A First: Openly Gay Marchers at Haiti HIV/AIDS Rally

This is a first in Haiti. On the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, about one dozen men in T-shirts declaring "I am gay" and "I am living with HIV/AIDS" proudly "marched with hundreds of other demonstrators" through a Haitian city in what is believed to be the Caribbean nation's "first openly gay march."

According to the AP, the 12 gay men in the St. Marc demonstration wore T-shirts "with the anti-gay Creole term 'masisi' imprinted on them." This is a demonstrable change from previous HIV/AIDS marches in the country, where "widespread homophobia" discourages people from being out. 

The impoverished island nation of 9 million is the most affected by HIV in the Caribbean—the region with the highest infection rate outside Sub-Saharan Africa. Haiti has long fought stigmatization and discrimination after its migrants were among the first AIDS cases identified in the United States. The national HIV infection rate has fallen from 5.9 percent in 1996 to 2.2 percent today.

Coming out in Haiti as gay and HIV positive takes a helluva lot of courage in a nation where gays are routinely attacked and the HIV poz are shunned. Give these brave men a virtual round of applause.

Openly Gay Haitians March for 1st Time [P1Q]
In a First, Openly Gay Haitians March [Advocate]

Comments

[Taylor Siluwé]

STANDING OVATION!!!!

I'm extremely proud of our brave Haitian brothers and sisters.

Go Fam'! May your balls be an inspiration to those here in America who still haven't quite found theirs.

[D.bARR]

I second that STANDING OVATION!!!!

Coming out in general takes balls and a whole lot of other things, but to do it in such a place gives me courage. Recently coming out myself, I can sense the liberation (and underscored fear)....what a great feeling and time for them. Hopefully, they will inspire others in Haiti and beyond to live life openly and to the fullest each day. I wish them well....

[Joey Bahamas]

Beautiful...Haiti is my homeland's neighbor and this is very encouraging to see!

JB

[Mr. Gay Seattle XXXIII]

This is great to see I hope everyone takes time to remember someone they lost in the fight against HIV/AIDS

[Mr. Gay Seattle XXXIII]

I think sometimes we take it for granted how good we have it. It takes courage to come out but in those countries it is worse.

[Taylor Siluwé]

Congrats D.baRR ...
and I'm sure they will inspire many. Unfortunately, with liberation comes the inevitible backlash. The oppressor never goes down easy ....

[Rowan]

Taylor,

NO they don't.

But NEVER give up...or "give in" as rosa parks said...

[Shabaka]

Thx for sharing, Rod. I talked to my Haitian friends in Montréal about this and they were ecstatic. Bravo Haïti chérie!!

[Mel Smith]

I'm proud of them. They need to also go on an educational marketing campaign to eduacate people about sexual orientation.

[Mario]

When shall we see that in French Caribbean Islands Guadeloupe and Martinique? That's unthinkable! They really have BIG BALLS in Haiti!

[Eric]

Beautiful. Talk about bravery.

Thanks for sharing this.

[QH]

Brava! Very beautiful. Look at them, you can see the happiness radiating off of them.-QH

[Fred]

Rod, you just made me cry. WOW! I am just stunned. What a year of change this has been. First Obama and now a gay pride march in Haiti?......Haiti?....Haiti? Lord have mercy. Gays everywhere are voicing themselves with such courage. Amazing. Who is next? Jamaica?

-Fred

[justbthat.com]

I have noticed even here in the US, especially in ATL, people are feeling more comfortable with their HIV Status. A great debt is owed to December 1 and people who choose to make their truth and experience public. I am so honored to be apart of this experience.