Across the Caribbean, advocacy for the recognition and fulfillment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights occur in a non-inclusive, homophobic and transphobic context.

Women’s Empowerment for Change (WE-Change), an AWID member since their launch in May 2015, works on raising awareness and defending the rights of lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women in Jamaica and the Caribbean. The organisation is women-led and community-based. Recognising that LGBT advocacy spaces in the Caribbean are largely dominated by and focused on men - and women are often marginalized -, 20 LBT women founded WE-Change with the aim of strengthening the women’s movement within the LGBT community and increasing the participation of LBT women in social justice advocacy in Jamaica and the region.

“More and more LGBT people [are] standing for their rights, for equality before the law, for equity in social services and protection, and demanding that they be treated with the inherent dignity with which they were born. I am one of those LGBT people. And I remain committed to eliminating all forms of stigma and discrimination against my community in general and against the women in my community in particular.” – Latoya Nugent, Co-founder and Associate Director of WE-Change

Within just a couple of months of existence, the group organised legal literacy training sessions on domestic violence, training of facilitators on responding to and addressing gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, and a training on the Domestic Violence Act. Hosted in partnership with the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), watch what these participants had to say.

”WE-Change envisions a society where the rights of every person are recognised, respected, and protected, and where duty bearers and caregivers commit to creating an enabling environment for every person to contribute to the sustainable development of Jamaica.”

While working on creating alternative and safe spaces for the vocalisation of the LBT community and reducing homophobia and transphobia, WE-Change also promotes self-care and wellness through dance, yoga and fitness boot camp classes. During the ‘dancerobics’ for example participants were taught “several dance moves to the tune of new soca and dancehall hits.” And to celebrate love during #Pride2015, the women of WE-Change made this video because #LoveWins!