Caribbean Heritage Month: Young, Queer Caribbeans Reflect on Pride, Identity

June 18, 2025

Pride Month is celebrated globally in June as a time for the LGBT+ community to demonstrate resilience and self-acceptance, while also honoring Caribbean heritage in the United States. For young queer Caribbean individuals like Trevonae Williams, Quentin Price, and Ananda Welch, this period represents more than celebration—it's about reconciling their Caribbean cultural backgrounds with their sexual identities. These individuals have navigated challenges including legal prohibitions against same-sex relationships in Caribbean nations like Jamaica, where homosexual acts remain criminalized with severe penalties.

Who is affected

Young queer Caribbean individuals and Caribbean-Americans, specifically Trevonae Williams (25, Jamaican lesbian, non-binary woman), Quentin Price (22, Jamaican-American gay man), and Ananda Welch (23, Bajan-American bisexual woman)
The broader LGBT+ community from Caribbean nations where same-sex relationships face legal restrictions
LGBT+ Caribbean youth struggling with cultural homophobia and self-acceptance
Families of queer Caribbean individuals navigating cultural expectations

What action is being taken

Williams, Price, and Welch are openly sharing their personal experiences and journeys toward self-acceptance as queer Caribbean individuals
Williams is extending her personal pride to others who may be struggling with their identity
LGBT+ communities around the world are observing Pride Month with celebrations and events
Young queer Caribbean individuals are building supportive friend networks (described as "chosen family") to compensate for potential rejection from biological family

Why it matters

In Jamaica, same-sex encounters remain criminalized with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor under the Offences Against the Person Act
Only Cuba among Caribbean nations has legalized same-sex marriage, while it was explicitly outlawed in Jamaica in 2011
Cultural homophobia forces many queer Caribbean individuals to hide their identities for fear of being "disowned, kicked out or publicly shamed"
Strong support systems can help young queer people develop confidence in their identities despite cultural opposition
Barbados only decriminalized same-sex intimacy in 2022, though same-sex marriage remains banned under the 1979 Marriage Act

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer