Barbados Advances LGBTQ Civil Rights

As we celebrated the return of Brittney Griner & the Respect of Marriage Act signed into law in this country Barbados has repealed its outdated buggery & gross indecency laws. Kenita Placide, Executive Director for the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity & Equality stated, "Access to justice is never easy for LGBTIQ persons. We see this historic win in Barbados as a stepping stone to acknowledge & render justice to vulnerable people who are not necessarily acknowledged by the law.” Maria Sjödin, Executive Director of Outright International concluded, “With the repeal of similar laws in Antigua & Barbuda & St. Kitts & Nevis, this ruling caps a historical year for LGBTIQ human rights in the region. The progress we have seen this year in the Eastern Caribbean is unprecedented and comes as a result of years of advocacy, community building & organizing. While the decriminalization happens as a result of a legal challenge, the verdicts do not happen in a vacuum. We congratulate ECADE, Butterfly Barbados & Equals for this win & could not be more proud of our partners who tirelessly fight to end these colonial-era laws.” Outright is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the LGBTIQ human rights movement, document & amplify human rights violations against LGBTIQ people & advocate for inclusion & equality. Founded in 1990, with staff in over a dozen countries, Outright works with the United Nations, regional human rights monitoring bodies & civil society partners. Outright holds consultative status at the United Nations where it serves as the secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group.

For More Info…