Caribbean IRN Blog

Politics in the Caribbean territories have shown homophobia and tolerance/acceptance in different forms. Jowelle DeSouza is an Independent Candidate for San Fernando West. Jowelle De Souza is transsexual. In this TV interview, she talks about her campaign. Jowelle De Souza -Independent Candidate San Fernando West from globewriter on Vimeo . In Trinidad & Tobago, a Newsday TT article on Thursday 30 April, 2015 gave prominence to some of the homophobic religious leaders. However, this article generated an editorial (in the same Newsday) and other commentary which condemned the views of the religious leaders and which acknowledged her right to be engaged in Trinidad & Tobago politics. This included support for Ms DeSouza from the head of the Inter Religious Organisation. In Jamaica, US President Obama visited and there were concerns about how he will talk about Gay Rights. He acknowledged lesbian activist Angeline Jackson and her work . Image from ...

Header of CAISO Campaign in the Trinidad media Guyana Trans United calls for "inclusivity in National development" as they commemorate I nternational  Transgender Day of Visibilit y.  Visibility is complex.  Professor Carolyn Cooper writes about Coming out in Jamaica : Dead or Alive Jamaican born Author Marlon James writes his story in the New York times , Kenita Placide fro m St Lucia tells her story at Quorum : Global LGBT Voices . Angelique Jackson from Quality Citizen Jamaica tells her story in church in Miami , USA and Joel Simpson talks about his story on TV in Guyana .  Colin Robinson in Trinidad & Tobago writes in the Trinidad Guardian about his   Grief, Love , Hope and Activism . In Suriname, the LGBT Platform walks against Discrimination and Racism against Discrimination during anti-Discrimination week Maurice Tomlinson's case against the Governments of Belize and Trinidad & Tobago i s heard in the Caribbean Court of Justic...

The Caribbean Sea continued to move between  Bermuda where the Supreme Court ruled that unmarried couples including same-sex couples can adopt children, and Trinidad & Tobago where they had a lil bacchanal when Senator Cudjoe suggested that Trinidad & Tobago 's adoption law would have to consider same sex adoption.  However , Minister Coudray said that they are not so advanced . This is a Trinidadian video production  Coming Out Stories and Steups Productions Present: LGBT Rights in T&T In Jamaica, TVJ mutes a gay man's Grammy Award speech as Queen Ifrica said  the reggae artistes slammed gays to get applause , and music manager Copeland Forbes said t hat gays made the Jamaican music industry suffer. However, J-FLAG said they are open to dialogue with the artistes. The   P ublic Defender in Jamaica Arlene Harrison - Henry commits to rights for all including LGBT Jamaicans.   J-FLAG announced its Top Achievements  in LGBT ri...

Special Collection by the Caribbean IRN & Sargasso Title: Love | Hope | Community: Sexualities and Social Justice in the Caribbean Deadline for Multimedia Submissions EXTENDED to 28 February 2015 We are looking for visual art, performance art, audio/video interviews, music, new media, film, and/or any form of digital multimedia engagement with the call. Donnya Piggott,  head of Barbados Gays and Lesbians Against Discrimination is a recipient of the inaugural Queen’s (as in Elizabeth II ) Young Leaders Award . Image from  http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_16315.php The citation reads "Donnya had to overcome prejudice and personal challenges when she decided to set up an advocacy group for sexual minorities. Barbados – Gays and Lesbians and All-sexuals Against Discrimination (B-Glad) is a lone lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights organisation on the island. Donnya has engaged with the Prime Minister about issues facing ...

Happy New Year to everyone Please do not forget our   Call for Submissions, Convocatoria, Appel à publications :Special Collection by the Caribbean IRN & Sargasso Human Rights Day in 2014 had different commemorations and associations in the Caribbean. In Jamaica, Father Sean Major-Cambpell encouraged a transgender citizen to address his congregation and he chose to wash the feet of a lesbian as part of the lesson in acceptance. The Jamaica Gleaner publishes an editorial  "Act of humanity by Father Major-Campbell" In Barbados, Alexa Hoffman's story is reported in the Barbados Today . Picture from http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/12/13/transgender-alexa-bares-all/ In Barbados, Barbados-GLAD launches its Voices Project, sharing stories of LGBT Barabdian citizens. ( http://youtu.be/qR92dhA_KfM ) In Trinidad & Tobago, IGDS held an event "Evolving Gender and Feminist Conversations:
 Cyber Activism, Social Networking and LGBT Organizing....

The Caribbean IRN is happy to share the   Course Materials : Advancing Sexuality Studies: A short course on sexuality theory and research methodologies In Barbados. Minister of Environment and Drainage, Dr. Denis Lowe would rather resign than allow the gender-neutral Domestic Violence legislation , and promises to campaign against such changes.  This is even as a survey indicated that Barbadians a re generally tolerant of homosexuals. B-GLAD called for his resignation. (The 1996 Domestic Violence Act in Guyana is gender neutral ) In Belize, the Belize Association of Evangelical Churche s calls for a national referendum on repealing section 53. UNIBAM's Caleb Orozco writes about 'Deconstructing Oppression' reviewing the nature of the opposition to LGBT equality.  In Suriname, a homophobic song Bullet , opens up discussion on the singer and his sexual orientation. The lgbt platform with advice from the police are able to file complaints. Al Jaz...

Image taken from DWTOnline Suriname saw the celebration of Coming Out Week organised by LGBT Platform of Suriname . Suriname was the venue for the S econd Women and Sexual Diversity Conference For LBT Activists  .  Paige Andrew writes about her experience at the conference. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, LGBT Platform Suriname, and LGBTI Aware Caribbean conducted a  4 day "train the trainer" LGBTI sensitization training programme for Suriname police in October. There is an  announcement that US NGO Human Rights Watch will be visiting Suriname in 2015   though not for Coming Out Week. Human Rights Watch also releases a film " Unchecked Homophobic Violence in Jamaica". How are Caribbean men dealing with diverse sexualities?  Richie Maitland from Grenada talks about being a straight man involved in LGBT activism; and UNAIDS in the Caribbean releases the results of the Caribbean Men's Internet Survey The UNAIDS Caribbean Vimeo channe...