St. Vincent and the Grenadines judge dismisses challenges to country’s sodomy laws
A judge on St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ top court on Friday dismissed two cases that challenged the country’s sodomy laws.
Two gay men from St. Vincent, the country’s main island, in 2019 challenged laws that criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations.
High Court Justice Esco Lorene Henry on Friday dismissed the two cases. Sean Macleish, one of the two plaintiffs who lives in the U.S., expressed disappointment in the decision. “I am disappointed with the judge’s ruling and will be discussing our options with my legal team because freedom and equality is worth fighting for,” Macleish told the Washington Blade on Friday in an email.
Jeshua Bardoo, a lawyer who founded Equal Rights, Access and Opportunities SVG, a Vincentian advocacy group, said Friday is a “sad day for LGBTQ+ rights in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.” “Internationally and regionally, laws similar to those challenged in these cases have been declared unconstitutional and in violation of the rights of LGBTQ+ persons,” said Bardoo in a press release the Eastern Caribbean Alliance, a regional LGBTQ rights group, issued. “These archaic and draconian colonial laws, though not strictly enforced, symbolically denigrate LGBTQ+ persons as second-class citizens in their own country and perpetuate prejudice and stigma against them.” Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin also criticized the ruling. “The rejection of the bid to decriminalize same-sex conduct in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a huge disappointment and significant setback for LGBTQ rights in the country,” said Sjödin. “We urge the government to reconsider its position and take meaningful steps towards ensuring the full protection and dignity of all citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” Antigua and Barbuda, St.
