Caribbean
Anti-gay marriage protest takes place in Puerto Rico
Hundreds of people have marched through the capital of Puerto Rico to demand that the governor approve a constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. The protesters walked from the US territory’s seaside capitol building to the governor’s mansion in historic Old San Juan on Saturday. AP reports it is the second such… Read more »
Cuba to Host 6th Day Against Homophobia
Havana, Well-known figures from science, culture and sports will participate in Cuba’s Sixth Annual Day against Homophobia, to run from May 7-18, said executives from the National Center for Sexual Education (CENESEX). The director of that institution, Mariela Castro Espin, announced that invited guests include international experts such as British sociologist Jeffrey Weeks and the… Read more »
Puerto Rico’s Gay Rights Battle Gets Momentum
Carmen Milagros Velez Vega and her partner have a 12-year-old daughter that Velez gave birth to—a child she considers “…our daughter. She is not my daughter.” Yet, despite Velez’s 25-year-long relationship, Puerto Rican courts refuse to allow her partner to legally adopt their child. Her partner is a woman. Velez is a professor at the… Read more »
Javed Jaghai, Gay Jamaican Man, Set To Challenge Country’s Anti-Sodomy Laws
A gay Jamaican man is planning to “aggressively agitate for change” to his country’s anti-sodomy law after allegedly being kicked out of his home because of his sexual orientation. As the Washington Blade is reporting, AIDS-Free World filed a Feb. 7 complaint with the Jamaica Supreme Court on behalf of local lesbian, gay, bisexual and… Read more »
Gay student challenges Jamaica’s anti-sodomy law
A gay student from Jamaica is set to challenge the legality of the country’s anti-sodomy law Javed Jaghai, a student and Jamaican gay rights activist has initiated a challenge to the country’s anti-sodomy law. AIDS-Free World, a Jamaican advocacy charity, filed a complaint against the law with Jamaica’s Supreme Court on behalf of Jaghai on… Read more »
Jamaica – Top 10 LGBT Achievements in 2012
2012 was another challenging year but there are a number of noteworthy achievements. Jamaicans—government and citizens—continue to show we are able to recognize and respect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, regardless of our differences. The 2012 Boxill Survey on Homophobia showed that one in five Jamaicans respects LGBT people. Additionally, one in five… Read more »
Human rights group worried at “alarming level of violence in Jamaica”
Washington D.C., United States,- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it is concerned at the alarming level of violence in Jamaica that has been affecting all sectors of society for many years and has led to progressive deterioration of the human rights situation. In its “Report on the Situation of Human Rights in… Read more »
Jamaica hints a law banning gay discrimination may be passed
Jamaican Minister of Justice hints a law banning anti-gay discrimination may be introduced due to pressures to accept ‘Western’ human rights In response to a report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) criticizing Jamaica for its abuse of its LGBT citizens, the country’s Minister of Justice hinted that an anti-discrimination legislation, inclusive of… Read more »
Puerto Rico to have new hate crime laws to protect gays
Outgoing Secretary of Justice promises new rules and new Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla pledges to tackle anti-gay violence Puerto Rico’s LGBT community may be a step closer to being protected from killings, assaults and other hate crimes. The departing Secretary of Justice, Guillermo Somoza has said new rules would be put in place for hate… Read more »
Bahamas bishop brands clergy who attack gays as closet cases
Bishop Simeon B Hall in Bahamas goes from saying gay sex is ‘deadly’ and ungodly to defending LGBT community in one year A senior Christian in the Bahamas has slammed clerics those who ‘demonize’ homosexuality and said they may be closet gays. Bishop Simeon Hall admitted he ‘acted in ignorance’ in the past on LGBT… Read more »
Legalization of gay marriage sends Saba’s popularity soaring
The Bottom, Saba – The diminutive Dutch Caribbean island of Saba has become a haven for gay couples and seen its popularity soar since legislators legalized same-sex marriages in what was already considered a gay-friendly destination. On December 4, Xiomar Alexander Gonzalez and Israel Ernesto Ruiz exchanged vows in a civil ceremony at the island’s… Read more »
Trinidad and Tobago: Prime Minister to give ‘due consideration’ to LGBT discrimination
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has gone on record to say that she will give “due consideration” to the issue of discrimination raised by LGBT people. A new gender equality policy is expected to be brought forward by the Prime Minister, who has said she doesn’t condone discrimination, which could suggest that she… Read more »
Timeline lacking as Trinidad pushes for LGBT rights
Kamla Persad-Bissessar, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago In response to a letter from the UK-based LGBT advocacy group, Kaleidoscope Trust, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has stated that the country’s new Gender Policy will include increased recognition of the human rights of LGBT individuals. As a result, there will likely be a… Read more »
Saba Legalizes Gay Marriage, Popularity Of Caribbean Island Soars
Oranjestad, Aruba – A speck of an island in the Dutch Caribbean has become increasingly popular with gay couples after legislators legalized same-sex marriages in a region still openly hostile to gays and lesbians. Two men were recently married in Saba, marking the first ceremony of its kind in the region and setting off a… Read more »
2013 David Kato Vision and Voice Award
AIDS-Free World’s Maurice Tomlinson, recipient of the 2012 David Kato Vision and Voice Award, delivered this speech in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the ceremony honoring the 2013 recipient of the award. Access changes attitudes. This is true of any civil rights struggle. If you are not at the table, you can’t challenge the hateful rhetoric… Read more »
Activist to sue Trinidad and Tobago entry ban on gays
A gay Jamaican activist is suing the government of Trinidad and Tobago over its entry ban against homosexuals Maurice Tomlinson, an LGBT advocate is to challenge Trinidad and Tobago’s entry ban on gays in an international court. Tomilnson, a Jamaican national and legal advisor for the NGO AIDS-Free World has been invited to give two… Read more »
Transgender woman is first to win office in Cuba
Havana – Adela Hernandez, a biologically male Cuban who has lived as a female since childhood, served two years in prison in the 1980s for “dangerousness” after her own family denounced her sexuality. This month she made history by becoming the first known transgender person to hold public office in Cuba, winning election as a… Read more »
Gay? No Way
Study shows J’cans growing more tolerant, but majority still opposed to homosexuality Last week’s beating by security guards of a student accused of engaging in homosexual acts in a University of Technology (UTech) bathroom, captured on video and widely circulated, brought into sharp focus a 2012 study that suggested that Jamaicans are becoming increasingly more… Read more »
Bermuda to ban anti-gay discrimination
The little Caribbean island state of Bermuda announced it will amends its laws to ban discrimination against LGBT citizens Bermuda is to revise its Human Rights Act, which will finally provide protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The tiny Caribbean island state’s governor George Fergusson, made an announcement yesterday morning stating: ‘The Bermuda Human… Read more »
Orlando Cruz becomes boxing’s first openly gay man
Featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz, from Puerto Rico, has become the first openly gay man in the sport’s history, describing himself Wednesday as a “proud gay man.” Cruz (18-2-1, 9 KOs), the No. 4-ranked featherweight by the WBO, said, “I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want… Read more »
Anti-gay hate forces closure of Jamaica gay homeless center
Jamaica’s only drop-in center for homeless LGBT youth was closed due to anti-gay sentiments by local authorities and media The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals & Gays (J-FLAG) – a charity organisation, was forced to close down the Caribbean island state’s only drop-in centre for homeless gays which it managed with the Jamaica Aids Support… Read more »
“God loves gays!”(“Dieu aime les homosexuels! »)
To be Christians while remaining free to live one’s sexual orientation: that is the credo of Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz. Testimonial. Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz serve as director and coordinator, respectively, of the association “Other Sheep”, a group which defends the idea that one can be Christian and gay at the same time,… Read more »
Caribbean: Gay Rights Slowly Coming Out of the Closet
Georgetown, Guyana,(IPS) – Over the past six months, governments in two influential Caribbean trade bloc member states – Jamaica and Guyana – have floated political test balloons on the question of whether colonial-era laws criminalising homosexuality should be amended in keeping with trends in most Western states. The climate for gay people in the two… Read more »
St. Eustatius refuses to implement gay marriage
St. Eustatius – Commissioner of Culture Clyde van Putten has said that there is no way the Government of St. Eustatius will implement the law allowing people of the same sex to get married. He put that position forward in a recent meeting with the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs Henk Kamp in the Netherlands.… Read more »
Question and Answer About Gay Martinique
Q We are a mature gay couple considering a two week stay in Martinique.We have been in several islands on the Caribbean and sometimes feel not welcomed in several places, specially in the British Virgin Islands. My question is:how is Martinique attitude towards gay people? Will we get nasty looks when I ask for a… Read more »
In the Caribbean, anti-gay bigotry thrives
Iraq continues to implode, the Taliban have effectively retaken control of much of Afghanistan, and George W. Bush (along with, apparently, British Prime Minister Tony Blair) appears to be itching to attack Iran. Meanwhile, on the tiny islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, French territories in the eastern Caribbean, rampant homophobia goes unchecked, offering unfortunate proof… Read more »
The gay cruise ship passengers who were -arrested on the Caribbean island of Dominica for indecent exposure have come clean.
In a –piece exclusively for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) blog site Queerty, John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 53, of Palm Springs, now admit to what several fellow passengers on board the gay cruise operated by Atlantis Events had previously claimed — they were, in fact, having sex on the balcony… Read more »
Sexual Minorities & HIV Status
Antigua’s Buggery Law Unlikely To Change- by www.caribarena.com on 10/03/11: http://www.caribarena.com/antigua/news/latest/98529-antiguas-buggery-law-unlikely-to-change.html Antigua St John’s – ?I don?t care what happens in Belize, there will be no change in the law on buggery in Antigua & Barbuda. At least not if I can help it. Being gay is morally wrong, and to be honest personally, I… Read more »
Human Rights Watch urges Jamaica to scrap anti-buggery law
New York, NY – United States-based Human Rights Watch has urged the Jamaica government to repeal its anti-buggery law and protect people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The human rights group claimed that homophobia is “so bad that human rights defenders advocating the rights of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and… Read more »
From gay life to God’s glory
He’s a former homosexual now turned preacher, and he is waging war in a battle to help others. For 16 years, Eon Hendricks lived his life as a homosexual. Alcohol was his dear friend and being in and out of same-sex relationships was his weakness. However, at age 25, he turned his life around, forsook… Read more »
Bermudan Government says it will protect gays from discrimination
Bermuda’s Families Minister has moved a motion in favor of outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, but the Opposition has called on the Government to ‘get on with it’ and table a bill Bermuda looks set to outlaw discrimination against people on the grounds of their sexual orientation, with both the Government and… Read more »
Caught on camera: Police disrupt LGBT pride caravan in the Dominican Republic
[Updated Post as of 7/5/12: For the latest, go to the bottom] The number of LGBT pride month marches, rallies and events taking place in throughout Latin America to coincide with the anniversary of the the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York City has grown exponentially each year making it difficult to keep a… Read more »
How gay group United and Strong is changing the island of Saint Lucia
The traditional, religious society of Saint Lucia is gradually starting to listen to United and Strong which promises to make life better for all; LGBT and straight With 90% of its population religious, and a strong loyalty to British laws that have helped shape its democracy, Saint Lucia is not always kind to the LGBT… Read more »
Gay activists in Cuba demand that parliament respect their rights
Just days before Cuba’s second annual Gay Pride march on Sunday, gay rights activists demanded respect from Cuban lawmakers. Cuban gay activists held a kiss-in demonstration and presented a demand for respect to the country’s parliament on Thursday, as they prepared for the upcoming island’s second annual Gay Pride parade. Fifty people — mostly gay… Read more »
Ministry Of Education To Tackle Deviant Behavior In Schools
Government Information Service Roseau (GIS) – The Ministry of Education has announced plans to crack down on deviant behaviour including incidents of homosexuality in schools. This statement was made by the Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Hon. Petter Saint Jean “The Dominica Labour Party Administration recognizes the challenges that confront our schools. In… Read more »
Gay Rights Slowly Coming Out of the Closet
Georgetown (IPS) – Over the past six months, governments in two influential Caribbean trade bloc member states – Jamaica and Guyana – have floated political test balloons on the question of whether colonial-era laws criminalising homosexuality should be amended in keeping with trends in most Western states. The climate for gay people in the two… Read more »
“I tried not to be gay by getting married” — Tomlinson
Maurice Tomlinson, who sought refuge in Canada after he received countless death threats following news of his marriage to another man earlier this year, says there is no cure for homosexuality as it is not a disease. Tomlinson, who in earlier days struggled with his sexuality, said he, like Reverend Dennis Jernigan, was a part… Read more »
2nd IDAHO Walk Urges Equal Opportunity
The 2nd annual IDAHO walkabout urges Equal Opportunity Commissioners, Parliamentarians to “add all three”, outlawing age, HIV and sexual orientation discrimination In a reprise of last year’s inaugural local commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (the anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s 17 May 1990 declassification of homosexuality as a mental illness),… Read more »
Change laws against gays!
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. (FP)BRIDGETOWN – As the world marked International Day Against Homophobia yesterday, Barbados and scores of other countries were again urged to repeal laws that discriminate against homosexuality as a matter of urgency. The call came from United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay… Read more »
Cuba: President’s daughter praises Barack Obama’s support for equal marriage
The daughter of Cuba’s president praised US president Barack Obama yesterday after he came out in support of equal marriage rights for gay couples. in the island nation and niece of Fidel Castro, said she hoped Mr Obama’s announcement, making him the first sitting president of the US to support marriage equality, would have legislative… Read more »
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