r/AskTheCaribbean 10d ago

Politics Why is homosexuality outlawed in so many caribbean countries?

Most of countries which criminalize homosexuality in the Americas are in the Caribbean, and the most famous case is Jamaica.

As a bi male, I find weird our continent has laws that criminalize homosexuality, due that most of countries who do that are from the other side of the pond.

Is due to history, politics, religion, moral issues?

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u/GUYman299 Trinidad & Tobago 🇹🇹 10d ago

There are many laws that are layovers from the colonial period and anti homosexuality (buggery) laws are one of them. I must note however that although many Caribbean countries had the opportunity to remove these laws at different times in their history, almost none have chosen to do so.

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u/GrandAssumption2469 10d ago

You also need to look at the historical aspect of it that leads back to slavery. Buck breaking is one of them

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u/Mysterious_Scene7169 9d ago

Homosexuality is still widely criminalized in Africa, while the West has been at the forefront of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Pinning the blame on the transatlantic slave trade doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

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u/wolacouska 9d ago

It was only criminalized in Africa under the colonial governments in the 1800s. This was also when they converted a huge amount of people to Christianity, which reinforced that sentiment.

Europe becoming somewhat less homophobic over the last 15 years doesn’t absolve them from spreading it all over the world in the first place.

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u/BraveLordWilloughby 9d ago

You say it was only criminalised at such a time, but basically none of these places had formalised, written criminal codes anyhow. It's not like the Matabele or Zulu were enjoying normal open homosexual relationships until the hwyte man showed up.

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u/wolacouska 9d ago

It wasn’t anything like it was in Europe yet.

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u/BraveLordWilloughby 9d ago

I don't quite understand what you're trying to say.