Sonia, of course no one is suggesting that. No one is suggesting there is anything wrong with Jamaica as a country, or that it has given anything of benefit to the world. And no one is suggesting that Buju is responsible for all homophobia.
But it is a fact that hatred inciting music doesn't help- I have seen it happen; kids copy singers, how they dress, the language they use, even the views they hold.
Also, Pu Li...did that comment really add anything to the debate?

Carmelita, Gateshead,

Two sides of the coin. If gays are fiercely protected in publicly celebrating their sexuality, then others should be equally protected in disagreeing. The problem right now is that simply disagreeing with the lifestyle is cause to be labeled "homophobic" and a "hater."

As a former secondary schools teacher, I knew students who were simply different or what one might call "late bloomers" told by others that they were probably gay. That seems to be the stamp being imprinted on the young who don't fit in. It doesn't matter that they have, at the most, only a 10 percent chance of actually being gay. I guess it's easier to affix the gay label instead of spending time learning more about the young people and their lives. When they would open up to me, I discovered learning problems, physical or emotional abuse in the home, poor self-esteem from a variety of causes -- not homosexuality.

Leave the kids alone.

Julia, Abilene, TX USA

I can never help wondering whether people who believe that it's normal and natural to fear homosexuality have ever actually known homosexual people. My own instinct has always been to have reservations *not* about people who desire or love those of the same sex--but about people who hate and fear other people simply because of their inborn instincts about whom to desire or love. Hatred, fear, ignorance, and contempt are problems; love and desire are, in themselves, not. The phrase "political correctness," which has no actual meaning, is also a problem. Doing your fair and generous best not to "tolerate" but to understand and accept the lives of people who may not be like you but who aren't doing you any harm--this is not some "politically correct" gesture. It's an open, loving, and unjudgmental way to approach other human beings. Life is hard enough as it is without making it harder on others by indulging in fear and ignorance. It doesn't take much "savvy" to understand that.

Sarah, Cambridge, UK

David Bachauer, Manchester:

What absolute tosh you write. Assuming from your contribution that you are not homosexual, then I suggest you don't make ridiculous and condescending comments based on your obvious ignorance.

Homosexuality is no more biologically perverse than being left handed, short-sighted or any of the other myriad variations of life on the planet.

And what makes you think that homosexuals cannot procreate?

MarkD, Leeds,

Here we go. Once again Buju and Jamaica are linked to UK homophobia. No doubt they are responsible for any/all gay bashing for all eternity in the UK.

It's inconceivable that any good could have been done by the man and his country isn't it?

Sonia Williams, London,

Oh bugger.....

Roxanne is a sixth former, can't spell, can't construct a sentence or use capitals appropriately.

And the author is worrying about other issues?

Never mind, as long as we don't hate homosexuals everything will be OK!!

Pu Li, Guangxi,

I think we should put more value on freedom of speech and expression of a personal view than on invented words like 'homophobic' which turn ordinary human opinion into something that calls for condemnation. Fascism flourishes when plurality of view is suppressed. If we can stop the mind fascists from taking over, then the right argument will always win. If we give in to the fascists then we are lost, both as individuals and as a nation.

John, Kenilworth,

Oh dear. Are people trotting out the old "genetic" argument about homosexuality? It's slightly more sophisticated than "gay people can't breed", lads. Turns out that genetically the sisters of gay men make better mothers. So the gay gene stays bound up through our history with the very best family groups.

David, Birmingham,

Perhaps Paul from Rochester doesn't realise it is people with his views that cause many social ills, too. Through my line of work, I have to deal with the fall out from homophobia, whether it be emotional distress (genuine, as opposed to the "emotional distress" caused by spilling hot coffee on yourself, the type where it is difficult for the person to go out), or physical injuries. The rate of suicide in gay men is far higher than that of straight, any possible reason for that?

It's the kind of idiotic, insensitive, pigheaded views such as we shouldn't tackle homophobia which is keeping our country in the Dark Ages.

Jamie, Sheffield,

The incident Janice relates in the playgroung exposes an alarming trend.
Currently black children see any "affront" ( asking them to be quite, asking them to try harder) to them by a white person as racist.. If the laws Janice is asking for come through then, heterosexual people will find themselves in the same position-i.e any occasion they have to disagree with a gay person, they will be labelled homophobic.
It will soon be a disadvantage to be White and Straight.

phollie, Bromley,

6 comments above - everyone of which makes you despair fpr people

stephen herlihy, Bristol, Uk

How do you suggest preventing homophobic bullying? As it general stems from teenagers own insecurity of their own sexuality it's difficult to prevent unless somehow the entire cultural attitude to homosexuality is altered. People may seem more open minded and accepting when it comes to sexuality, but most people are less confident in their views when it turns out that someone close to them, who isn't what stereotypes tell us is obviously homosexual, isn't straight.

annetsceptic, Loughborough, UK

i.e from Norwich, your argument is illogical because while I don't doubt people have committed suicide due to being bullied about weight or being ginger, suicide amongst gay teenagers is tragically high, far higher than is reprosentative of teenagers as a whole. The amin reason for this is homophobic bullying.
Homophobic bullying is certainly not just the left's pet project, that has little relevance to real life. It is a huge problem. So your statement 'Ought it not be best to concentrate on those that end with death?' is actually an argument FOR tackling this.

Carmelita, Gateshead,

If you son gets no response to "Well, what's wrong with being gay anyway?", then either he attends a school where behaviour is reasonable, or he and his peer group are of the age/maturity to settle disputes in such a cordial fashion.

The reality in many schools, is, however, very different. This is merely a reflection of the communities within which children are raised. So, I firmly agree with Leo Jones when he says that the behaviour of older men in the UK should change. I'm not sure about his reference to teachers using language like "poof", however (certainly not in the presence of children - they'll string you up for it, trust me).

The problem with this is that people's true feelings about homosexuality are unlikely to change. Homophobia is rife in most major religions, which ultimately stems from human rather than god-like sensibilities.

Stop assuming that schools can be used to change societies attitude to things that are a matter of personal instinct.

Stu, London,

Or fat kids. Or ginger ones. Or those with glasses. Or clever ones. Or they go to Church. Or are just different. Because there's no law? Never heard of a kid committing suicide over racist taunts, plenty though over those associated with the above. Just because homosexuality is has been adopted by the 'left' doesn't mean it should get special attention. Rather like race really. Ought it not be best to concentrate on those that end with death?

i.e., Norwich, England

Homosexuality has traditionally been one of the main points of British hypocrisy and the present accent on homophobia is merely a development of that condition. It has become monumentally tedious, as it preoccupies the news and the media in general. It can hardly be genuine when a disproportionate number of programmes on TV are either gay or gay accented. The problem is that the media and show business is disproportionately supplied by members of the gay community and attitudes in that respect are disproportionately accented. Thus any die hard fascist can easily ingratiate themself to an audience with their liberality by berating the issue of homophobia, which exists no more than any other form of discrimination; such as the purely financial.

Henry Percy, London, UK

So taunting a fat football player is perfectly acceptable, Janice?

Fred, Brighton,

To have reservations about homosexuality is normal and instinctive. It is undeniably biologically perverse because a race which was exclusively homosexual would disappear in the absence of artificial insemination. This does not mean one should not be compassionate about the condition, but it should not be promoted as equivalent to heterosexuality nor should children be corrected for the normal rough and tumblel ribbing, whether racist or homophobic.

David Bachauer, Manchester , UK

And Janice Turner doesn't have the savvy to realise that those with her opinions are the root of most the problems in British society today.

Paul, Rochester, UK

Teenagers are very insecure about their sexuality and therefore the most likely to react badly to even a hint of homosexuality. Teachers have a big role here and many teachers are very good at picking up on the use of homophobic words etc. Sadly though most older male teachers and the more macho 'lad' like younger ones themselves model homophobic attitudes by using words like poof for people who do a bad sports move etc. I dont think they mean to be homophobic, it is just how they were brought up to behave as men. I am saying therefore that what needs changing is not schools themselves but rather the behaviour of older men in the UK.

Leo Jones, Holyhead, UK

"What's wrong with being gay?" asks Janice.

Answer, it is a displacement of the sexual reproductive impulse - what might be called a 'sexual disorientation'.

That doesn't mean you have to shoot people. But it doesn't mean you have to ignore realities, either.

John Richardson, Elsenham, UK

My experience from teaching 16-20 year olds was that they saw it fashionable to be mildly homophobic. Homosexuality is still considered as 'queer' and its practitioners are the objects of ridicule but seldom to their faces.

burrator, St Sulpice, France

Well in sixth form we have all the assemblies about racism etc. If this is supposed to cause awareness then why do people of ethnic minorities still suffer in education etc.? I think these assembilies, this forcing of multi-cultural things on children causes resentment when my mother taught English they had to do a "black book" it wouldnt nessercarily be a good one (though some undoubtedly are) and the children would all be like "not another black book" I don't think the goverment or anyone else takes the right approach with children on discrimination we are not stupid we don't need to be patronised or have the same assembly topic about 8 times a year, it actually ruins fun activities when we click it's actually to learn not to be racist or sexist. If Children are getting cleverer then adults are getting stupider if they think that overeacting about things like discrimination helps. You can call someone fat but not black insults are insults. Political corectness is getting out of hand.

Roxanne, Stoke-on-Trent, UK