It's a holiday turned nightmare for two American gay men who were arrested last Wednesday in Dominica, where sex between two men is illegal.
The men identified in the media as John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 53, were on a gay cruise organised by Atlantis Events, a Southern California company that specialises in gay travel. They were on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship that carried some 2,000 passengers. Celebrity is a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
The pair, who are reportedly in a 17-year relationship, were allegedly seen having sex on the cruise ship by someone on the dock, and were initially charged with buggery (equivalent to sodomy) before they were eventually charged with indecent exposure. They were ordered to pay a fine of US$4,000.
Mayer, a retired police officer, said in an US TV interview: "This was a horrible experience. I'm not going to implicate myself one way or another, but we were charged with being naked on the balcony."
He told KTLA news the local authorities even wanted to have them medically evaluated.
"They were going to transport us to a medical facility and have us medically examined to determine if we had engaged in sexual activity."
The men were held in in a cell at police headquarters in the capital of Roseau for 19 hours, and Mayer said the small cement cell they were stuck in was inhumane. "No light, no water, no toilet," he said. "We were taunted all night long. They paraded us around like we were some oddity."
Businessweek quoted Atlantis Events President Rich Campbell, who was aboard the cruise, as saying that the company has organised many trips to Dominica and would "happily return" although Mayer has confirmed that he'd never return to Dominica.
He calls what happened to Mayer and Hart "minor" and "unfortunate."
"The guests were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and like getting a speeding ticket were simply caught, nothing more," Campbell said.
"Many countries and municipalities that gay men visit and live in have antiquated laws on their books," he said. "These statutes don't pose a concern to us in planning a tourist visit."
"The guests' actions were unfortunate but minor in this case and have no bearing on our overall guest experience," he added.
The Caribbean Islands is a popular cruise region even for gay cruises despite sodomy being illegal in the majority of those countries. In 2010, the Cayman Islands rejected the arrival of an Atlantis gay cruise amid protests from religious groups even though homosexuality is legal on the archipelago. The presence of gay cruises in the region has also riled several other conservative islands including Jamaica and Grenada, where sodomy is illegal.
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Mayer, ...."This was a horrible experience. I'm not going to implicate myself one way or another, but we were charged with being naked on the balcony."
Well, Even Canada legalize gay marriage that does not mean you can have sex and naked in public. In the ship, there are always have minor and people who are conservative. They will be charged no manner where there are in the world. Perhaps Canadian prison has better conditions.
GOOD FINE AND GAVE THEM A GOOD LESSON. Mayer was a police office, he should know he would be charged in USA if he do the same stuff there. Do not blame Caribbean islands. Well done to the authorities. They shame us as gay.
Canada has legal naked beaches. Of cause, not for fcuking. lol
Going on vacation does not mean leaving your brain at home.
What do you not understand ALL gay sex, private or otherwise, is illegal in Dominica?
To the president of Atlantis who feels this was "minor": you can f. off, taking a gay cruise to a destination "happily" that is illegal to be gay is pretty down right stupid.
but if they do, well it's them who played with fire, so don't get all grumpy if u get burnt.
What about the passengers who pay to be on the ship that take them there? What would you call them? I have friends who were on the ship and said that they saw 2 men "going at it" as they (my friends) were de-boarding. I personally think the 2 Californians got off easy with just fines. If you can't respect the culture/law of the country, don't go there...
"....were allegedly seen having sex on the cruise ship by someone on the dock,...." Viewed from public place to private room/balcony. They like it, everyone disagree? It would be so excited to have a fcuking show like Titani. lol
Can anyone here tell me a place in this planet allow you to have sex publicly without breaking the laws INCLUDING in the legal naked beaches for human being (except animals)? NO. The couple broke the law not because they are gay, simply indecency in public.
In Canada, it is illegal to be nude in a public place, or while on private property but exposed to public view. Take a look at the Canadian news in order not to blame the Caribbean island of Dominica. We would charge the guys the same stuff even in New York or Singapore or China, Hong Kong or... In Arab countries, lol They would have been killed before have a chance to appear in the court.
Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120112/bracebridge-ontario-public-nudity-laws-challenge-ruling-120112/#ixzz1qGpXa4aO
"Mayer, a retired police officer, said in an US TV interview... we were charged with being naked on the balcony."
Good lesson to both of you. You would be charged in Canada too but we have better quality cell and conditional to lock both of you. They were made in Canada not China. lol lol
Mayer, you were a police officer. You should know the nudity laws in USA. Sorry to judge on you. I think both of you have NO BRAIN at all. I hope you read my message CLEAR. Stupid. You made gays so fcuking shame in your case.
Since both of you like expose your sex publiclly. Why not work as a porn star. Legal and making good money too.
i dont think someone will accuse you of doing something illegal if there's no burden of proof. whats their interest if youre just basking under the sun?
Lesson - when go places, do what Romans do.
Sorry but guilty as charged. If they were in their bedroom no issue. Cmon why do gay people have the need to flaunt their sexuality where heteros do not?
Do u need to have sex on the balcony during the day where people can see?
And how was this like getting a speeding fine? Unless you were having sex while you were speeding.....
Do we believe that crime in any public place sex? Have you?
Remember a few years ago the case of Singapore, Two men have sex in public toilets? Also be fined. We can not simply say "Sex musn‘t be in public place“. Sex at any public area are an offense, Even if no presence of any other outsider。Is this reasonable? Can we all accept？I doubt。
Some even ashamed of their behavior. In fact, we need not for everyone crime and ashamed, even if he is a homosexual. Every day there are thousands of crimes on the one hundred cases. If that happens, we must already whom shame is dead.
http://deadspin.com/5841893/the-c+roll-stash-part-i-sex-above-the-skydome-nsfw
(The 1st 53 seconds are tit exposure)
an amazingly I doubt there will an article explaining that one on Fridae!
On a wider note the US can extradite people who have never set foot in the USofA for crimes that are not crimes in their own country. But when abroad just don't get caught.
In fact, NO ARTICLES ever said that the pair had sex in public. It always stated that someone (anyone even a local Dominican) on the DOCK, saw the pair had sex on the cruise ship, which means it could have been their own room and the person saw through the porthole. Funny, how no articles ever pointed out where they were seen. I don't understand why the rush judgement that they actually had sex in public. We must remember this country is homophobic and any slight man-loving going on will be subjected to harsh critiques, so I'm a little more weary of what actually happened.
Now the charges lowered to 'indecent exposure', okay so the question comes to mind, did both of them walked around naked on the ship when it was docked or in Dominican's waters?? Did NO ONE thought about that? This case seems to bring more questions than answers really.
-- will be safer to join Atlantis cruise at the europe side, i think.
My own sense of fairness says that (1) any individual, or (2) parents who escorting their children, walking on the beach or using a toilet, have a right not to trip over a couple of any persuasion "going at it" like a couple of stray dogs. I think human beings should conduct themselves better.
And while I am at it, many gay websites are BLOCKED in some countries because of the cavalier attitude they take toward local sensitivities. Thus one may not otherwise be able to communicate with a friend on manjam or manhunt, gaydar, gayromeo, etc. Why? just look at some of their imagery especially on exit. Imagine the offense given by a parent with his kids in a Vietnamese or Indonesian internet cafe, on seeing some of this porn.
We want fairness? We need to GIVE it. That means not knocking over others' morality while they try to make room for us. Acting civilized. Do we fart in crowded lifts just because we feel like it? All that old fashioned stuff that does not give much sensual gratification, or are some of us just centered on that in our lives? So kudos to Fridae for the "Revised Photo Policy". Put a face in that profile, no more "TAD" (tits ass, and dix). I am so tired of seeing those worthless f***ing profiles.
Are we all believe that sex and nudity are dirty and evil?
Are we all think it is sin(even in public)?
I couldn't understant.
Recently spoke with a couple friends who were on that very cruise.
The guys in question were pure exhibitionists, doing it right there on their balcony for all to see (and photograph) while the ship was docked in Dominica. Now that's asking for trouble, regardless of the country you're in (or your sexual orientation). Sex in any way, shape or form shouldn't be out in the open for kids to see, right?
When I first heard media reports, I was thinking how unfortunate/whatever, these guys were victimized. But after hearing the perspective of fellow passengers, I can't offer any sympathies for dumb behavior that had no attempt at discretion.
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