Innbyggerne på Barbados drøfter en ny grunnlov, og temaet kjønn og seksualitet var i sentrum for heftige diskusjoner under en av den konstitusjonelle reformkommisjonens vertskap for offentlige møter.
Det overveldende antallet barbadianere som leverte bidrag ved Deighton Griffith Secondary School, Kingsland, Christ Church søndag kveld ga uttrykk for misbilligelse med inkluderingen av språk som presset på kjønnsnøytralitet. Mange kom med argumentet at hvis Barbados aksepterer og oppmuntrer denne agendaen gjennom sin grunnlov, vil øya “gå nedover en glatt skråning”.
Flere fra LHBTIQ-miljøet mente at de ble diskriminert og at lovendringen var nødvendig. De fikk motbør fra presten Dr Ferdinand Nicholls som sa at ideen om kjønnsnøytralitet vil diskriminere andre grupper:
argued that his community also faces discrimination. This occurs when attempts are made to block their fundamental rights to freedom of thought and religious expression because they may have a contrary position to another set of people.
“It appears to me that any time you disagree with a particular group of people you are considered a bigot. You and I ought to have a discussion and a disagreement without you thinking I hate you. I don’t hate you, I hate you trying to discriminate against me because people seem to think discrimination only flows one direction, but it doesn’t. And in so doing, you are saying what I believe, I am compelled to push that aside to accept you and that is simply not going to happen. And if a Constitution were to ever make provision for that type of violation of religious freedom you would have a riot in this country. You can’t talk about discrimination and just have it one way, you have to appreciate the fact that there are other people who think differently and we agree to disagree,” Dr Ferdinand said.
