6693: re 6687 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: frelgo@rcn.com

There's a deeper cultural reason for the dislike of homosexuals in
Haiti; What Dorce speaks of is quite true but is relatively recent (past
20-25 years).

In the rural society, st least in Old Haiti, the economy was so fragile,
with incomes of about $150 a year--- that anything that upset the
social balance also upset their money.Any outrageous element that could
upset that balance was taboo. It is also one of the reasons why there is
such a fine morality and tradition amongst the peasantry. The masisi was
then and now an outrageous element. limited only to Carnival time when
cross-dressing etc was part of the humor, caricature and fun. It is why,
in the old days, that a very young John Gielgud would come to Haiti to
prance in drag which he could not do in the England of those days. Today
the gay element is much more obvious along the lines that Dorce
correctly defines,but the negative connotations are a very old and
practical tradition indeed.

david x young