Jason Jones: Walking Tall

I was on a bustling street in Soho, hugging my friend Liam as he cried with joy after hearing that Trinidad and Tobago’s highest court had just ruled that sections of the Sexual Offences Act were unconstitutional. For Liam, it was a moment that couldn’t come soon enough. Like many, his family encouraged him to move away from Trinidad so he could live as himself. Today, I’m in conversation with Jason Jones, the intrepid activist who filed the historic lawsuit in the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago, and who successfully challenged the constitutionality of Sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act.  We begin our conversation at the moment Liam and I read the ruling and wind through Jason’s fascinating and globe-trotting life. From singing Neil Diamond on the beach with Nina Simone to changing homophobic laws across two continents, Jason Jones is living proof of how the world can change when even just one of us recognises our inherent potential and value and when we embark on future-defining journeys with tenacity, drive and ambition. The scope, scale and impact of Jason’s work really cannot be repeated enough. I’m so honoured to share this conversation with you. This episode also closes with a special message from Liam to Jason. — —  Jason Jones is an LGBTQ human rights activist, most widely known for winning a landmark court case against Trinidad and Tobago. After a widely-anticipated win at the Privy Council, Jason's court case will have effectively liberated over 55 million people across the Caribbean and South America. — — @_busybeingblack is the podcast exploring how we live in the fullness of our queer Black lives. Supporting this podcast doesn't cost any money; your retweets, ratings, reviews, shares and feedback all help, so please keep it all coming #busybeingblack Of course, if you want to and have the means, you can support Busy Being Black financially and help make it all happen: paypal.me/busybeingblack — — Thank you to our partners, UK Black Pride and BlackOut UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices