Caribbean IRN Blog

Will Dominica be the first to repeal their homophobic laws? Baroness Scotland who was born in Dominica and is Commonwealth Secretary General d esignate has vowed to talk about decriminalisation of homosexuality in Commonwealth states. It seems she will talk everywhere except at the heads of government meetings which 'need consensus' for the agendas. In Bermuda, the Supreme Court ruled that those in same-sex partnerships with Bermudans had the same residence rights  as spouses of Bermudans even as the opponents of same-sex marriage target the island.  This ruling seems to have the potential of equality,  more than the one in Guyana where the ruling on the 'cross dressing laws' did not prevent police from charging Nicholas Kissoon for cross dressing.  Trinidad & Tobago Parliamentarians were caught up in a bacchanal about homophobic insults. The Jamaica Observer  editorialised about the homophobic comments  of the Minister of Justice. Caribbe...

The message of loving the sinner from the persons who p rayed and worshiped against  homosexuality" at Half Way Tree, Kingston was different from the other citizens who tried to attack a gay man a few days earlier in the same spirit. However,  Sergeant Robert Cameron of the Jamaica Constabulary Force intervened and  "rescued" the gay man, Sky,  from the citizens who do not believe in loving the sinner.  The UK Prime Minister David Cameron also came in for some love from Christian citizens who believed he was on the island to push for gay marriage and repealing the buggery law. Cuba's LGBT citizens reportedly hoped for changes in the Catholic church on the visit of Papa Francisco to Cuba. Activist Alberto Guerra spoke about LGBT life at an event in Chicago. Prime Minister Keith Mitchell of Grenada also preaches about who should judge who in  Brooklyn New York, USA  (Kellon Bubb video) Colin Robinson has an interview on St Kitts & Nevis...

Photo by Maurice Tomlinson - Barbados Stand for Equality - 19 August, 2015 from http://stpaulsfdr.org/Media_Blog/index.html Activist Colin Robinson asked What do LGBTI voters have to vote for?  in Trinidad & Tobago's recent elections. Blogger Brandon O'Brien wrote about the " The State of The Division: LGBT Rights in Trinidad and Tobago, As It Stands Today " which gives a history of the ambiguity and ambivalence (not the fascinating sexual kind) of LGBTI talk in Trinidad & Tobago.  The People's Partnership's 2015 Manifesto, like the ones of the APNU+AFC Coalition and the PPP/C in Guyana's May 2015 elections, included a key principle about not discriminating on the grounds of sexual orientation.  The Allies for Justice & Diversity put up a manifesto  J owelle De Souza, a transgender citizen ran for a seat in her constituency as an independent candidate. New Prime Minister Keith Rowley had said , on LGBTI rights, that he was not prepar...

Image from  https://blackatlanticresource.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/noctambules-the-hidden-transcripts/ In Guyana, two men kill Noel Nephi Luthers . The police have the pictures of the killers but there have been no arrests. Thin Slice talks about her relationship with Samuel Bristol who went on a murderous rampage in July 2014. In Barbados, Darcy Dear from UGLAB talks about gay bashing. The Trinidad Guardian writes about being ' Transgender in T&T ', and Alessandra Hereman's story from Guyana is told in a  Voices of Youth   blog. In Belize, a man is charged for assaulti ng Caleb Orozco. July began with the CARICOM Heads of Government dealing with a petition to preserve Caribbean families  and to resist pressure from foreign governments and so on. CARIFLAGS also wrote to ask the Governments to ensure that Caribbean LGBT citizens are ensured of the protection of their rights , same as any other citizen. The UN Secretary General also talks ...

Pride Flag at Big Black Box formerly Bohemia, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, TT Image from Shane McCutcheon Kaieteur News in Guyana recognises gay citzenship in an editorial  calling for Divine Intervention in Guyana saying that "Let the familiar adage of “one hand washes the other” continue to ring true. Gay man, straight man, every man, every woman and child from every race or ethnicity; let us unite like we do in times of disaster and pray for our leaders to lead the country in the right path. " Caribbean newspapers wrote editorials related to the Same Sex marriage ruling in the USA.  The Jamaica Gleaner wrote A Matter of Fundamental Rights , In Trinidad & Tobago, The TT Express talked about The Right to Be Gay  and the TT Guardia n was more measured. Guyana Times  seems to lament that "The debate in Guyana on LGBT rights has lagged." as activists and advocates and others called fo r Visibility and Inclusivity on LGBT issue s. Other Caribbean...

While the USA sent their LGBT Envoys to Jamaica and then apologized  for the miscommunication  , Cuba had symbolic same sex weddings blessed by priests from the USA  during their IDAHOT celebrations. BBC News Photo   Please check the article to see the news video clip! Cuba's used   IDAHOT 2015 to  raise awareness about Labour and Marriage rights. The call   for Socalismo si, Homophobia No! was made by Mariella Castro at one of the events hosted during May 2015. (One  Havana Times blogger  noted that the Ireland marriage equality vote was not reported in Cuba despite the calls for marriage equality in Cuba. ) In Guyana, Stabroek News editorialised on  Ireland;s vote on  Marriage Equality.   President David Granger affirmed that he will not allow "religious impositions" against LGBT persons  in his administration. The Guyana Trans United expressed their concerns about the decision of a magistrate co...

Politics in the Caribbean territories have shown homophobia and tolerance/acceptance in different forms. Jowelle DeSouza is an Independent Candidate for San Fernando West. Jowelle De Souza is transsexual. In this TV interview, she talks about her campaign. Jowelle De Souza -Independent Candidate San Fernando West from globewriter on Vimeo . In Trinidad & Tobago, a Newsday TT article on Thursday 30 April, 2015 gave prominence to some of the homophobic religious leaders. However, this article generated an editorial (in the same Newsday) and other commentary which condemned the views of the religious leaders and which acknowledged her right to be engaged in Trinidad & Tobago politics. This included support for Ms DeSouza from the head of the Inter Religious Organisation. In Jamaica, US President Obama visited and there were concerns about how he will talk about Gay Rights. He acknowledged lesbian activist Angeline Jackson and her work . Image from ...

Header of CAISO Campaign in the Trinidad media Guyana Trans United calls for "inclusivity in National development" as they commemorate I nternational  Transgender Day of Visibilit y.  Visibility is complex.  Professor Carolyn Cooper writes about Coming out in Jamaica : Dead or Alive Jamaican born Author Marlon James writes his story in the New York times , Kenita Placide fro m St Lucia tells her story at Quorum : Global LGBT Voices . Angelique Jackson from Quality Citizen Jamaica tells her story in church in Miami , USA and Joel Simpson talks about his story on TV in Guyana .  Colin Robinson in Trinidad & Tobago writes in the Trinidad Guardian about his   Grief, Love , Hope and Activism . In Suriname, the LGBT Platform walks against Discrimination and Racism against Discrimination during anti-Discrimination week Maurice Tomlinson's case against the Governments of Belize and Trinidad & Tobago i s heard in the Caribbean Court of Justic...

The Caribbean Sea continued to move between  Bermuda where the Supreme Court ruled that unmarried couples including same-sex couples can adopt children, and Trinidad & Tobago where they had a lil bacchanal when Senator Cudjoe suggested that Trinidad & Tobago 's adoption law would have to consider same sex adoption.  However , Minister Coudray said that they are not so advanced . This is a Trinidadian video production  Coming Out Stories and Steups Productions Present: LGBT Rights in T&T In Jamaica, TVJ mutes a gay man's Grammy Award speech as Queen Ifrica said  the reggae artistes slammed gays to get applause , and music manager Copeland Forbes said t hat gays made the Jamaican music industry suffer. However, J-FLAG said they are open to dialogue with the artistes. The   P ublic Defender in Jamaica Arlene Harrison - Henry commits to rights for all including LGBT Jamaicans.   J-FLAG announced its Top Achievements  in LGBT ri...

Special Collection by the Caribbean IRN & Sargasso Title: Love | Hope | Community: Sexualities and Social Justice in the Caribbean Deadline for Multimedia Submissions EXTENDED to 28 February 2015 We are looking for visual art, performance art, audio/video interviews, music, new media, film, and/or any form of digital multimedia engagement with the call. Donnya Piggott,  head of Barbados Gays and Lesbians Against Discrimination is a recipient of the inaugural Queen’s (as in Elizabeth II ) Young Leaders Award . Image from  http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_16315.php The citation reads "Donnya had to overcome prejudice and personal challenges when she decided to set up an advocacy group for sexual minorities. Barbados – Gays and Lesbians and All-sexuals Against Discrimination (B-Glad) is a lone lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights organisation on the island. Donnya has engaged with the Prime Minister about issues facing ...

Happy New Year to everyone Please do not forget our   Call for Submissions, Convocatoria, Appel à publications :Special Collection by the Caribbean IRN & Sargasso Human Rights Day in 2014 had different commemorations and associations in the Caribbean. In Jamaica, Father Sean Major-Cambpell encouraged a transgender citizen to address his congregation and he chose to wash the feet of a lesbian as part of the lesson in acceptance. The Jamaica Gleaner publishes an editorial  "Act of humanity by Father Major-Campbell" In Barbados, Alexa Hoffman's story is reported in the Barbados Today . Picture from http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/12/13/transgender-alexa-bares-all/ In Barbados, Barbados-GLAD launches its Voices Project, sharing stories of LGBT Barabdian citizens. ( http://youtu.be/qR92dhA_KfM ) In Trinidad & Tobago, IGDS held an event "Evolving Gender and Feminist Conversations:
 Cyber Activism, Social Networking and LGBT Organizing....