GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS, 7 November 2019:
Firstly, Colours Cayman would like to commend Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush for their courage, strength of will and sheer tenacity, all of which have been on full display throughout the course of this gruelling battle. They and their brilliant legal team are paving the way towards a brighter and more inclusive future for our nation and have our organisation’s total support in this endeavour.

Furthermore, while we applaud the Court of Appeal for reprimanding the Cayman Islands Government for having knowingly allowed the continued violation of the rights of same-sex couples to marry, Ms Day and Ms Bodden Bush in particular, we also recognise that our government still holds all the cards—for now. This being the result of the Court of Appeal’s negligent interpretation of our constitution and reluctance to make the firm demand for the legalisation of same-sex marriage, effectively affording the government licence to keep dragging its heels.

Yes, our government has been ordered to act swiftly and put forth a solution that would prove “functionally equivalent to marriage” for same-sex couples, however, given their stance on this controversial issue, that is likely to come in the form of civil unions at best, which serve as something as a stand-in for actual marriage.

We believe we speak for the majority of our LGBT+ community and its supporters when we say that civil unions are a consolation prize that we will not be contented with. Despite the privileges they may afford, they ultimately perpetuate divisiveness and make anyone who doesn’t identify as heterosexual into second class citizens.

As it stands, we’re now anticipating government to deliver a half-measure solution to act as a compromise that will only drag things out even more. And given that likely outcome, it is safe to say that the judgment can only be duly corrected by an appeal to the Privy Council.

No matter the direction our government proposes to take in order to appease the Court of Appeal, this fight isn’t over until true marriage equality is achieved in the Cayman Islands for all its people..

About Colours Cayman

Colours Cayman is a locally operated non-profit that aims to foster a safe and comfortable social environment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community of the Cayman Islands by building a network of local businesses and public venues free of discrimination and harassment towards anyone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights as Human Rights and promote the inclusion and equality of LGBTQIA+ persons in the Cayman Islands and throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

About Colours Cayman