Dying, living, celebrating - Caribbean IRN Update March, April, May, June 2020

Screen shot of Map of Caribbean LGBTIQ+ organisations

Dying, Living

Colin Robinson writes about Learning to Die about the pain of cancer and dying from it.  Newsday in Trinidad shares Colin 'In his own words' and Doing the work of memory.

The Being LGBTI in the Caribbean project shares voices of LGBTI citizens from the Caribbean. Queer Caribbean students in the USA share their perspective

Dominica goes to the UN to defend its anti-buggery laws .

In Belize , LGBT advocates call for an investigation into the death of Ulysease Roca  , claiming that police brutality resulted in the death.

A gay celebrity praises Belize as a tourist destination.

Angelique V. Nixon connects the Black Lives Matter movement to the Caribbean movements for justice and equality.

Caleb Orozco notes that Giving up is not an Option!

In Barbados, Alexa Hoffman talks about a regional approach to decriminalising homosexuality.

In Cuba, Mariela Castro reportedly calls the independent activists 'little ticks' at a launch of the IDAHOT celebrations. The independent activists held their own virtual forum

Celebration

COVID-19 restricted public celebrations for IDAHOT 2020 and Pride. Caribbean LGBTIQ+ organisations were involved in support to the communities.



In Suriname, VHP Leader Chan Santokhi raises the Pride Flag with Parea . Santokhi was declared winner of Suriname's 2020 elections.

In Trinidad & Tobago, Jason Jones launches a National survey to measure homophobia two years after his successful challenge of the TT sodomy laws. Jason Jones tells more of his story in BC Pires' column.

EQUAL Guyana celebrates its first anniversary.  SASOD celebrates its 17th anniversary.

In Guyana, Alessandra Hereman and Alijah Caesar share their stories about being transgender ; Chandradatt Jagdeo talks about facing the world 

The Guyana Times also invokes Trindadian and Guyanese pandits to talk about  Homosexuality and Hinduism.  The Guyana Times also shares about the Hope of Christ Anglican Church.

In the USA, Barbados born Reverend Deon K. Johnson  is  the first black, openly-gay bishop in the  179-year history of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

Books, films etc

Gender Variances and Sexual Diversity in the Caribbean: Perspectives, Histories, Experiences is a collection of critical perspectives on fundamental questions of how sexual orientation and gender in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean are conceived, studied, discoursed and experienced. The book is edited by  Marjan De Bruin and R Anthony Lewis 

Guyana is featured in the 14th Issue of the Photographers Without Borders magazine.

Grenadian born film maker Bill Gerard Frank talks about his film 'Second Eulogy' , filmed over five days in Grenada

A novel , Romance in Marseille, Claude McKay, queer, Jamaican born author of the Harlem Renassiance is published more than 70 years after his death.

In Curacao, a website is launched for LGBT residents and tourists. 

Don't forget to check our collection at Caribbean Sexualities – Love | Hope | Community – Sexualities & Social Justice in the Caribbean and share it with others.

The collection includes selected pieces from the Sargasso Print Edition, as well as special online features, including "Write It In Fire - Tributes to Michelle Cliff" (prose, poetry, visual and performance art).