We’re well into a new decade, but equality for LGBTQ people around the world continues to not be a given. In fact, being part of the LGBTQ community can often mean a prison sentence, or even death. Indeed, while it’s true that over 25 countries around the world have legalized same-sex marriage and that about as many allow for joint adoption by same-sex couples, it’s also true that same-sex sexual activity is illegal in over 70 countries. The Caribbean nation of Barbados is no longer one of those countries! On Dec. 12, the High Court voted to strike down the sections of the Sexual Offenses Act that criminalized homosexuality as “buggery” and “serious indecency,” crimes which had a potential sentence of life imprisonment. “This is a resounding victory for LGBT people in Barbados,” said Téa Braun, Chief Executive of the legal advocacy organization, Human Dignity Trust. Barbados has followed in the footsteps of two other Carribean countries to decriminalize homosexuality in 2022; St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda. Six other countries in the region are still on the wrong side of history, including Jamaica, Guyana, Dominica, and Granada.