▁in ▁speaking ▁out ▁against ▁hom oph ob ia ▁in ▁J ama ica , ▁saying : ▁" For ▁many ▁years ▁J ama ica ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁freedom ▁f igh ters ▁and ▁liber ators , ▁so ▁it ▁hur ts ▁when ▁I ▁see ▁that ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁my ▁parents ▁is ▁now ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁people ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁sexual ▁orientation ." ▁ ▁Ze ph ania h ▁is ▁a ▁R ast af ari . ▁He ▁gave ▁up ▁sm oking ▁can nab is ▁in ▁his ▁th irt ies . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Ze ph ania h ▁was ▁offered ▁appointment ▁as ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire , ▁but ▁public ly ▁rejected ▁it . ▁In ▁a ▁subsequent ▁article ▁for ▁The ▁Guardian ▁he ▁elabor ated ▁upon ▁his ▁reaction ▁to ▁learning ▁about ▁being ▁considered ▁for ▁the ▁award ▁and ▁his ▁reasons ▁for ▁reject ing ▁it : ▁" Me ? ▁I ▁thought , ▁O BE ▁me ? ▁Up ▁yours , ▁I ▁thought . ▁I ▁get ▁angry ▁when ▁I ▁hear ▁that ▁word ▁' emp ire '; ▁it ▁rem inds ▁me ▁of ▁sla very , ▁it ▁rem inds ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁years ▁of ▁brut ality , ▁it ▁rem inds ▁me ▁of ▁how ▁my ▁for em oth ers ▁were ▁ra ped ▁and ▁my ▁for ef athers ▁brut al ised ... Ben jamin ▁Ze ph ania h ▁O BE ▁– ▁no ▁way ▁Mr ▁Bla ir , ▁no ▁way ▁Mrs ▁Queen . ▁I ▁am ▁prof ound ly ▁anti - emp ire ." ▁ ▁Ze ph ania