NO HAY SOLUCION (There's no solution)

Por eso la huelga continua. (So the strike continues.) Last week I kept myself entertained by following my friend Ruben around on his job. He's working for AECI, a Spanish organization that works in partnership with DISA (my workplace), on various sexual education programmes.


LA CARCEL: TALLER DE VIH/SIDA (HIV/AIDS workshop in the prison)

Prison: Looks kinda tranquil, doesn't it? It was actually quite relaxed. There was a bit of security to get in (not much actually, not like the Grupo 5 concert where I got frisked on the way in) but once inside everyone just seemed to be hanging out. There's men and women together, they have separate quarters but can mix during the day. We chatted with the prisoners without a guard in sight most of the time.



Thought I better throw in this photo to make it look a bit more prison-like.

Ruben didn't seem to think that a chapel was an appropriate place for an HIV/AIDS workshop, but, I don't know, it seems to go with the whole salvation theme, if you ask me.


HOMOFOBIA PRESENTACION
This presentation was to a group of young people attending a leadership conference. I found it interesting and it raised a few questions for me. Below are a few snippets from Ruben's powerpoint presentation followed by an attempt at an English translation and some of my questions.


Definición de homofobia: Se refiere a la aversión, miedo irracional, odio, prejuicio o discriminación contra hombres y mujeres homosexuales

Definition of homophobia: the aversion, irrational fear, hatred, prejudice or discrimination against homosexual men and women.

Primero, tenemos que tener en cuenta que, como dice
la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos:
“Todos los hombres nacen libres e iguales en dignidad
y derechos y, dotados como están de razón y conciencia,
deben comportarse fraternalmente los unos con los otros”

First, we have to keep in mind what it says in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood (or sisterhood)."

La homosexualidad NO es:
- Producto de una educación deficiente
- “Contagiosa”
- Un problema hormonal
- Perversión o falta de valores
- Una enfermedad mental
- Problemas de soledad, autoestima, etc

Homosexuality is not:
- the product of a deficient education
- contagious
- a hormonal problem
- perversion or lack of values
- a mental illness
- problems of loneliness, self esteem, etc.

One question that I think someone asked (I'm not sure I understood it properly though) was, is it still discrimination if you disagree with someone's sexual lifestyle but don't act on your thoughts? For example, if you think it's wrong to be homosexual but you go about your life allowing others to live as they wish. Is it actually possible to avoid discriminating against someone if you think what they're doing is wrong, perverted, lacking in values?

I think it's easy not to think about these issues if you're not mixing with anyone that has a different sexuality or gender identification from yourself. But maybe that's a type of discrimination - avoiding a certain group of people so you're not forced to make a judgment about them.

Is it natural? I think for a Catholic society like Peru this is a particularly difficult question. Is homosexuality something that God intended? Is it a cultural thing? Many cultures have been practising homosexuality without shame since ancient times. Apparently in Iran the state supports sex changes (but oppose homosexuality) because it is accepted that sometimes a person of one gender might accidentally end up in the body of the opposite gender. Does God make mistakes? Homosexuality exists in the animal kingdom as well, does that mean it is a legitimate part of nature?

Comments?