not we feel that we will be bludgeoned into acquiescence, we will have to have a place at the table."

Hanna added: "It is going to be a very interesting time for international discussions going forward, both in terms of child rights and human rights, and I think - certainly from where we have to sit as policymakers - it almost seems as if … we are going to have to take very deliberate decisions as to how we proceed." more