Caribbean IRN Blog

Top quote from "Barbados Pride combats nation's anti-LGBT hatred " , Bottom quote from " Chief Justice laments murder of Sasha Fierce, calls it a hate crime" Love The murder of Sasha Fierce generated hateful comments. There were responses of love from colleagues and friends , and a campaign #SayHerName . (Update : A man has been charged for her murder ) Newsday had an editorial "R IP Sasha Pierce.  "  Chief Justice Ivor Archie called for acceptance instead of tolerance   while lamenting the murder. Sasha Fierce was active in the campaign "Not a Straight Thing" by Friends4LifeTT. Citizenship In Barbados, a Christian youth group marched to reclaim the rainbow. LGBT citizens and allies did a counter protest. The ' Row over the rainbow colours " though seemed to end peacefully and prayerfully, according to  one of the counter-marchers, Luci Hammans, . Another Church leader said that Christians loved the sinners, not t

(Left) Winston Goodwin and Greg De Roche by Callie Nicole Photograph from Royal Bermuda Gazette ;, Right Premier Eugene Eugene Rhuggenaath f rom Curacao Chronicle September 2017 was the month for the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in different parts of the Caribbean. Bermuda and marriage A gay couple though said they had a nice wedding and thanked Bermudans for their hospitality . The Bermudans also have to pay the costs associated with the case  brought by Winston Godwin and Greg DeRoche to allow gay marriage in Bermuda A Progressive Labour MP is planning to re-ban gay marriage . The Minister of Health is the lawyer for  people who want to appeal the court decision. The lack of access to health care for vulnerable groups is the reason for the call to End Sodomy Laws by PANCAP. The First Lady of Guyana, Mrs Sandra Granger,   believes "...rights are rights” and in order to build a cohesive society we must respect and value each other regardless of r

Pride In Guyana, the Judicial Service Commission responds to the complaint of Guyana Trans United about the behaviour of Magistrate Dylon Bess . Magistrate Bess had discriminated against Petronella and Twinkle Bissoon, two transgender citizens by excluding them from his courtroom on separate occasions.    In the response , the Judicial Service Commission said that there was a denial of access to justice and that Magistrate Bess agreed with the Commission. SASOD congratulates the Government of Guyana on their support of an OAS resolution which condemned discrimination against LGBTI citizens. The Government of Guyana might not have intended to say they will be having a referendum on removing of the buggery laws. Jamaica t hough affirms that they will only be changing the buggery laws by referendum. St Lucia's United and Strong get to meet their Minister of Foreign Affairs in advance of the OAS resolution on LGBTI rights. "Antiman" politics A Jamaican

Left : Cropped image of Mariela Castro in IDAHOT 2017 via Ontop mag, Right : Cropped Image from Bermuda via Caribbean 360 Colin Robinson writes from Trinidad to Guyana to hold out faith  in the leaders and citizens will reject the idea of a referendum to 'legalise homosexuality'. The Attorney General of Guyana and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana had talked about the Government's reluctance to 'legalise homosexuality' In Guyana, the Anglican Diocese convenes its Human Rights & Social Justice Commission which is expected to "work assiduously to confront social issues .. such as discrimination (racial, against persons living with disabilities, sexual orientation and gender identity and torture) ..." A gay  Canadian couple get engaged in Antigua where 'homosexuality is still illegal', while in the Bahamas a gay tourists man is attacked at Junkanoo.  Bermuda will will a llow same sex marriage , after a case which was initiat

News broke in 2017 of a letter written by 289 Christians to President Donald Trump to shine a moral beam from the City Upon a Hill.  Activists in St Maarten , St Lucia , Guyana and the Bahamas have commented on the letter. The Caribbean is probably sunny and bright enough. Another kind of American interest though, seems to be countering the Pastors as American tourists are said to be 'improving queer life' in Cuba.  T asheka Lavan mourns her birth place Antigu a while on a visit to Cuba. Transit Havana is a film about gender reassignment  in Cuba. In Jamaica, the LGBT citizens are assured of the support of the Canadian Government though Pride walking Prime Minister Trudeau knows that advancing LGBT rights in the Commonwealth is a 'delicate task'.  "This is Who I am"  is another film  about being LGBT in Jamaica. Dancehall and Gay bashing   seem to inspire some International stars according to the Jamaica Observer. Jamaica was also the venue

Left - from Transmission Gallery, Right from Demerara Waves In Guyana, the Court of Appeal dismisses the appeal on the "cross-dressing" challenge . The same day   Magistrate Dylon Bess refuses entry to Petronella  (Ronel Trotman) - a transender complainant in an assault case - until "she dresses like a man". Petronella is subsequently locked out of the court when the case is dismissed.  All of this would mean more work for the Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton who has committed to leading the ant-discrimination law reform . There is no indication that the Minister would be facilitating meetings  to promote cohesion between the Magistrate Bess and the citizens who have been refused entry to the courtroom.  In Guyana also, SASOD has launched a campaign against anti-LGBT hate speech and music on radio. In Suriname, the Government has filed an appeal against the Court decision to recognise transgender Yvanna Hilton as a woman In Trinidad and Tob

L - Caleb Orozco from Pink News, C- Yvanna Hilton and Audrey Tjong a Sie from DWT , R - Winston Godwin and Greg De Rouche from The Royal Gazette In Suriname,  transgender citizen Yvanna Hilton has won the right to change her gender at the Census Office after a year long court battle. In Bermuda, preservers of marriage continue to pray as the court hears the case brought by Winston Godwin and Greg De Roche . Caleb Orozco from   Belize collects the 2017 David Kato Vision and Voice Award in the UK. See his speech on Youtube There is news from Cuba that activist  Nelson Gandulla Díaz is harassed and prevented from leaving the country. There is no news of Mariela Castro's response. The Jamaica Star reports that Mayor of Maypen , Winston Maragh is concerned about a gang of homosexuals warring with a gang of heterosexuals.  The J amaica Star also reports on the launch of Outpages, whose developers failed to respond to request for interviews. In Cayman Islands, Colour