Brian Williamson
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Brian Williamson (d. June 5 2004) was a notable Jamaican Gay rights activist, co-founder of the Jamaican forum for lesbians and gays, J-Flag. He was known for personally housing and looking after gay people in Jamaica, who suffered severe discrimination.
He was murdered with a machete, suffering seventy stab wounds to neck and face - but Jamaican police maintain that the killing was done by robbers, and was not motivated by homophobia or hatred of Williamson's work. Homosexuality is outlawed in Jamaica and there is little or no public support for gay rights. Police indifference to assaults on homosexuals have led to many gay Jamaican men to seek asylum in Britain.
Jamaican musicians including Beenie Man, Bounty Killer and Elephant Man who have openly expressed their disapproving view of the Gay and Lesbian LIfestyle have become targets of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Community.
External links
- New Times article detailing murder and subsequent outcry (http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/2004-06-24/news.html)
- Outrage! on the murder of Brian Williamson (http://www.outrage.org.uk/briefing.asp?ID=86)
- J-FLAG (http://www.jflag.org/)