KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has ignited controversy with his unequivocal declaration on gender identity during parliamentary proceedings, prompting strong rebukes from human rights organizations across Jamaica. While addressing the 2026/2027 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, the leader articulated his administration’s unwavering stance on traditional gender concepts, asserting that fundamental Jamaican values would not be subject to alteration.
“When it comes to our values, there are things that define us as Jamaicans that we not going to change on those. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. We are not going to change on that,” Holness stated during his Thursday parliamentary address.
The comments have drawn immediate criticism from advocacy groups who argue such rhetoric exacerbates discrimination against gender minorities. Equality for All Foundation Jamaica and TransWave Jamaica have jointly expressed profound disappointment with the Prime Minister’s position, warning that it institutionalizes exclusion and undermines human rights protections.
Glenroy Murray, Executive Director of Equality for All Foundation, characterized the statement as a dangerous oversimplification that ignores the complex realities of many citizens. “When national leadership reduces identity to a rigid binary, it not only dismisses the lived realities of many Jamaicans but also risks deepening the marginalisation of communities who already face significant barriers,” Murray stated in an official media release.
Murray further challenged the government to address substantive policy issues rather than employing LGBTQ+ matters as diplomatic distractions. The commentary specifically referenced Jamaica’s foreign policy positions, suggesting the administration was using identity politics to deflect from other governance matters.
Lamar Grant, interim executive director of TransWave Jamaica, emphasized the tangible consequences of such political rhetoric. “Words from leadership matter and they must not come at the expense of our lives,” Grant noted, adding that these declarations contribute to heightened stigma and violence against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
Both organizations have renewed their appeal for governance approaches that prioritize comprehensive inclusion and unequivocal respect for the human rights of all Jamaican citizens, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.