LGBTI lives matter

All of us must be concerned.

None of us are left untouched.

Now, more than ever, we must be vigilant and stand guard for our loved ones and each other.

That means treating all lives as worthy.

Amid the incidents of violence, there have been reports by members of the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) community who fear they are being specifically targeted by criminals.

According to several LGBTI lobby groups, three gay men — all Caribbean migrants — were murdered in a month-long period earlier this year. Rumours have swirled about other incidents of violence, triggering groups, including the Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), to form a community- based safety campaign aimed at harnessing the power of solidarity to help gay men and women.

Whether the rumours are true and whether or not the murders were hate crimes, it is clear LGBTI people are vulnerable. Homophobia remains a constant challenge within this society. It is experienced on a social level and sanctioned at the level of the State through appalling and unconstitutional legislation such as the Equal Opportunity Act (which permits discrimination on the basis of sexuality) and the Immigration Act (which the Caribbean Court of Justice failed to strike down last year).

Still, things are not as bad as they are in, say, other countries like Jamaica where the entire society appears obsessed with beating down on any form of sexual minority; an obsession apparent in the music that forms the pulse of the island.

Yet, even in Jamaica things are getting better. An example is the ground-breaking Beyond Homophobia conference held by the University of the West Indies in January with the support of the British Council, the first such conference to be held by the university and in the Caribbean.

In Trinidad and Tobago, LGBTI people are permitted to live their lives in general peace, so long as they do not dare to be vocal and open about it. Merriment is fine on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, but by Ash Wednesday the gayness must be put back in the closet.

As pointed out by CAISO director Colin Robinson in a recent commentary, much of the violence against gay people remains under-reported. Many LGBTI people speak of being mocked or dismissed by police when they report crimes. Also, there are complex barriers in place, such as the effect of being outed to family, neighbours, co-workers, or church members.

There are further challenges when the media have to cover cases of violence aimed at members of the LGBTI community. Family members are often reluctant to discuss their loved one’s sexuality; and police may not take the question of sexual orientation seriously enough to pursue leads.

In this type of environment, then, it is easy to envision the sustained targeting of gay people going under the radar. Therefore, groups like CAISO and advocates like Jason Jones are to be lauded to the extent that they have raised visibility on the issue.

The response of the State must not be to cavalierly dismiss these concerns. The nature of the vulnerable group potentially affected means any inquiry into the facts must be nuanced. Sexuality is not only a factual matter, it is a complex social one.

Therefore greater training and sensitivity are required. Complaints and reports must be treated seriously. It is important for the State to make an effort to protect all lives, to thoroughly investigate all cases, and examine all angles and motivations. A murder is not any less abhorrent because it is a hate crime. It is worse.