Bahamas bans Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain has been banned in the Bahamas, prompting accusations of discrimination and censorship.
The Plays and Films Control Board is being pushed by cinemas and gay groups to change its decision which blocks any theatre screenings of the award winning gay cowboy movie at the request of the Bahamas Christian Council.
An officer on the board, Chavasse Turnquest-Liriano, said: “The board chose to ban it because it shows extreme homosexuality, nudity and profanity, and we feel that it has no value for the Bahamian public.”
One cinema owner, Philip Burrows, said: “I cannot understand denying people the right to make their own choices.”
Gay group, The Rainbow Alliance, called the ban a “farce,” and said most Bahamians reject the idea that a “small group of appointed individuals … can provide the moral compass for the entire country.”
Critics highlighted showings in countries where homosexuality is illegal and suggested an 18 rating rather than a ban.
