Entry #5490: Homosexual activity in Barbados

Current Version

Region	Barbados
Issue	Homosexual activity
Status	Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
Start Date	Feb 13, 1992
End Date	Dec 12, 2022
Description	Sections 9 and 12 of Chapter 154 of the Sexual Offences Act criminalized homosexuality. Section 9 of the Act made buggery a criminal offence, punishable upon conviction by imprisonment for life. Section 12 of the Act made it an offence for a person to commit an act of serious indecency on or towards another person, or to incite another person to commit such an act with them or with someone else, punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Sources	Sexual Offences Act Comes Into Effect On February 13th, 1992 https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/684d7634-16d0-476a-b01d-c6d437b3346f/content Sexual Offences Act (1992) https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/lgbti2.pdf

Revision History (23)

Dec 14, 2024

edited by Unknownmiles. Fixing dates, description, and sources

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value (Current)
Value	Male illegal, female legal	Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
Start Date	Mar 5, 2017	Feb 13, 1992
End Date	Sep 7, 2018	Dec 12, 2022
Description	10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018.	Sections 9 and 12 of Chapter 154 of the Sexual Offences Act criminalized homosexuality. Section 9 of the Act made buggery a criminal offence, punishable upon conviction by imprisonment for life. Section 12 of the Act made it an offence for a person to commit an act of serious indecency on or towards another person, or to incite another person to commit such an act with them or with someone else, punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Sections 9 and 12 of Chapter 154 of the Sexual Offences Act criminalized homosexuality. Section 9 of the Act made buggery a criminal offence, punishable upon conviction by imprisonment for life. Section 12 of the Act made it an offence for a person to commit an act of serious indecency on or towards another person, or to incite another person to commit such an act with them or with someone else, punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/24/barbados-first-pride-parade/	Sexual Offences Act Comes Into Effect On February 13th, 1992 https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/684d7634-16d0-476a-b01d-c6d437b3346f/content Sexual Offences Act (1992) https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/lgbti2.pdf
Sources	Show Difference https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/24/barbados-first-pride-parade/ Sexual Offences Act Comes Into Effect On February 13th, 1992 https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/684d7634-16d0-476a-b01d-c6d437b3346f/content Sexual Offences Act (1992) https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/lgbti2.pdf

Sep 29, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Value	Male illegal, female uncertain	Male illegal, female legal
Description	10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.	10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.

Reports (1)
Newer law has been passed 
Apr 8, 2022

Sep 26, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Description	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.	10 years to 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed. 16 years in prison. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.

Sep 3, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Description	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018.	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018. Legalization proposed.

Sep 3, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Aug 20, 2018	Sep 7, 2018

Aug 20, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Aug 8, 2018	Aug 20, 2018

Aug 11, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)	Male illegal, female uncertain
End Date	Jul 24, 2018	Aug 8, 2018

Jul 24, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 16, 2018	Jul 24, 2018
Description	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. Barbados held its first pride parade on July 24, 2018.
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/24/barbados-first-pride-parade/
Sources	Show Difference https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/24/barbados-first-pride-parade/

Jul 16, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 9, 2018	Jul 16, 2018
Description	16 years in prison under chapter 154 of the 1992 Sexual Offences Act. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.	10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference 16 years in prison under chapter 154 of the 1992 Sexual Offences Act. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. 10 years to life. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.

Jul 9, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 7, 2018	Jul 9, 2018
Description	10 years to life in prison. Not enforced.it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.	16 years in prison under chapter 154 of the 1992 Sexual Offences Act. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to life in prison. Not enforced.it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending. 16 years in prison under chapter 154 of the 1992 Sexual Offences Act. Not enforced. it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados
Sources	Show Difference https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#barbados https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados

Jul 7, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jun 13, 2018	Jul 7, 2018

Jun 13, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jun 1, 2018	Jun 13, 2018

Jun 2, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Apr 13, 2018	Jun 1, 2018

Apr 13, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Apr 10, 2018	Apr 13, 2018
Description	10 years to life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.	10 years to life in prison. Not enforced.it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference 10 years to life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending. enforced.it is the next country that activists are working to get homosexuality Decriminalized. Decriminalization pending.

Apr 10, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Mar 20, 2018	Apr 10, 2018
Description	life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.	10 years to life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending. 10 years to life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados
Sources	Show Difference https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/map/2018/03/15/map-eastern-caribbean https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados

Mar 28, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados
Sources	Show Difference https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/28/cheap-political-trick-barbados

Mar 23, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Sources	No	https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/23/shes-famous-barbados-and-lgbt-ally

Mar 20, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Feb 21, 2018	Mar 20, 2018
Description	life in prison. Not enforced.	life in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Feb 21, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jan 25, 2018	Feb 21, 2018

Jan 25, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jan 6, 2018	Jan 25, 2018

Jan 7, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Sep 6, 2017	Jan 6, 2018

Sep 7, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value (Original)	New Value
Start Date	(unknown)	Mar 5, 2017
End Date	Mar 5, 2017	Sep 6, 2017
Description	life in prison.	life in prison. Not enforced.

Mar 5, 2017

created by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Original entry
Status	Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
Start Date	(unknown)
End Date	Mar 5, 2017
Description	life in prison.
Sources	No