Barbados repeals laws criminalizing gay sex

The Barbados Supreme Court has ruled that criminalizing homosexual sex is unconstitutional. That makes the country the third in the Caribbean to repeal such laws this year.

The decision follows similar rulings in Antigua and St Kitts and Nevis in 2022 and was announced Tuesday (13th) by Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshall. The decision was welcomed by activists and charities who have opposed laws banning gay and lesbian sex.

The maximum penalty, which is rarely imposed, has been life imprisonment. In a statement, Marshall said Judge Michelle Weekes returned the verdict Monday and concluded that Sections Nine and Twelve of the Sexual Offenses Act were unconstitutional.

“In short, the ruling means that we can no longer prosecute people under those two paragraphs,” he said, adding that charges of crimes related to consensual homosexual sex could now no longer be upheld.

According to Marshall, a written justification of the decision in the case brought by lawyers is not expected for a few weeks. “This is a great achievement for the community and for Barbados. We’ve been working on this for years and that work still goes on,” said Rene Holder-McLean Ramirez, who helped file the lawsuit.

According to activists, only six countries in North and South America have similarly restrictive laws, including Guyana, Dominica and Jamaica. “We are very pleased with the outcome of this case, which is the result of years of effort by community organizations and plaintiffs.

This is a step in the right direction for protecting LGBTQ+ people in Barbados as we continue to ensure stigma-free access to services and positive inclusion in society,” added Michael Rapley, a member of the NGO Equals.

With information from latinapress