Huffington Post: Anti-gay laws a legacy of “outdated British colonial laws”
Barbados’ criminalization of buggery continues to attract attention in human rights and tourism discussions. In 2010 Ethical Traveller Awards slammed Barbados for our anti-gay love law, and in 2011 Britain and the USA both criticized our country over this issue.
Should buggery be illegal in Barbados? How about adultery?
How about adultery… should that be illegal too?
IF we’re going to regulate sexual behaviours between consenting adults, what other activities should be prohibited? Is there any other orifice besides an anus that should be restricted? And… is that restriction limited to the penis, or should other protruding parts of the human body be restricted as well?
How about more than two people in the same bed? (Sorry, Cliverton!)
I mean… if Barbados society is going to be in the business of regulating sexual acts between consenting adults… well, let’s do some regulating.
Though the current law is under review, it still punishes “buggery” with a life sentence. Until the law is repealed, same-sex couples might prefer to experience the sparkling blue-green waters of the Caribbean in locales that welcome gay travelers, such as Puerto Rico, Aruba, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Despite legal recognition of same-sex relationships in several nations throughout the Caribbean, Collins asserts that widespread homophobia persists on many of the islands…
From the Huffington Post article Honeymoon from Hell: The Top 10 Destinations Gay and Lesbian Travelers Should Avoid
Our thanks to BFP reader “C” who wrote…
Message: Hello BFP
Love your blog. I was reading Huffpo this morning and came across this link and was embarrassed to see that along with our CARICOM neighbors Jamaica, Guyana and Belize, Barbados made the list of the most homophobic countries that gay travelers should avoid.
In a time when we are pushing our tourism this is a huge blow as many straight but socially conscious Canadian/American tourists may see this and decide against a Bajan vacation.
Not sure if you would be interested in highlighting this or not…
Cheers!
C.
Barbados Free Press 
Three in a bed?…….a red herring
But seriously…the Sexual Offences Act already covers other orifices and inanimate objects for the purposes of a charge of rape; but not, seemingly, the digits of the hand or foot which is odd given the inherent danger from long toe or finger nails. BUT do you want us to write about the ethics of sexual behaviour, the relationship of law and morals OR, as the article seems to suggest, the link between gayness (in men) and tourism as a commercial consideration?
Just for clarification…”buggery” is not homosexuality.That is, in Barbados a man can be convicted of buggering a woman(even his wife).Also, Lesbians can practice their art freely, as there is no law against “Lesbianism”. Its all very confusing.
BFP has actually missed on a crucial point in this whole debate, which I will examine to its furthest consequences this evening…
i for one don’t agree with changing the law, they practice it here anyway, let them continue to hide and do it. by the way like homosexuals, adulterer also hide and do it.
gay travellers spend money. is that not what we want
No one enforces these laws and B’dos not being gay friendly lol what a laugh! I haven’t heard anyone going to jail for buggery, yawn BUT the laws are still on the books none the less.
Wot about mopery!?
I was unfairly charged of mopery when I visited Guyana and exposed myself to a blind man!
How about Equality – The basic Right where Two adults women or men living together should not enjoy the same benefits as a straight couple – just a basic Human Right.
Very good, Ivan then you need to read my Follow Up; http://www.bajanreporter.com/2012/01/barbados-under-fire-for-non-compliance-with-international-human-rights-huff-po-bfp-decry-caribbean-isle-for-homophobia/
what does Barbados expect to attract Tourist with a law that would be offensive to the gay community world. This is only the beggining of the more to come backlashes to come from that LAW and don;t think that only the gay community going to be the only ones to stop community but with the influence the gay community has worldwide other organisations would support their efforts. You go Barbados!
correction on above comment
should have read”and don’t think that only the gay community going be the only ones to stop coming”
Some born this way some born that way. Some born in between. All HIS children can’t help the way they are born. Free them to love who they wants.
Now that it is understood that we really are talking about tourism – and not ‘three in a bed’ and all that – permit me to say that I wonder whether this is all manufactured hysteria masquerading as a real problem. The Huffington Whatever is not quite the same as a renowned wine expert marking vintages out of one hundred for investment purposes.
The package holiday people are hardly likely to go elsewhere with super deals through tour operators on offer – at little greater cost than a return flight for standard travellers. Elderly couples probably couldn’t give a monkeys. The young…well make some beach or other the St Tropez of the Caribbean and, meanwhile, resurrect the Gap from the dead and beg Sunset Crest stay open till after 10.0pm.Continue to leave the girls at the Garrison alone. Give Nelson Street -so undervalued – a face lift. And then, as we’re told, take care of the historic buildings. Gay partners will doubtless still do their thing and solos theirs – in private like the rest of us. Of course gay cruise ships may well have a problem but the economy is not thereby going to tumble and it’s not as if the Atlantic is teeming with them.
Of course, amend those horrid colonial laws which the coloniser itself abolished nearly 50 years ago but PLEASE do not say we must do it in the name of TOURISM – gee ‘scribes and Pharisees – HYPOCRITES’.
wether it is manufactured or hype it is a problem that going bite barbados in the rear end sooner rather than later.
In a Country of 98% Black – The basic right to live as a Human Being is all Gay – Lesbian and Transgender people want, they want equal rights – One would think that the majority would understand this after being enslaved – So Should Gay people continue to be enslaved
Because our then colonial master abolished the law in their country does that make it right that it should be abolished in our country. If so, then someone would need to help me understand why the law was believed to have been necessary in the first place. We are a supposedly independent state and as such entitled to have our own laws. Are we to abandon all principles in pursuit of the “foreign” dollar. There is one law that we cannot change and that is the law of nature. We have become so liberal minded that there are no longer any clear lines between right and wrong. Why don’t we start MURDER TOURISM, murderers spend money too ???, we could invite shiploads of them into Barbados and promise not to prosecute anyone that may decide to commit murder while on holiday here.
Extreme example for sure but then where do we draw the (blurred) line? I for one will always tell my children that it is against nature, that does not mean that anyone should be killed for being homosexual, however, condoning the act will only encourage the act which I BELIEVE IS WRONG. There is such a thing as sexless or platonic love therefore using love as the excuse for homosexuality is just a blurring of lines. There will always be people who want to see laws changed to favour their preferences so come on why don’t we make murder and rape legal also??? Laws supposedly come about because it is the wishes of the majority for the benefit of the majority so am I now to believe that the majority of Barbadians are GAY and HOMOSEXUAL or just bleeding heart liberals who believe in UTOPIA. We as human beings seem to be constantly pushed or encouraged to fly in the face of any perceived GOD. Anyone that is inclined to commit homosexual or gay acts can safely do so in the privacy of a room anywhere in BARBADOS but it seems like that is not enough, it must be seen to be accepted by everyone. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN DURING MY LIFETIME, I will never accept it as normal which if the movement gets it way would make me and others like me abnormal. Nothing wrong with same sex love, just the physical act. If Barbados is to get bitten in the ass because of no change to the current law then in my book SO BE IT!!!
Hey Newbie, It’s not 1950 anymore. Wake up Barbados. The world is passing you by.
Maybe I should be more blunt in my article? What if Barbados is the New Cuba? We get embargoed for not recognising Human Rights of LGBT peoples?
If I understand correctly, this was why HBO had a series “Queer as Folk” to show they bleed, eat, poop, love or hate just like the rest of the world. So why destroy a significant branch of Tourism when it is Barbados’ sole plank of Forex at the moment? Barbados’ IT or Film sectors are nowhere near as strong as Tourism, BTW – mucho LGBT in IT & Film…
Gays and Lesbians etc. have not been around for the last century, it has always been there, a Neanderthal man was buried as a woman (Google it), it is not a “White” disease – every culture has a version. Onnagatas (men dressed as Women) and/or Dai Sho (the same way we say All Rounder for cricket and to mean bisexual, in Japan the term first meant Samurai as in Dai Sho “Two Swords” which now is taken to mean weapons of love for either sex – these are a small example) are all the rage in the Land of the Rising Sun. Greeks in days of 300 were at it and I can go on, there will be idiots who say I am one for defending…
Well BFP must be too if George is gay, but Marcus is happily married to Shona and I have my Vanity. It is only a matter of allowing one’s intelligence to fully blossom and realise look, I may not agree but we all have rights – this applies to Religion too where pork may be shunned and the Maldives may make one think twice but it is their faith…
I aint White – Sorry to burst ya Bubble
Hi Ivan; I did not seek to imply what colour you are, that is a generalisation I hear very often per LGBT’s – that Whites teach it to others… Learned or Hereditary, LGBT’s exist and everyone must learn to Co-Exist, all I’m sayin’
We should and equal rights are all Gay People want what people do behind closed doors should remain that way as it is nobody’s business – The right to co-exist along with everyone else – the same Health Benefits – Tax benefits – Housing Benefits etc etc that’s all
jesus tell me that gay people wil burn in hell and i believe it cause jesus said it and he wouldnt lie. he is the light of the earth. If the law change i am leaving barrbados and going to saudi arabia (shit, right laws, wrong god) ahhh i going to the bible belt in the Us where other believers willing to kill gay peeople in the name of JESUS! my father. black people evil too, yea, cause my great great granddy say so, that deh use to preach that in church and the bible say so too. all this genetically modified food got people turning black and buggering each other like soddom and gotomorrow. eh
You are so funny pookie you should have your own stand up show
Barbados -whatever you do ,dont repeal your common sense laws re buggery etc.
I have returned to UK after quite some time overseas and it is irritating beyond belief to see how the gay mafia and thier sympathisers have taken over the media etc here and that thier annoying agenda is constantly forced upon the public.
its up to the homosexuals what they do in private ,but do they have to irritate everybody by acting so camp at every opportunity.
its definetly a welcome break coming to barbados with its conservative values -away from the decadent ,immoral goings on in the UK.
nothing to do with colonial values ,more to do with community values where the seniors and church have respect .
What people do in their bedrooms is of no concern to the rest of the world but don’t you find it strange that the man who is most vocal about gay rights is also a man recently made shame by wikileak revelations. I think he is trying to turn attention away from that episode with this non-issue. He acts like Barbados treats gays the way Uganda does. Yes we have backward laws but on the whole gays are not oppressed in Barbados. Look at the amount of gays and lesbians in influential public and private sector positions.
bim should be avoided in any case gay or not. a population of drug addicts,
corrupt politicians, incompetent police officers, racists, rapers, burglars, killers, crooks and other blood sucking parasites must not be fed.
usa, sweep the island and settle a new breed….