OP-Ed & Features, Gender & Sexuality - Wednesday, December 17, 2008 17:17

Patrick Todd to members of parliament: Tell Barbados if you’re gay.

By Antillean, News Desk

ptodd

In an incomprehensible detour from logic, MP for the City of Bridgetown and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Patrick Todd, has called on his colleagues in the House of Assembly to declare their sexual orientation.

Todd’s comments came during debate on a resolution for a US$35m loan to finance Government’s second HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project, which (one hopes) does not involve chasing Barbadians out of the closet as a means of controlling the disease.

In his curious submission to parliament, Todd stressed the need for MPs to be “good role models”, claiming that there is too much sexual behaviour in Barbados which promotes promiscuity, and that “current trends” (read: homosexuality?) need to be stopped immediately.

Further defying his post as an education ‘expert’, Todd even found the time to make a backward swipe against the distribution of condoms in prison, claiming that their availability would increase sexual activity among inmates – ignorant, it seems, to the high prevalence of rape and forced sex behind bars.

In a speech that went on to include other zingers such as “condoms are not made for anal sex”, Todd descended into further incoherencies on the use of the internet for the procurement of sex, while stating that he  supported the construction of a minimum security prison for no other reason than to reduce the incidence of promiscuity among inmates. Indeed, even on the only relevant topic  in his speech – the issue of antiretroviral drugs -  Todd again managed to skirt all intelligence as he lauded the drugs for their ability to delay the disease’s progression,  but could find no other benefit for this outcome other than “decreasing finger pointing” towards people living with HIV/AIDS.

Not only should Patrick Todd be banned from public speaking, but his cabinet colleagues would do well to distance themselves from his inane comments, lest one misinterprets this government’s HIV/AIDS policy as one that now sees the virus as a homosexual disease, while encouraging the naming and branding of homosexuals to stem its spread. At the same time, cabinet may also wish to reassure Barbadians that the proposed measures to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS are a bit more intellectually complex than merely providing drug therapy, so that persons living with the disease look healthy enough not to be jeered at in public.

In the interim, Minister Todd may also find it beneficial to take a lesson on the varied uses of condoms (in the vagina, anus and mouth), as well as the more relevant benefits of antiretroviral drugs – a lesson which he now deserves to take from the backbenches of parliament.

Antillean · Bridgetown, Barbados

The Antillean is a pan-Caribbean nonprofit media outlet, covering news, features and opinions on social issues in the Caribbean region and the wider Americas. Our mission is to encourage conversation on, and enhance the visibility of, social currencies within the hemisphere – issues which are often underreported in the mainstream media.

info@antillean.org

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11 Comments

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Barbados Kathy Lehay from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 19:21

Kudos for not calling him a blasted idiot.

Barbados Editor from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 19:32

Never!

Barbados Russel M. from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 19:50

- > “…in the vagina, anus and mouth” hahahah, glad to see you back. what an asinine comment by Mr. Todd but what can one expect eh?

United States TOC from Kentucky, United States
Dec 17, 2008 20:03

I saw the headline on nationnews.com and started to read the story but had to abandon it! I am glad I did if your references to his comments about condoms in prisons and anti-retroviral drugs are true. I was embarrassed that after more than 2 decades of public education, someone in Parliament would in a debate on HIV/AIDS call for disclosure of sexual orientation. Someone needs to welcome him into the 21st century and explain that specific sexual behaviour(s) NOT SEXUAL ORIENTATION may result in transmission of this disease. I came on to this blog specifically to see if anyone was as appalled as I was, and I am not disappointed!!

Barbados Editor from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 20:17

Thanks TOC. It was really too stupid and embarrassing to let it go without mention.

Barbados Observer from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 22:50

He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Barbados Observer from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 17, 2008 23:44

Also, in the midst of all of this, did he say what sexual preference he had?

Barbados eemanee from Saint James, Barbados
Dec 18, 2008 19:50

A detour from logic? Doesn’t detour suggest that he was either on his way there or intending to get there.

Can’t he just do like other politicians, who shall remain nameless, and not unpick his teet in parliament EVER again?

Barbados Andrew Franklyn from Saint Lucy, Barbados
Dec 19, 2008 13:12

He looks like an idiot and also like he’s never had sex in his life. The comments are shocking but not surprising given who they are coming from. That this clown is in a cabinet position is an embarrassment to Barbados and Barbadians at large.

Barbados Lee from Saint Michael, Barbados
Dec 21, 2008 14:34

I am flabbergasted by what I read everyday. And just when I think “Well it can’t get worse” something comes and tops it….as someone pointed out, did he declare his sexual preference? But most importantly I do NOT Care and neither should the general population of Barbados? Were you elected to mind bedroom business and PRIVATE lives of persons or to run and govern the country? Clearly it appears that there is nothing of substance to be said from Mr. Todd so this is just another diversion tactic employed by his party to cover up that nothingness they are doing. Grrr!

United Kingdom sammy from London, United Kingdom
Jan 4, 2009 13:24

Todd needs a [edited] to put him straight, he need a stint in prison so he can talk from experience

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