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LGBT Inclusion and exclusion - Caribbean IRN Update February, March 2016

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Image from Guyana Chronicle

Guyana's Minister of Social Protection , Ms Volda Lawrence called for Inclusion of LGBT while addressing participants at a cocktail reception. She has subsequently come under fire for not dealing with allegations of child abuse made against a colleague, and for making disparaging remarks about the persons who made the accusations.

Magistrate Dylon Bess though, did not heed Minister Lawrences' call and  refused to allow Twinkle access to his courtroom, in defiance of the court judgement on the cross dressing laws. The Guyana
Trans United protested the discrimination.

The Appeal on the decision is to be heard.

In Bermuda, the Rainbow Alliance has opposed the announcement by the Government to have a referendum on Marriage Equality. They noted that the campaigns for the referendum will intensify the homophobia in the society. In Barbados,  the Minister of Labourt, Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo was firm that the Bajan Government was not going to open up any discussion on same sex marriage and 'bow to external pressure'. However, the Minister of Education Ronald Jones had said that it is time to accept that gay relationships are part of the Bajan culture.

In Trinidad & Tobago, a teacher asked for a gun so she could 'fix the parents' and 'offspring' of a boy who defended gay students. A report was made to the police, and there was a probe by the Education Ministry. The teacher's supporters started a petition to keep her on. The Church which runs the school decided to provide pastoral care to the teacher.
The Equal Opportunity Commission in Trinidad & Tobago is looking forward to legislation to protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

In Jamaica, the Mayor of Kingston, Angela Browne-Burke reports receiving threats because of her calls for tolerance for LGBT citizens.

In Belize, lead Christian homophobe , American Scott Stirm has been facing condemnation for reports of his remarks against Garifuna Culture.

Antigua born Tasheka Lavann talks about moving to Canada to live openly as lesbian. The BBC reports on the visit of transgender ,Steffan Zachiyah and Romario Wanlissfriends back to Jamaica.

In a move described by American homophobes as the  the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Dominican Republic is launched.
The move has been described by some homopbobes as the latest 'US government's latest gay activist move' in the staunchly pro-family Caribbean nation.


Listen to the Lunchtime Seminiark given by Professor Rosamond King at the Institute of Gender and Development Studies at UWI Trinidad

on “150 Years of Jamettes? Thinking Sexuality, Race, and Gender in Trinidadian Protest Performance”




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