Local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists say T&T has to make a greater effort to create equality in the country in the wake of yesterday’s US Supreme Court ruling that same-sex couples have a right to marry in all 50 States there. (See page A19)
Luke Sinnette, executive member of Friends for Life (FFL), yesterday said T&T laws inherently discriminate against people who are LGBT.
Friends for Life is a group that supports people in the LGBT community.
“It is a great move for the LGBT community in the US. There are so many implications now that people can be included, like tax and health benefits. However, in Trinidad, I feel there are many other issues we need to address first,” Sinnette said.
“We need to have protection under the law, particularly under the Equal Opportunity Act, and we need to remove stupid laws that do not make any sense in the 21st Century.”
The laws he was referring to include the Immigration Act that prohibits the entry of non-national “homosexuals or persons living on the earnings of prostitutes or homosexuals,” and the Sexual Offences Act, Section 13 (1) of which states “A person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment.”
Sinnette said while these laws are old and antiquated, Section 20 of the 2012 Children Act decriminalises sexual activity between minors. However, a clause in the act states that a minor is not exempted from a sexual offence charge if he or she is of the same sex.
“The new Children Act gives a further ability to criminalise children, and that is absolutely ridiculous. That piece of law is so behind in our society that we are walking backwards,” Sinnette said.
Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (Caiso) executive director Colin Robinson said while it was a great accomplishment for the US, the ruling may cause “fear mongering” from religious leaders who would use the idea of marriage equality as a way to stop LGBT people from having equal rights under the law.
“It is always great news when people get recognised under their law, but it is good news only for people who live in the west,” he said.
Robinson said it was Caiso’s goal to get people protected under local law, including the Equal Opportunities Act, but religious leaders use events like this to create scare tactics.
“I don’t want to sound like a Scrooge, but I think conservative religious leaders will try and rip up a frenzy,” he said.
Catholic priest Father Clyde Harvey told T&T Guardian that all people should be equal under the law, but marriage was another issue.
“I think that all human beings must be respected as humans, but I think that marriage between a man and a woman is sacred. All gay people should be respected and equally treated before the law, but we have to accept that a relationship between a man and a woman is a special relationship,” he said.
He maintained that all people have a right to love and have legal benefits between their partners, but he would not call it marriage.
Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Clifton De Coteau, meanwhile said that the Government was guided by the laws of the country and at the moment, as Parliament was dissolved, there were no possibilities to change the laws. He said the ministry had numerous consultations with different stakeholders, including religious organisations, NGOs and CBOs, to discuss the issue. On the National Gender Policy, De Coteau said it was still before Cabinet and he expects it to be passed in the next administration.