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.

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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.

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