Cayman: Religious freedom, LGBTI people and the responsibilities of elected officials
A reply by Dr. Leonardo Raznovich to members of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands:
A person that is struggling with their sexual orientation may often feel lonely, vulnerable and confused. They may also feel a sense of rejection from society or may even be ostracised by their friends, family and loved ones, people to whom they would ordinarily first look for guidance and support.
This loneliness, vulnerability, confusion, rejection and ostracisation can, and often does, lead to anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health problems, potentially resulting in acute mental and physical harm. For many years now, such people in Cayman have, to differing degrees, endured these intolerances from family, friends and society more broadly, including government officials and elected politicians.
We also frequently hear and read in the news, on social media or even from discussions in the legislative assembly, reassurances that Cayman does not have widespread hate crime, physical abuse or denial of goods and services that are directed at LGBTI people.
Any notion that this lack of physical harm or segregating treatment should bring comfort, however, is wholly misguided at very best. It overlooks the brutality of ignorance. The pain that is inflicted when friends, family and society lack understanding, distance themselves or actively exclude LGBTI people from their lives, treating them differently or less worthy of their love and support.
Everyone deserves to love and to be loved. To withdraw that leads to unquantifiable harm, not just on the individual, but on persons proximate to them as a result of deteriorating relationships and social interactions, resulting in wider harm to society as a whole.
It is for these reasons that I read with great sadness the news regarding the private members’ motion put forward in the legislative assembly by legislator Anthony Eden and the underlying justifications and discussions for bringing forward such motion. Had the comments and motion been rejected in the legislative assembly I would have, reluctantly, accepted that this was just one more example of such elected member’s state of mind and view on these matters. Regrettably, however, the motion was supported and passed.
Merely to hint at placing any burden of blame on gays or other LGBTI people for the unnerving earthquake we all experienced in Cayman recently, past destructive hurricanes, or the challenges faced globally by the coronavirus, is profoundly wrong, but when the government endorses this position it becomes a matter of even more extreme concern.
Fortunately, many LGBTI people have the fortitude, knowledge and support networks to weather such nonsense, but there will be many that do not. There may be some that find themselves in particularly unsupportive environments and some for whom mental health is already an ongoing struggle. For any of those persons, however, to have to shoulder any degree of blame for natural disasters or global health emergencies is not acceptable and is reminiscent of mechanisms used to control people through anxiety and to turn the population at large against an oppressed and already vulnerable and suffering minority. Take, by way of example, the extensive massacre of the Jews during the 14th century resulting from blame for spread of the Black Death.
We no longer live in those times. We are more enlightened. Politicians need to start thinking more about humanity’s evolution, about history and the consequences of their words and actions, setting a better example, particularly for the younger generation.
Religion is not the exclusive domain of any one faith nor any particular denomination of such faith. There will always be different interpretations and different ways in which one observes and expresses their faith, if any, and whatever faith it may be. That is why freedom of religion is important, specially, in any democratic society. Freedom of religion does not, however, serve as a tool with which to disrespect or take away anyone’s rights to be visible, loved, accepted and treated with equal worth by society and under the eyes of the law. This is a line that should never be crossed and certainly not by persons of power and influence benefiting from unlimited parliamentary immunity and privileges.
Well said, what we don’t need here is more of this pure hatred without response from any of the other LA members. So disappointed in all of them. Using the fact that he can’t be sued over what he rants on about in the house – coward. Love thy neighbour – not! Resign Mr. Tony! Think carefully other LA members, your job is in our hands come next year.