The Economic and Societal Costs of Sexuality Based Discrimination in Jamaica

Any country which wants to
maximize the productivity of its
workforce, and to harness the full
potential of its people towards economic
growth and development, must proactively
reduce or eliminate discrimination against
groups of people who are excluded
from full participation as a result of that
discrimination. In Jamaica, where discrimination against
LGBT people is rife and amply documented,
such discrimination results in a senseless
waste of human potential, with negative
implications for the country’s economic
growth prospects. This report examines
the landscape of sexual orientation and
gender identity discrimination in Jamaica,
and how that discrimination can be
directly and indirectly tied to negative
economic and social outcomes and
thwarted developmental prospects.
The report finds that sexual orientation
and gender identity discrimination,
together with the criminalization of male
same-sex intercourse, and the absence
of comprehensive anti-discrimination
legislation, hinders Jamaica’s economic
growth and developmental prospects.