If Soca star Machel Montano came out as gay, what would happen?

Our old friend Karel McIntosh of Outlish Magazine takes a look at how mass media transforms attitudes to gays. But does the same apply to gay Soca artistes?

by Karel McIntosh Outlish Magazine

Studies show that people are likely to be less prejudiced towards gay people through parasocial contact via mass media. What this simply means is that you’re socialised through one-sided interaction. You know a lot about the other person – the celebrity who’s gay or the gay character in “Will & Grace” or “Sex & The City” – but the celebrity doesn’t know much about you.

And, through regular consumption, your prejudice levels begin to drop – most likely, I suppose, because you begin to see them as human characters, and not as “that gay man or woman”.

But does increased tolerance really mean that people are ready to see homosexuality, which is still viewed as an alternative lifestyle, represented on the big stage?

Would thousands jump up in Soca Monarch for a gay artiste? Would the grassroots in general admission go for it?

Would thousands jump up in Soca Monarch for a gay artiste? Would people be cool if a male singer put “he” where they’d have expected “she” in a song? Or would we really not care because, oh lawd…de song sweet!

Read the full Outlish Magazine article Soca and Sexuality: What if your Favourite Artiste was Gay?

Shocking misinformation by politicians on tourism: the foundation of our economy

by Adrian Loveridge, small hotel owner

Whenever possible I listen to the radio broadcasts of both houses of Parliament, especially if there is a possibility tourism will be discussed. When recently, Senate members were responding to the budget, I paid particular attention to one speaker and was frankly shocked by the level of misinformation about our number one industry that was being disseminated. I thought that at any moment, one of the other twenty Senators would raise a point or order and everybody present would benefit from fact rather than fiction.

Sadly, it didn’t happen, and I got to thinking that if tourism is really going to be taken seriously at all levels of governance, should we not have people in place that are sufficiently informed to make a positive contribution.

Looking around at the composition of the Upper House, it consists of lawyers, a captain of commerce, agriculturalist, financial advisor, clergyman, trade unionist, former diplomat, teacher, credit union manager, academic, economist, and a medical professor amongst others. In all, individuals, many of which have four or five decades of acquired ability and knowledge in their own fields of endeavour.

But not a single tourism expert, with the length and breadth knowledge of the industry to ensure that all the combined expertise is maximised in this sector. Perhaps it is unreasonable for everyone to be an thoroughly versed on every subject debated, but surely more homework has to be done to allow information proffered is constructive rather than destructive.