LGBT History: Constitution of the Gay Freedom Movement of Jamaica, West Indies: January 13, 1980

Great news as GAY Freedom Movement archives are finally in the hands of the originators of the movement, the first actual gay group in Jamaica launched in the late seventies, 1974 to 76 to be precise. It consisted of some 6 persons including a Jesuit priest and named as follows: Joseph Owens, Clive Wilson, Gary Muirhead with its very vocal out and proud General Secretary then Mr. Larry Chang who now resides overseas. 

You can find more information under the tabs Gay Freedom Movement and LGBT History Month.

I am pleased that the founders have also decided to share some of the pieces themselves as I have been sharing some on my blogs both here and on GLBTQ Jamaica and HERE as well.

Not many younger persons are aware of the development of this group at all so it would be good to have this information now readily available.

Please click the photo above or here

Constitution of the Gay Freedom Movement of Jamaica, West Indies: January 13, 1980

to see the original version of the Gay Freedom Movement's Constitution as posted on OUTHistory.org and also on the host site for the retrieved archives International Resource Network (IRN) where they captioned the following:

The Gay Freedom Movement in Jamaica (GFM) was formed in 1974 as the first movement in the English Speaking Caribbean to seek rights for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) people.

It focused on consciousness-raising within the LGBT community and professional organizations; issued a newsletter - the Jamaica Gaily News (JGN); and ran a Gay Youth Program, Prison Outreach Program and a free STD clinic.General Secretary, Larry Chang, who was also publisher and editor of JGN, was the first Jamaican to come out publicly, being interviewed on radio and the then JBC-TV and through his letters to the press.

These archives consist of the papers which relate to the work of the GFM which Mr Chang kept in his possession until he left Jamaica in 2000. The documents were kept by the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (JFLAG).

The digitization of this archive was made possible through a City University of New York Diversity Grant. Special thanks to Stephanie Harvey, who organized and digitized the archive, and to Marianne LaBatto and the entire Brooklyn College Division of Archives & Special Collections, which facilitated that process.

This material is contributed to the Digital Library of the Caribbean by the Caribbean IRN, a network that connects activists, scholars, artists and other individuals and organizations who do research and work on issues related to diverse genders and sexualities in the Caribbean. For more information about the Caribbean IRN, please visit our website www.irnweb.organd select Latin America / Caribbean Region. Also feel free to email us at caribbeanirn@gmail.com.

I look forward to many more posts like this to share this information and I will share what I can about the Gay Freedom Movement as well.

We certainly need to know our past so we can move forward.

Peace & Tolerance

H