Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Grenada may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. The penal code makes same-sex acts on Grenada proper illegal with a punishment up to 10 years in prison, it also does not address discrimination or harassment on the account of

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...

gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the ...

, nor does it recognize same sex unions in any form, whether it be marriage or partnerships. Household headed by same-sex couples are also not eligible for any of the same rights given to opposite-sex married couples.

Legality of same-sex sexual acts

Homosexuality is illegal in Grenada proper. Under the Grenada Criminal Code, Section 431, the offence of “unnatural crime” is committed by way of sexual intercourse per anum, i.e.,

anal penetration Anal sex or anal intercourse is generally the insertion and thrusting of the erect penis into a person's anus, or anus and rectum, for sexual pleasure.Sepages 270–271for anal sex information, anpage 118for information about the clitoris. Ot ...

. Such offence is punishable by imprisonment for ten years. The Criminal Code does not specify the ‘penetrating’ object, although by reliance on the common law, the penetrating object is the penis. The offence is committable by male person with/to male person and/or male person with/to female. The offence cannot, however, be committed by two female persons. However, in section 7, the criminal law prohibits "Committing grossly indecent act; is stated in gender-neutral terms. By implication it covers both opposite-sex and same-sex acts. The act of gross indecency must be committed wilfully and in public." Under this section female homosexuality is illegal under public indecency laws. In May 2013, the president of the

Senate of Grenada The Parliament of Grenada is composed of the monarch and two chambers: Senate and the House of Representatives. It operates from the New Parliament Building in St. George's. Structure Parliament consists of the King, represented by the Gove ...

called the island to reconsider its ban on same-sex sexual relationships and said that “the day is fast approaching” for Grenada and other Caribbean countries to repeal their sodomy laws.

Discrimination protections

There are no explicit clause on equality or protection of privacy in the Grenada Constitution of 1973. Grenadan law does not address discrimination or harassment on the account of

Summary table

References

{{North America topic, LGBT rights in Grenada Law of Grenada Society of Grenada Grenada

Legality of same-sex sexual acts

Discrimination protections

Summary table

See also

References