Outright International Welcomes the Repeal of Buggery and Gross Indecency Laws in Barbados

Outright International welcomes the repeal of Barbados’ buggery and gross indecency laws. The oral decision was handed down on December 12th by the Supreme Court of Judicature of Barbados and will be followed by a full written decision in January of next year. Although these laws do not explicitly mention gender identity or expression, law enforcement officials often conflate gender identity with sexual orientation, and, as such, these laws are also used to criminalize gender expression and identities which don’t correspond with the norms associated with the sex assigned at birth. Despite the fact that these laws are rarely enforced, they provide legal cover for police abuse and discrimination against LGBTIQ individuals.  

"Access to justice is never easy for LGBTIQ persons. We see this historic win in Barbados as a stepping stone to acknowledge and render justice to vulnerable people who are not necessarily acknowledged by the law,” said Kenita Placide, executive director for the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE). 

"With the repeal of similar laws in Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and 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 and organizing. While the decriminalization happens as a result of a legal challenge, the verdicts do not happen in a vacuum,” said Maria Sjödin, executive director of Outright International. “We congratulate ECADE, Butterfly Barbados, and Equals for this win and could not be more proud of our partners who tirelessly fight to end these colonial-era laws.”