Mo (left) is a 41 year old Jamaican transgender man. He is a police detective. He says “Jamaicans are very intolerant and homophobic, none the less, I live my life fearlessly” he goes on to say “you can never know when you can become a target… so I am always n defense mode.” Mo is in a long-term relationship with his partner Pinkie. To contact: monique391975@icoloud.com, phone: +1(876)5871997. Social Media: IG: spoiltchildmo FB: Mo Bibi Rowe. He sits with his partner 30 year old Jamiacan lesbian Pinkie says she does not face discrimination common to LGBTQI+ people in Jamaica. She attributes this to her feminine presentation. She says though that “In Jamaica most people don’t have a mind of their own, they just want to hear one person say ‘alright – you’re a lesbian you need for dead.’ It’s like the entire crowd come down on you, ‘you need for dead.’ There’s just not somebody to have a mindset to say ‘you know leave her alone or leave her alone.’” Pinkie is in a long-term relationship with her partner Mo. To contact: monique391975@icoloud.com, phone: +1(876)5910578. Social Media: FB: Exstasii whipped cream Codling. Jamaica is one of 76 countries where same-sex acts are illegal. The LGBTQI+ community in the country have regularly faced violent homophobic and trans-phobic attacks, and discrimination in almost every sector of society. However, in the last ten years, through the emergence of courageous grassroots LGBTQI+ grassroots non-governmental organizations and activists, the country has seen progressive gains for LGBTQI+ acceptance. Photo Robin Hammond/NOOR for Witness Change. 29 September 2016

Mo /

“My name is Monique, I like to be called Mo. I am an “out” member of the Jamaican LGBTQ community. Jamaicans are very intolerant and homophobic. Nonetheless, I live my life fearlessly. It takes a lot of courage to live an openly gay life in a place like Jamaica where people are so violent towards gay people. I am always on the alert and really on the defensive because when you have a predominantly male look, like I do, you can never tell when you may become a target so I am always cognisant of that and ready to go into defence mode. I really love Jamaican- it is my homeland. I just wish it was a safer place for LGBTQ  Jamaicans to live, love laugh and be free to be who we are.”

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