About the Caribbean IRN

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The Caribbean Region of the International Resource Network (Caribbean IRN) connects academic and community-based researchers, artists, and activists around the Caribbean and its diasporic communities in areas related to diverse sexualities and genders.

The IRN was originally housed at CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies at the City University of New York, funded through the Ford Foundation (2007 – 2011). The Caribbean Region of the IRN continues to operate a network autonomously, and our projects can be found online through this blog that features our monthly updates and the course materials for “Advanced Critical Sexuality Studies” short course.

Our first collection Theorizing Homophobias in the Caribbean: Complexities of Place, Desire, and Belonging (www.caribbeanhomophobias.org) launched in June 2012 and features a multimedia collection of activist reports, creative writing, critical essays, film, interviews, music, and visual and performance art. Theorizing Homophobias offers ways to define and reflect on the complexities of homophobias in the Caribbean, while also expanding awareness about Caribbean sexual minority lives, experiences, and activism in the region and its diaspora. The Caribbean IRN archives are located online with the Digital Library of the Caribbean (www.dloc.org/icirn) with a major highlight of the collection being the Gay Freedom Movement in Jamaica Archives.

 Love | Hope | Community: Sexualities & Social Justice in the Caribbean (Online Multimedia Edition) is the second online collection by the Caribbean IRN presented with Sargasso Journal. The online edition features a selection from the print issue, namely essays, reports, and creative writing from Sargasso Special Issue 2014-15, as well as the curated collection Write It In Fire: Tributes to Michelle Cliff, which includes creative, personal, and artistic reflections on the life and legacy of Cliff.


This online collection also launches new materials, resources, and an e-knowledge portal focusing on Caribbean Sexualities.

These three interactive digital projects will be shared in the coming months: a digital map of Caribbean LGBTI (sexual minority) organizations; a timeline of Caribbean LGBTQI stories, activism, events, gatherings, etc.; and an e-knowledge portal as an online space for sharing community, creative, and academic resources.

The countries which we are covering as part of the Caribbean region are  Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana,Montserrat, Sint Maarten, St Martin, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustasius, Netherland Antilles, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States of America Virgin Islands, Haiti, Jamaica and Martinique

 Caribbean IRN co-directors are Rosamond S. King and Angelique V. Nixon
Caribbean IRN web designer & content manager Vidyaratha Kissoon.

For more information about our projects and continued work, join our Facebook Group, follow our blog, and/or email us at caribbeanirn@gmail.com.

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

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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 , L GBT 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 B lack Lives Matter movement to the Caribbean movements for justice and equality. Caleb Orozco notes that Giving up i s not an Option! In Barbados, Alexa Hoffman talks about a regional approach to decriminalising homosexuality. In Cuba, Mariela Castro reportedly calls th
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All male weddings, promises, Pride - Caribbean IRN Update April, May, June 2021

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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
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Caribbean IRN Update - July, August, September, October 2020

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Message from Jamaica Gaily News Law In Barbados, there is talk that Barbados will recognise same-sex marriage as they relinquish the Queen. They seem to want to do this without decriminalizing sodomy. However, the Anglicans ,  Methodists and others were against it. Alexa Hoffman files a transgender discrimination case against the Government. The Jamaica Gleaner refers to Barbados in its Editorial : Conversations needed about the Buggery Law , even as " TVJ wins court battle against Gay Activist " . The Jamaica Observer seems to agree about the time to deal with Thorny Issues.  However the majority of Jamaicans in a poll want to keep the anti-sodomy laws. In Cayman Islands, a law allowing same-sex parternships comes into place. In Cayman , activists come under threat from an online group , even as the Police Commissioner does not seem to take the threats seriously. In Guyana,  SASOD launches a campaign a gainst cyber-bullying.   Just before the UNC lost the elections
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