Since 2013, the CWSDC has served an annual development opportunity for activists representing women of diverse sexual orientation, gender identities and sex characteristics. Each CWSDC is staged in a different Caribbean country to add to the development of local advocacy. As co-hosts are organisations in-country, this amplifies their work and helps to increase capacity on the ground.
Caribbean women to the world!
The first gathering of its kind in the region, the Caribbean Women and Sexual Diversity Conference continues to be at the vanguard of building advocacy and uniting lesbian, bisexual, transgender (LBTQ) women and transgender, queer and intersex people assigned female at birth (AFAB). Celebrating the diversity of the Caribbean Woman – every shade of personality, every shape of intelligence, every style of wit, CWSDC is a network, a safe space and an incubator for LBTQIA+ female (including cis-hetero allies), non-binary and trans-identified activists in the Caribbean and diaspora. It seeks to develop regional capacity in advocacy and maximises opportunities for involvement with, and support of, advocacy relate to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) in the Caribbean. This is reflected in the intensification of participants’ subsequent advocacy and their expanded involvement in the conference as knowledge facilittors and co-organisers. The CWSDC annually convenes people advocating for communities of diverse sexual and gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics.
It features the Pitons World Heritage site in Saint Lucia, where CWSDC took flight
We began with FOKO in Curaçao in 2013 and the annual women’s conference has been hosted successfully in several Caribbean countries. The CWSDC is organised by the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality Inc (ECADE). Launched as an initiative of United and Strong Inc, it is still guided by the two main organisers Kenita Placide and Maria Fontenelle.
With the aim of increasing Caribbean women’s visibility in the movement to recognise the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people, the focus of the CWSDC is primarily capacity building. Just as important to our activism is the sense sisterhood, of common purpose and support that emerges a unique expression of camaraderie and commitment at every single gathering.
CWSDC is a network, a safe space and an incubator for LBTQIA female- and trans-identified activists in the Caribbean and diaspora. It seeks to develop regional capacity in advocacy and maximises opportunities for involvement with and support of LGBTQ+ organisations in the Caribbean. This is reflected in the intensification of participants’ subsequent advocacy and their expanded involvement in the conference as presenters and co-organisers.
CWSDC 