Men ‘hounded out of their homes’ after celebrating repeal of Trinidad and Tobago’s anti-gay law

Three separate participants in a rally celebrating the repeal of Trinidad and Tobago’s buggery law have been hounded out of their homes.

A court ruling in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month struck down a British Colonial-era law that criminalised gay sex in the islands, finding it a violation of gay people’s human rights.

However, the repeal of the law definitely hasn’t dismantled a culture of homophobia overnight.

An LGBT group based in Trinidad and Tobago, Friends for Life, put out an appeal for emergency accommodation this week – after several men who appeared at a rally celebrating the repeal of the law were hounded out of their homes.

According to the country’s Newsday newspaper, the group put out the appeal on behalf of three men who needed an emergency place to stay.

The High Court (Creative Commons photo/Klaas Vermaas)

One of the men was told by his landlord that he was no longer welcome after being photographed at the rally, while another was harassed into fleeing his home. The third, a young man, was reportedly rejected by his family after being seen at the rally.

The group said they have since had offers of support for the men.

Luke Sinette, a social worker who runs the group, told Newsday: “I got a message from [the first man] yesterday, that his landlord said he had to leave.

“The landlord identified his visibility at the rally for the decision he took.”

Of the second man, Sinette added: “He was going home, when he got to his gate, he was attacked and taunted and had to make a report at the Belmont Police Station.

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