Even on Mount Gay, It's great to be Gay

Every year, June celebrates a month of celebration of LGBTQ+ individuals of diverse identities, backgrounds and talents. Despite the appearance of an easy-breezy culture in the Caribbean, many laws in the Caribbean still prohibit people from expressing themselves because they fear what their country or other people might do to them.

Not suprisingly, this discrimination dates back to British colonialism, where indecency, same-sex conduct, and public image laws all prevented expression among LGBT individuals. In Barbados buggery earns a life sentence, while indecency places individuals in jail for ten years. Within the Caribbean, family and religion remain pinnacles of society. The social spheres are dominated by an old way of thinking.

LGBT peoples in Barbados and the Caribbean report massive verbal abuse and harassment. From these attacks stem physical attacks, ranging from stabbings, beatings, and chokins. Unsurprisingly, trans women of color are especially in danger of such attacks.

Back in 2018, more than 120 allies, LGBTQ community members and tourists held a fabulous pride parade in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. Celebrations hit harsh retorts from some people in the community which disapproved of the event. Yet, the marchers didn’t listen. Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite said that the gay people in the country should be “left alone”, but still presides over a nation where homosexuality is criminalized and individuals could be imprisoned for expressing their sexuality.

For these reasons and so many more, when the Caribbean Equality Project highlighted the experiences of LGBTQ immigrants and asylum seekers from the Caribbean, the exhibition mattered even more. Entitled, “Live Pridefully: Love and Resilience within Pandemics", on February 19, 2022, the exhibit featured artwork and performances touching upon the issues so central to Pride. From migration, to coming out, to xenophobia, to gender and identity-based violence, and the persecution that comes from living in certain nations, the celebration of cultural diversity was a necessary step to bringing awareness to these problems.

While no nation is perfect regarding protecting the freedoms of its LGBTQ+ people, we always see the resilience and colorful strength of these individuals. The fight will never stop, and neither will they. Celebrations like theCaribbean Equality Project are helping to change the norms of what children are told growing up. No matter who you love, or how you choose to express yourself, you are deserving of love and should be proud. And for the allies, and supporters, as Emma Maszi said, “Thank you for Coming Out.”