Caribbean IRN Blog

Loss Brandy Rodriguez President of the Trinidad and Tobago Transgender Coalition died and activist groups remembered her work on HIV/AIDS and on dealing with other forms of discrimination .   Republics and homophobic laws Barbados became a Republic on 30 November2021 and activists expect that the colonial laws could be removed. Article 1 of the The Charter of Barbados which was debated in Parliamen t stated that "All Barbadians are born free and are equal in human dignity and rights regardless of age, race, ethnicity, faith, class, cultural and educational background, ability, sex, gender or sexual orientation." Barbados joins Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago as Caribbean Republics evolving from the British Empire. Guyana proudly maintained its anti-sodomy laws as part of its Republican status, Jason Jones was successful in his challenge to the Trinidad & Tobago Republican anti-sodomy laws. The Jamaican Minister of Health and Wellness called for an end to anti-LGBT di

Extract from EL MATRIMONIO Y LA UNIÓN DE HECHO AFECTIVA COMO FUENTES DE CONSTITUCIÓN DE LAS FAMILIAS Changing costly laws  4.2 billion US Dollars is the cost of homophobia in the Caribbean according to a study published by Open for Business Caribbean.  Guyana Trans United organises a panel led by Candacy Gulliver McEwan, Alessandra Hereman ,  Annie Megnauth and Kenny Harrinarine to talk about the recent removal of the 'cross dressing' laws from Guyana's books and the impact on transgender lives in Guyana.   CAISO launches " Finding an Equal Place at Work : A Model LGBTI+ Workplace Policy for Trinidad & Tobago" In Cuba, version 22 of the draft Family Code opens up the definition of family to include families with same sex partners and unions of persons regardless of gender. The IOM publishes the "Guyana Needs Assessment on Migration Governance " i n which they note that "LGBTIQ+ migrants in Guyana remain in a vulnerable state as they are crimi

L - From Sunday Graphic 12 July, 1959; R - Demerara Daily Chronicle 28 September , 1884  All male weddings The Demerara Daily Chronicle (Guyana) of 28 September, 1884 had a story " An Extraordinary Story : Alleged Marriage of two men in Camp Street " which started "It having been reported to us that a scandalous occurrence had taken place in Camp Street on Friday, we yesterday instituted close and searching inquiries into the truth of the extraordinary story which had been brought to our notice. This was, in short that two persons of the same sex had been parties to a so-called marriage ceremony...."  The rest of the story gives a glimpse into the lives of 'Aunty Men' at 19th century Guyana (British Guiana). A Letter to the Editor in September 1893 refers to 'outcasts in female attire' while the Police News in December 1894 report on men being charged for dressing in female attire for improper purpose.  These items were donated by Dr Jeremy Peretz

  We are wired to love.. "..we're wired to love" Colin Robinson shared in one of his many discussions on love. Colin Robinson - activist, poet, hopeful citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and the world died on March 4 2021.  Andil Gosine wrote his memorial column in Newsday TT. Gabrielle Hoosein also writes about Colin and his activism. Friends and family also shared L oving memories in a Life Portrait and Libation event which has been recorded on the CAISO TT Facebook page In Guyana, Namela Baynes-Henry died on March 25 2021. Namela worked in the media, a nd was also a strong ally and activist for LGBTIQ+ equality and in responding to HIV/AIDS.  She was a member of the Board of Trustees of SASOD . Rights and Politics The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights publishes its decision on the petition brought by Gareth Henry and Simone Edwards. The decision calls on Jamaica to repeal its sodomy laws.   Tina Brown and "Sean" who fled Jamaica

  Loss The LGBTIQ++ community in Trinidad & Tobago mourned the loss of Anthony Medina  who as CAISO noted "made indelible contributions to LGBTI community and dress-up culture in T&T," Launch of the Digital Archive of the Jamaica Gaily News  The Jamaica Gaily News (JGN) was the publication of the first gay activist organization in the anglophone Caribbean, the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) in Jamaica.   The Caribbean IRN is pleased to have added the JGN collection of the 82 issues to the GFM archive on the Digital Library of the Caribbean.  The Launch event was held virtually on Friday 20 November, 2020 and featured a panel reflecting on this moment in Jamaica’s history.  The panelists were :- Vidyaratha Kisson – Coordinator, Caribbean International Resource Network Larry Chang – Co-Founder of GFM and JGN Editor Donna Smith – GFM member and JGN columnist Glen McDaniel – GFM member and JGN columnist Jennifer Ffrench-Parker – Jamaican journalist Moderator Matthew Chin, As