President Obama’s visit to Jamaica in April was widely anticipated but he too faced protesters upset that his visit might promote more tolerance toward the gay community as its politicians bid to improve its human rights record.Īngeline Jackson, whose LGBT advocacy work was praised by US president Barack Obama in a speech in Kingston, said that much work remained. Others will see it as a logical step forward for a nation that prides itself as being culturally more significant than its physical size or its population of a little less than 3 million people.īut the national preoccupation with what happens in consenting adults’ bedrooms is a hinderance to the country’s development and image. “What we’re hoping for next is to engage leaders in business, in the church, in civil society to make Jamaica a more inclusive place for the LGBT community.”Some in this highly religious and conservative country are inevitably outraged by what they see as the growing boldness of the LGBT community. “We had an awesome and incredible week of events,” she said. Safety was a concern for the organisers of PRIDE JA, said Latoya Nugent, JFLAG’s education and outreach manager. Last year JFLAG reported more than 80 homophobic incidents including threats, physical attacks, sexual violence and displacement, while the high-profile 2013 mob kiling of transgender teen Dwayne Jones remains unsolved. Sexual activity between males is illegal and threats of physical violence and discrimination are all too common. Jamaica has often been described as one of the most homophobic countries in the world, a country where hostility toward gays and lesbians is voiced from the church pulpit to the sound system.
When you go out in public, if you express yourself in a particular way or use certain mannerisms you have to be on your guard but this really felt like it was ours.” “It felt liberating”, said Nicki who attended the arts performance. PRIDE JA was the first public gay pride celebration in the English-speaking Caribbean, after a similar event had to be canceled due to security concerns in the Bahamas last year.įor those involved in the week’s activities – organised by JFLAG, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays – it was a chance to be proud and visible.