In light of the Bahamas’ surprising vote in favour of gay rights at the United Nations earlier this month, the Nassau Guardian presents a summary of US diplomatic cables on Bahamian gay rights obtained via WikiLeaks.
The cables are interesting for their somewhat nuanced view on the state of homophobia in the nation, noting that the country has a“peaceful culture where the fire and brimstone generally stays verbal rather than physical.”
That said, attacks on gay Bahamians are not unknown, and the gay-panic defence seems to work for murderers there. And even the fire-and-brimstone is unpleasant, when not downright silly.
The vote at the UN doesn’t have any immediate consequences for the domestic situation for queers in the Bahamas, but hopefully it represents the beginnings of a shift toward more rights and protections there.
Why you can trust Xtra
