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Lashes, Living and loving - Caribbean IRN Update October, November, December 2023

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Extract from "Copies or Extracts of Despatches relating to Chinese Immigrants recently introduced into the colonies of British Guiana and Trinidad - c1853"

 

Lashes..

There are references to "unnatural intercourse" and 'unnatural crime" on board the ship Samuel Boddington coming from China to Demerara in 1853. The crime was punished by lashes and "pitching" . Punishments were meted out to Nabi Baksh and Mohangoo in 1898 as part of the colonial justice.

The Caribbean is referenced in a report by the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal Borloz who " explores the impact of colonialism and decolonization on the continued formation and perpetuation of harmful social mores associated with sexual orientation and gender identity, and how these relate to the enjoyment of human rights."

Jamaican activist Maurice Tomlinson  writes his resignation from fighting for equality in Jamaica as Jamaica holds on to the colonial buggery laws. BVI Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says UK should not impose its views on same-sex marriage on BVI, let the people decide through referendum. 

Similar arguments were made by lawyers arguing on behalf of  the Governments of Aruba and Curaçao in trying to prevent same-sex marriage on those islands.. rejecting 'colonial impositions of the legal changes'. The Netherlands though say they cannot influence Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten. 

The legacy of the lashes.

Livng and loving

Archivo Cubanecuir is  "una colección dedicada a preservar el legado de las personas cubanas que han redefinido los límites y desafiado los supuestos sociales en torno al género." It is a project of  Librada González Fernández, a transgender womam.

The L'Organisation Arc en Ciel en Haïti (ORAH) uses cultural awareness to deal with the pscychological trauma of homophobia.

 Angeline Jackson joins the board of the Global Interfaith Network. Caribbean Beat celebrates Gold Rosheuvel as Caribbean Queen.

The National AIDS Commission of Belize honours Caleb Orozco for his contributions to the Belizean HIV Response.

Designer Avinash Narine tells his story across different media as part of the Guyana Together campaign. 

The 11th Caribbean Women and Sexual Diversity Conference is held in October 2023 in Sint Maarten.

 An American queer traveller writes about privilege and visiting Anguilla. The University of Bahamas went ahead with its forum in Pride Week 2023 despite objections from the Bahamas Christian Council.

Art and Imagination

 Alissa Trotz writes about A Poem for Rabia, noting that the playwright Nikki Shaffeeullah imagined " a diverse, unruly collection of women and queer and trans folks at the centre of the work, feeling able to take ownership of the play, and to link this to organizing and communities in Guyana."

In Barbados, the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) disqualifies a Christian dance piece which challenged diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity. 

 In Trinidad & Tobago CAISO held its 2nd Annual Art Exhibition : Empowerment|Resistance|Defiance in December 2023.




 

Peaceful 2024 to all!

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