The impact of religious attitudes towards sexuality on discrimination in private and public spaces, in social services and on policy was explored in a series of sessions this month. The dialogues were organised by the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) in collaboration with United and Strong, the sole organisation advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people on Saint Lucia and supported by the Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
Religion is often quoted as the source of negative beliefs about homosexuality that have led to destructive structural and circumstantial outcomes, ranging from hate speech and discrimination to murder. Some faith leaders continue to use religion to fuel homophobia. Recognising that the Christian perspective on sexuality and spirituality have become part of the Saint Lucian culture, ECADE facilitated the engagement of faith-based organisations, civil society and the LGBTQ+ community of faith in a peer-to-peer dialogue on the co-existence of sexuality and spirituality in Saint Lucia.
“The state should legislate rights, not sins and the discussions drilled in to how religious views on non-heterosexual people have spiralled outward to the community and into public policy,” says Kenita Placide, ECADE’s Executive Director. Placide, a member of the Anglican Church, says, “We have anecdotal evidence of people being denied services due to their sexuality because of religious, mostly Catholic Christian perspectives. In order to achieve more inclusive human rights focussed public policy, we must examine how these are applied and how we can change the narrative to recognise choice and to respect the human rights of all people.”
Participants shared experiences and evaluated the advocacy movement towards improving access to supportive services for marginalised populations. They spoke from their perspectives as representatives of faith-based organisations and civil society and as LGBTQ+ people of faith over four sessions on August 4, 7, 11 and 18, virtually and in-person.
The series, funded the Global Interfaith Network, will conclude with a public panel discussion to further explore society’s evolution to a more compassionate stance, progressive theological perspectives and Caribbean governments’ human rights-based approach in this shifting landscape.
