Tag: LGTB equality
DP bill fails as ministers break rank
(CNS): Exercising a ‘conscience vote’, two Cabinet ministers voted against the Domestic Partnership Bill on Wednesday, ensuring its defeat by one vote. Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and Health Minister Dwayne Seymour joined with the opposition benches against government on the contentious bill. But Premier Alden McLaughlin predicted the imposition of same-sex marriage by the UK […]
DP debate stirs up various prejudices
(CNS): Anti-gay rights bias and homophobia weren’t the only prejudices and odd reactions that politicians displayed over the last two days as they debated the Domestic Partnership Bill. From the opposition leader referring to the former governor as “that woman” to the health minister’s warning that women’s sexual drive increases during a full moon, the […]
Domestic Partnership Bill heading for defeat
(CNS): The u-turn by Kenneth Bryan (GTC) on his previous support for some form of legislation recognising same-sex unions left the government’s Domestic Partnership Bill hanging in the balance Tuesday night, after all members of the Legislative Assembly had had their say. Premier Alden McLaughlin is now expected to wrap up the debate on Wednesday, […]
Rivers hedges on support for Eden’s motion
(CNS): Following a backlash from her constituents and the community, Minister Tara Rivers has used social media to claim that her support for a private member’s motion brought by Anthony Eden calling for government to reaffirm the right to freedom of expression to protect pastors from allegations of hate speech was confined to the motion’s […]
LGBT activists ask who will enforce BoR
(CNS): With no sign of the legal framework for same-sex relationships that the government was directed to create by the appeal court, local LGBT activist group, Colours Cayman, is worried that no one is enforcing the Bill of Rights and the situation will be worse once the constitutional reforms are in place. In a letter […]
LGBT people face toxic rhetoric
(CNS): Activists from the local organisation promoting equality for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community have raised concerns about the escalation of “toxic rhetoric” they are facing with an increase in rallies and events targeted against them and their demands for their rights to be respected.
Chief justice legalises gay marriage
(CNS) UPDATED WITH FULL STORY: In an historic landmark ruling for the Cayman Islands, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie has legalised same-sex marriage. In his judgment delivered on Friday in the human rights case filed by Chantelle Day and Vicky Bodden, who had been refused a marriage licence because they are a same-sex couple, the country’s […]
Suckoo defends motion, apologises for offence
(CNS): Backbench MLA Alva Suckoo has apologised for offending anyone with the comments he made in the Legislative Assembly last week during the controversial debate on the preservation of marriage but has taken aim at the chair of the Human Rights Commission, James Austin-Smith, and the letter he sent to the premier Thursday. Suckoo claims […]
HRC: MLA abused privilege for hate speech
(CNS): The chair of the Human Rights Commission has called on the premier to condemn the “unstatesmanlike, inaccurate, vitriolic, and thoroughly hateful” comments made against the LGBT community by a veteran MLA during a debate on traditional marriage. The shocking comments made by Anthony Eden in the Legislative Assembly last week abused parliamentary privilege, James […]
Panton offers backing to LGBT community
(CNS): A Cabinet minister has taken a stand against comments condemning homosexuality made in the Legislative Assembly last week during a private member’s motion on traditional marriage. Saddened by the content and tone of the debate, Wayne Panton said he did not want to be associated in any way with much of what was said […]