Caribbean IRN Blog

(Reprinted in Guyana Chronicle, Sunday 26 May, 2013 "Tales From Way Back When" ) (Guiana Graphic: April 1, 1966 ) ‘CAROLINE’, a 65-year-old patient whose a sex abnormality created a stir among doctors and nurses in the New Amsterdam Hospital as she lay dying, was neither male nor female. A doctor who made his revelation yesterday disclosed that the patient was a victim of the abnormality from birth, and carried around a body that was partly male and partly female.' The doctor said that this condition could have been corrected if the patient had sought the necessary operation at the age of about 16, but according to the doctor, when the patient arrived at the hospital in a dying condition, the question of such an operation was ruled out. ‘Caroline-' Vaughn. of African descent, was born in New  Amsterdam, and her only known relative is an adopted son. Persons who regarded Caroline  as a woman said: "She wore necklaces and earrings and feminine undergarments...

The months of April and May 2013 saw LGBT issues being discussed in Caribbean courts and in the media. The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia celebrations around 17 May, 2013 provided focus to the work being done in the Caribbean. Activist Deni James of the group, MSM No Political Agenda of Trinidad & Tobago died on 8 May, 2013. In Belize, the prohibition of homosexuals from entering the country became personal for Maurice Tomlinson who decided not to apply for a waiver to go visit his son , who was doing well in a Spelling Bee competition. Caribbean Commentary continued with articles such as Sexuality and the State by Dr Dylan Kerrigan,  Peeping Tom in Guyana asking "C oming Soon our Way  : Same Sex Marriage " and Stella Says in Stabroek News "W e all have the right to be who we really are " In Guyana, the Constitutional Challenge on the Cross Dressing laws came up in Court, while in Belize, the UNIBAM Constitutional Challenge was al...

by Gregory Sanjay May 2013 ( Greg Sanjay is a gay Guyanese who lives in Sunnyside, Queens, New York City. He studied molecular biology and psychology and aspires to be a therapist and an author. His experiences of being gay in Guyana have shaped those aspirations as well as his desire to see a deeper sense of community and acceptance in Guyana. ) What it means to be Guyanese has been a recurrent thought over the past year. This year marks an important milestone - more than half my life has been lived in another country. Despite this, I am undeniably Guyanese. I speak with my native accent and retain a strong sense of attachment to the country and its customs. This suggests that a person’s identity is weighted heavily on childhood experiences. There are many developmental theories that corroborate my experience. They point out that childhood experiences set the foundation for emotional, cognitive and social development of the individual. I agree. Despite living...

(Guyana Graphic January 16, 1968) and reprinted in Guyana Chronicle "Tales from Way Back When, Clifford Stanely"  12 May,  2013 A YOUNG man, Compton Bowen of Bagotsville, West Bank Demerara, who was found wearing a miniskirt on Sunday was yesterday ordered to be sent to the Georgetown Hospital for psychiatric treatment. The order was made by Magistrate Aubrey Bishop when Bowen pleaded guilty to a charge of wearing female clothing for an improper purpose. The prosecutor, Sergeant Charles said that the Police were on patrol on Sunday morning. when they saw Bowen strolling along Water Street wearing a miniskirt and carrying a wallet. The prosecutor said that Bowen was twisting his waist from side to side like a female. (Cartoon might be from Mr Stanley)

Between 1838 and 1917, the British brought indentured labour from India to the then British Guiana.  An 1898 report from the Governor of British Guiana to the Colonial Office in England reports on the punishment meted out by the Surgeon Superintendent of the Mersey against two men Nabi Baksh and Mohangoo for committing sodomy. "Nobibux was put in irons and Mohangu, after blistering his penis, was made to holystone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. " The Surgeon Superintendent said that he had "known of cases where the penis had been blistered, as a prevention treatment, in cases of Masturbation with boys" When the ship docked in British Guiana, there was an investigation which included testimony from others on the ship. This report was donated by author Gaiutra Bahadur. Ms Bahadur got the report from the Colonial Office Correspondence books at the UK National Archives at Kew, United Kingdom while doing research for her soon to be...