Caribbean LGBTQ+ Inclusion
LGBT Equality Scorecard for Caribbean Nations
Methodology for the Equality Scorecard
Equaldex's distinctive Equality Scorecard presents a numerical assessment, spanning from zero to one hundred (with one hundred signifying the highest level of equality), designed to illustrate the legal standing and societal perspectives concerning LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and others...) individuals within various geographical areas. This comprehensive Equality Scorecard is derived from the aggregation of two distinct components: the Legal Index and the Public Opinion Index.
Equality Scorecard
An average derived from the Legal Index and the Public Opinion Index
Legal Index
The LGBT legal index critically evaluates the prevailing legal framework across thirteen distinct facets, encompassing the legality of homosexual conduct, the recognition of same-sex unions, the rights afforded to transgender individuals, the existence of protections against LGBT discrimination, the implementation of censorship laws pertaining to LGBT matters, and various other relevant legal stipulations. Each of these aspects is assigned a different level of importance or weighting; for instance, a region where same-sex marital unions are prohibited will exert a considerably greater influence on the overall score than a jurisdiction that does not permit LGBT individuals to serve in its armed forces. Each issue is allocated a "total possible score," and a specific "score" is then assigned, based on the existing legal status, utilizing a rating scale that extends from zero percent to one hundred percent. For illustrative purposes, if homosexual activity is deemed lawful, it would garner a score of one hundred; conversely, if it is prohibited, it would receive a score of zero.
Should the legal status of a particular issue remain indeterminate, be deemed inapplicable, or if no relevant data has been incorporated into Equaldex, that issue's score is entirely disregarded and excluded from the final calculation. In circumstances where legislation differs across a given territory (for example, a nation where same-sex unions are legally recognized in certain states or provinces but not others), the score is computed as an average across all constituent states or provinces, with each region carrying equal weight.
Prior legislation that is no longer in force has no bearing on a territory's contemporary score. Conversely, newly enacted statutes that have not yet been implemented will not influence the region's score until the precise date they become effective.
Legal Index
(The Total Possible Score for each specific issue multiplied by the Factor reflecting the Status of that Issue) divided by the Sum of all Total Possible Scores
| Concern | Total Possible Score | Status | Weighting Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homosexual activity | 100 | Lawful | ×1.00 |
| Male prohibited, female status unclear | ×0.20 | ||
| Male prohibited, female lawful | ×0.20 | ||
| Prohibited (alternative penalty) | ×0.15 | ||
| Prohibited (imprisonment as sanction) | ×0.10 | ||
| Prohibited (custodial sentence up to life imprisonment) | ×0.05 | ||
| Prohibited (capital punishment as sanction) | ×0.00 | ||
| Same-sex marriage | 60 | Legally recognized | ×1.00 |
| Civil unions (conferring marital rights) | ×0.80 | ||
| Civil unions (providing limited rights) | ×0.70 | ||
| Other form of recognized partnership | ×0.50 | ||
| Solely acknowledges foreign same-sex unions | ×0.40 | ||
| Unregistered cohabitation acknowledged | ×0.30 | ||
| Not acknowledged | ×0.10 | ||
| Explicitly prohibited | ×0.00 | ||
| Censorship of LGBT subject matter | 40 | Absence of censorship | ×1.00 |
| Imposed by the state | ×0.30 | ||
| Monetary fine as penalty | ×0.20 | ||
| Alternative form of penalty | ×0.10 | ||
| Imprisonment as penalty | ×0.05 | ||
| Capital punishment as penalty | ×0.00 | ||
| Right to alter legal gender | 40 | Lawful, without stipulations | ×1.00 |
| Lawful, contingent on medical diagnosis | ×0.70 | ||
| Lawful, necessitating surgical intervention | ×0.40 | ||
| Unlawful | ×0.00 | ||
| Gender-affirming medical care | 20 | Lawful | ×1.00 |
| Lawful, with limitations for minors | ×0.70 | ||
| Lawful, but prohibited for minors | ×0.50 | ||
| Restricted in availability | ×0.30 | ||
| Prohibited | ×0.00 | ||
| Legal acknowledgment of non-binary gender identity | 30 | Acknowledged | ×1.00 |
| Intersex individuals exclusively | ×0.70 | ||
| Not legally acknowledged | ×0.00 | ||
| Protection against hate crimes | 40 | Encompassing sexual orientation and gender identity | ×1.00 |
| Encompassing sexual orientation exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Protected in specific circumstances | ×0.30 | ||
| Lacking any protections | ×0.00 | ||
| LGBT discrimination | 20 | Prohibited by law | ×1.00 |
| Prohibited in certain contexts | ×0.50 | ||
| Absence of protective measures | ×0.00 | ||
| Discrimination in LGBT employment | 20 | Concerning sexual orientation and gender identity | ×1.00 |
| Concerning gender identity exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Concerning sexual orientation exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Absence of protective measures | ×0.00 | ||
| Discrimination in LGBT housing | 20 | Concerning sexual orientation and gender identity | ×1.00 |
| Concerning sexual orientation exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Concerning gender identity exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Absence of protective measures | ×0.00 | ||
| Same-sex couple adoption | 20 | Legally permissible | ×1.00 |
| Permissible for married couples solely | ×0.50 | ||
| Permissible via second-parent adoption solely | ×0.40 | ||
| Permissible for single individuals solely | ×0.20 | ||
| Prohibited by law | ×0.00 | ||
| Surgical procedures on intersex infants | 20 | Complete prohibition | ×1.00 |
| Parental consent mandated | ×0.30 | ||
| Not prohibited | ×0.00 | ||
| Open service in the military | 20 | Legally allowed | ×1.00 |
| Lesbians, gays, and bisexuals permitted, transgender individuals barred | ×0.70 | ||
| "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in effect | ×0.50 | ||
| Prohibited | ×0.00 | ||
| Blood donations by men who have sex with men (MSMs) | 10 | Legally permitted | ×1.00 |
| Legally permitted with specific constraints | ×0.80 | ||
| Prohibited (deferral period under 6 months) | ×0.30 | ||
| Prohibited (6-month deferral period) | ×0.20 | ||
| Prohibited (1-year deferral period) | ×0.15 | ||
| Prohibited (5-year deferral period) | ×0.10 | ||
| Prohibited (indefinite deferral period) | ×0.00 | ||
| Conversion therapy practices | 10 | Legally prohibited | ×1.00 |
| Prohibited for sexual orientation exclusively | ×0.50 | ||
| Not prohibited | ×0.00 | ||
| Uniform age of consent | 10 | Uniformly applied | ×1.00 |
| Uniform for females, not applicable for males | ×0.75 | ||
| Uniform for females, non-uniform for males | ×0.50 | ||
| Non-uniform application | ×0.00 |
Public Opinion Index
The LGBT public opinion index gauges prevailing societal attitudes toward LGBT individuals by analyzing survey data and polls conducted by respected research entities. This index is computed by averaging the findings from all available surveys within a particular territory. Typically, the averaged value represents the most "egalitarian" response obtained from the poll. For instance, if a survey posed the question, "Do you endorse same-sex marriage?" and fifty-six percent of respondents indicated "yes," then the figure "56" would be utilized. In certain instances, a survey's contribution to the average might be diminished if it is highly specific in its scope or targets a particular demographic group (such as religious adherents), thereby potentially failing to capture the broader sentiment of the region.
To more accurately reflect contemporary viewpoints, surveys are scored utilizing a temporal weighting methodology that considers the publication date. This approach ensures that more recent surveys exert a greater influence on the public opinion index. Surveys conducted within the current year and the preceding year are assigned full weighting. However, for surveys older than two years, an exponential decay factor of seventy-five percent is applied annually. This decaying weight mechanism ensures that the public opinion index remains predominantly informed by the most up-to-date information, thereby capturing evolving societal perspectives, while still incorporating older survey data to maintain a holistic understanding.
It is important to note that public opinion data is not uniformly accessible for every territory. In such situations, the Equality Scorecard will solely serve as a reflection of the legal rights afforded to LGBT individuals within that region. Furthermore, for certain territories, recent public opinion data might be unavailable, necessitating the use of older survey results for scoring purposes.
Public Opinion Index
(Value from Survey Results multiplied by Survey Weight and Time Decay Factor) divided by the Sum of (Survey Weight multiplied by Time Decay Factor)
| Year Survey Was Published | Time Decay Factor Applied | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 (current calendar year) | 0.750 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0.750 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0.751 | 0.75 |
| 2022 | 0.752 | 0.5625 |
| 2021 | 0.753 | 0.421875 |
| 2020 | 0.754 | 0.31640625 |
| 2019 | 0.755 | 0.2373046875 |
| 2018 | 0.756 | 0.177978515625 |
| 2017 | 0.757 | 0.13348388671875 |
| 2016 | 0.758 | 0.10011291503906 |
| 2015 | 0.759 | 0.075084686279297 |
| (and so forth) | ||
Important Considerations
- Equaldex's Equality Scorecard is subject to continuous enhancement, and its historical tracking may not accurately represent changes in equality over extended periods. As more information is contributed to Equaldex, the index's precision is amplified. For instance, incorporating survey findings into a region's data is likely to alter its Equality Scorecard score - this effect is magnified when a region has limited pre-existing data. In such scenarios, a score alteration might reflect an actual shift in regional attitudes, or it could simply signify an improvement in the index's analytical accuracy.
- Surveys conducted on a global scale infrequently address transgender-related issues. Particularly in more conservative territories, surveys tend to be restricted to topics concerning homosexuality or same-sex marriage. Equaldex is actively seeking to acquire additional international public opinion data concerning transgender individuals to foster greater inclusivity within the Equality Scorecard.
- Territories are ranked according to their unadjusted, raw Equality Scorecard values; however, rounded figures are employed for the sake of simplicity in presentation.
- The underlying model for the Equality Scorecard is undergoing continuous evolution, and modifications to weighting factors and other parameters are anticipated as we strive to enhance its precision and applicability.
- The Equality Scorecard undergoes automatic updates whenever new data is appended to Equaldex or when new legislative measures come into effect. Upon the inclusion of a new law or survey in Equaldex, the score recalculates within a span of several hours.