For the first time, the International Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Trans in Latin America and the Caribbean (ILGALAC) invited activists from Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana to participate in its annual conference. This approach corresponds to ILGALAC's desire to develop deeper and deeper relations with the French territories of America beyond the language barrier.
Meeting with the Independent Expert of the UN
The president of KAP CARAÏBE Céline FAURE, the territorial delegate of Refuge Guyane and Overseas coordinator Steven KUZAN and the doctoral student at the University of the West Indies and activist at Gay Attitude Guyane Moïse MANOEL participate in the VIII Regional Conference against homophobia and transphobia taking place this year in Bogota, Colombia.
A meeting with the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity of the United Nations (UN), Victor Madrigal-Borloz, was organized to make him aware of the situation of LGBT + in Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana.
Among the problems mentioned, are the very specific situation of Overseas: a strong post-colonial influence on mentalities, a law enforcement that remains differentiated between France and the Overseas and a political will that remains too inconsistent and changing according to different officials in office. Measuring the rate of violence is also very difficult: the victims do not want to lodge a complaint or the authorities refuse to register them, so that in Martinique there is, for example, no figure for LGBTphobia. Dramatic events such as the sequestration and torture of a homosexual man in Guadeloupe or iron burns suffered by another in the same department, however, recall that homophobia is real. Such violence can occur in the public space but can also be intrafamilial. Finally, the case of the many Haitian LGBTI refugees in Martinique but especially in French Guiana (more than 100 requests for help from the Refuge since the beginning of the year) was discussed with the Independent Expert.
Actions of overseas activists to fight against homophobia
The activists presented their various actions to fight homophobia. KAP CARAÏBE, which organizes numerous cultural workshops to free up victims' voices, will open a reception area in mid-December and a crisis line in mid-January. Refuge Guyane, which houses and shelters young LGBTI victims of discrimination, also trains state services in the fight against homophobia: following the interventions of the Refuge, the police of Cayenne thus has a referent LGBT. Finally, Gay Attitude Guyana, with the support of the Refuge, is trying to organize the first Gay Pride in Guyana next May.
Future cooperation between the Independent Expert and the ultramarine activists
Victor Madrigal-Borloz, who asked the activists many questions, said he was very happy to have met them because he did not know the situation of LGBTI people in these territories. The Independent Expert of the UN recalled his various functions. Read more via Blada