The Buggery Issue – is there a need for tolerance?

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court may have unwittingly reinvigorated the regional controversy over same sex relations in its latest ruling on the issue.The issue was the source of heated exchanges inthe media and even physically as LBGTQ + advocates, using the human rights umbrella and increasinglyencouraged by various judicial rulings have stepped up their campaign against what they view as colonial-eradiscrimination.

On the other hand, the advocacy has ignited resistance, primarily among young males and religious practitioners and has even resulted in heated exchanges.

Increasingly, the same sex and human rights advocates have not only stepped up their advocacy but taken tothe courts for redress. The recent ruling of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court that the laws in Saint Lucia which outlaw same sex relations are discriminatory, will serve as a further impetus for the removal of all such legislation from the statute books in territories of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, not just in Saint Lucia.

Though it is St Lucia-based, the ruling has important legal, moral, spiritual, political and social implications. It will no doubt fuel the confidence of those spearheading the advocacy. There is a view among many in the Caribbean that the advocates of legal redress are all supporters of same sex relationships. In addition, religious advocacy adds spice to the opposition to any legal redress. This seems to ignore the fact that among the advocates there are people who, while not advocates of same sex relations, are strong defenders of human rights and view the matter as such.

The issue, while apparently simmering below the surface in many countries remains a potentially volatile one. Besides the serious human rights issues involved, there is above all the fundamental issue of conflict resolution. How do we as a society handle such contentious matters? From all indications, such issues with deep historical roots, different social approaches and implications for social relations can be socially divisive.

With a lot of emotions involved, it tests our fragility where social tolerance is concerned. Centuries of strong-armed colonial rule has not engendered in us a spirit of tolerance and understanding. Thus, when confronted with challenging social issues, there seems to be a limit to our tolerance and patience. We seem to take the route of trying to have our will imposed, not to seek reasonable reckoning. Confrontation becomes paramount.

This underlying conflict will not just disappear- it requires that the question of our tolerance be addressed. It appears increasingly that when we go to Court on such serious social and political issues, we approach it from a standpoint of “win” only and are not prepared to accept any other decision. That is not the best approach to any matter of such enormous social implications. We must, irrespective of our own views, be prepared to listen, to understand, and to take all views into consideration so that we can arrive at decisions in the best interests of all.