The Gay community has reportedly been using one of the greatest songs of reggae icon Bob Marley to imply that the legend and his contemporaries would have accepted their lifestyle. “No Woman, no cry” is allegedly sung in gay clubs across Europe.
Commenting on the planned Straight Pride parade in New York, gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, a spokesperson for OutRage! and the Stop Murder Music campaign, said:
“Let them have their misnamed Straight Pride parade. They say it is a celebration of heterosexuality, but really it’s a promotion of straight supremacism. Their parade is driven by a homophobic agenda.
“They defend artists who incite hatred and violence against LGBT people.
“The organisers falsely claim that the Stop Murder Music campaign is an attack on reggae music. Nonsense.
“It is an attack on a small number of reggae singers who have perverted reggae’s message of peace, love and justice.
“They have betrayed the liberation ideals of the reggae pioneers and are hijacking the genre to turn it into an anthem of homophobic hatred and violence.
“They are encouraging civil war in the black community. They want black straight people to kill black lesbians and gay men.
“These idiots don’t even realise that one of Bob Marley’s most famous songs contains lyrics that send a coded message of support and solidarity to black gay men. It’s called No Women No Cry.
“We play the song in gay clubs. People sing along and add the words that Marley dared not himself say: ‘No woman, no cry when you got gay guy.’”
The “straight pride parade” is being organized by TCOOO Productions and is scheduled to be held on August 31, 2008. The parade will take place on Eastern Parkway along the same route as the annual Caribbean labour day parade.
New reggae / dancehall sensation Jango Fresh said, “the straight pride parade is a great idea because when a song like “Hit them hard” by my label mate Stapler can be banned just because it stresses the importance of a male and a female in every family, it is a sign that heterosexuals need to wake up.
