In a landmark ruling for its LGBTQ+ community, anti-buggery laws were struck down in Antigua and Barbuda. Honourable Justice Marissa Robertson of the twin island nation’s High Court ruled on July 5 that sections 12 and 15 of the Sexual Offences Act of 1995 contravene its constitution. The Sexual Offences Act states that a person who commits “buggery,” which is defined as either sexual intercourse between two male persons or acts of anal sex between male person and a female person, is guilty of a criminal offence. While this news has been celebrated as a step forward, it has been noted that queer and trans people in Antigua and Barbuda have no protections against discrimination in areas like housing, employment and public accommodations at the federal level.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.