VINCENTIANS ATTEND HISTORIC PRIDE SVG CONFERENCE
On Saturday, the 1st of June 2024, many persons, including Vincentians, attended Equal Rights, Access and Opportunities SVG Inc.’s (“ERAO SVG”) first-ever Pride SVG Conference called The Pride SVG Conference 2024: A Celebration of Strength and Resilience (“the Pride SVG Conference”).
The Pride SVG Conference was a celebration of diversity, inclusion, strength, and the resilience of the Vincentian LGBTQIA+ community. The groundbreaking event brought together LGBTQIA+ persons, LGBTQIA+ activists, LGBTQIA+ allies, Lawyers challenging anti-LGBTQIA+ Laws, Civil Society Organizations advocating for LGBTQIA+ Rights or helping persons from the LGBTQIA+ Community, and/or other persons in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (“SVG”), to commemorate Pride SVG 2024, celebrate the lives of LGBTQIA+ persons, and show visibility and solidarity against all forms of violence and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ persons in SVG.
With over 50 persons in attendance, the Pride SVG Conference saw a significant increase in attendance from 2023’s Pride SVG Lunch Reception, which was held in collaboration with the Resident British Commissioner’s Office on Thursday, the 8th of June 2023. In 2023, over 30 persons attended the Pride SVG Lunch Reception. The Pride SVG Lunch Reception was historic in itself, as it marked the first time Vincentians came together publicly in an in-person event to officially celebrate Pride SVG.
The Pride SVG Conference, which was hosted by Vincentian Tedra Kirby, was divided into several different segments. The main segments were the Opening Ceremony, Buffet Lunch and Networking, Panel Discussions, and the Pride Ball.
Amongst other things, the opening ceremony saw ERAO SVG Founder Jeshua Bardoo and Miriam van Nie, Political Counselor at the High Commission of Canada in Barbados and the OECS give remarks, attendees were treated to special performances, and interested attendees stood together in solidarity and visibility for a group photo. After the group photo, attendees were treated to a buffet lunch with delicious food and drinks.
After the buffet lunch, two-panel discussions were conducted. The first panel discussion, entitled “CSOs and LGBTQIA+ Rights in SVG”, saw leading Vincentian CSOs talk about their work, how they support LGBTQIA+ persons, the challenges that this community faces, and some possible solutions. This panel discussion was moderated by Tedra Kirby. The panelists included Phylicia Alexander representing RedRoot SVG Inc., Jeanie Ollivierre representing Marion House/SVG Human Rights Association/Network of NGOs, Winfield Tannis-Abbott representing Care SVG, and Marlon Young representing VincyChap.
The second panel discussion, which was also moderated by Tedra Kirby, explored the topic “Challenging Anti-LGBTQIA+ Laws in SVG”. This was a hybrid panel discussion as panelist Jomo Sanga Thomas appeared in person while Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell joined via Zoom. During this panel discussion, Jomo Sanga Thomas and Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell discussed the background, the decision, and what’s next, amongst other things, for the cases challenging the Buggery and Gross Indecency provisions of SVG’s Criminal Code.
Jomo Sanga Thomas and Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell are the local lawyers representing the Claimants in the consolidated cases of Javin Johnson and Sean MacLeish v A.G of SVG, a Constitutional challenge against SVG’s Buggery and Gross Indecency laws which are a relic from British colonialism. In February 2024, then High Court Judge Justice Esco L. Henry, who now sits as a Justice of Appeal on the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal, upheld SVG’s Buggery and Gross Indecency laws on grounds of public health (citing HIV concerns) and public morality, and she dismissed the cases in their entirety. The consolidated cases are currently being appealed to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal.
The last segment of the event, the Pride Ball, was separated into 2 further sub-segments. The first sub-segment the “Audience Eleganza Extravaganza” was open to all attendees present who wanted to show off their look and/or walk. The audience, who also chose the winners, cheered loudest for Victor who won Best Dressed, and Jada Spark who won Best Walk.
The second sub-segment, the “Royal Pride SVG Ball” was a contest whereby 3 contestants showed off their looks and did a fashion walk. They were judged by a panel of 5 judges. For this segment, Jada Spark, who was crowned the overall winner of the Royal Pride SVG Ball, won Best Dressed and Best Walk, meanwhile another contestant, Shemar, won Most Confident. Representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jada Spark was crowned Ms. Queeribbean at The Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality’s (ECADE) regional “Transcendence” show, which was held in St. Lucia in May 2023.
ERAO SVG is pleased with the Pride SVG Conference as it exceeded and went above all expectations. Throughout June 2024, ERAO SVG plans to have a series of Zoom webinars to sensitize the public on issues surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community. The first webinar which will be tentatively held on Thursday, 13th of June 2024, will be on the topic “The Economic Impact of Homophobia in the Caribbean”, the second webinar which will be tentatively held on Thursday, 20th of June 2024, will be on the topic “Understanding Transgender Rights”, and the third and final webinar which will be tentatively held on Saturday, the 29th of June 2024, will be on the topic “Understanding Intersex Rights”. The public is invited to attend. More information can be found on ERAO SVG’s social media platforms.
ERAO SVG thanks its sponsors for Pride SVG 2024, the High Commission of Canada in Barbados and the OECS, CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice, and Pride Toronto.
Source link : https://www.stvincenttimes.com/vincentians-attend-first-ever-pride-svg-conference/
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Publish date : 2024-06-12 10:55:12
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