The latest season of the OUTCAST UK podcast has kicked off by being recorded in Trinidad and where a five-year prison sentence for same-sex intimacy has recently been reinstated.
When news broke that the high court in Trinidad and Tobago had moved to make homosexuality illegal once again, OUTCAST UK’s Graeme Smith visited the Caribbean nation with his husband, Steven John, to experience the place firsthand, speak to people locally, and better understand the reasons behind the ruling – from the man who took the government to court.
This special documentary episode hears from legendary human rights defender Jason Jones, who originally led the landmark 2018 case that successfully decriminalised same-sex intimacy in Trinidad and Tobago.
Now, with that ruling overturned by the Court of Appeal, Jason is preparing to take the fight to the Privy Council in London – the highest court for the country – in a case that could have massive implications for over 44 million queer people across former British colonies.
Jason unpacks the deep colonial roots of the Buggery Act, first introduced under Henry VIII in 1533, and how its legacy continues to shape laws across the Commonwealth. He also lays bare the disturbing rise of US evangelical influence and the billions being spent to push homophobic agendas throughout the global south.
“This ruling matters far beyond the Caribbean,” says Graeme Smith. “Being in Trinidad and hearing Jason’s story made it clear – we can’t afford to sit back. What happens to LGBTQ+ people globally doesn’t stay there. These things tend to boomerang back to us at home. This isn’t just Jason’s fight – it’s all of ours.”
OUTCAST UK is available wherever you get your podcasts.
