Liberate is the Channel Islands’ equality and diversity charity. We have branches in Jersey and Guernsey, serving islanders in both Bailiwicks.
Liberate was formed in February 2014 in Guernsey and in August 2014 in Jersey in order to steer the Channel Islands’ response to the change in UK legislation that brought in equal marriage, ensuring that the islands’ LGBT+ voice was heard by its governments. 2017 saw the introduction of same-sex marriage legislation in Guernsey. In February 2018, the long-awaited legislation was finally passed in Jersey and, later in the year, Alderney.
Since our formation, we have been involved in consultations with the States of Jersey and Guernsey on various pieces of legislation including anti-discrimination law. Together with our partner organisation Trans* Jersey, we worked to learn from and improve on the UK’s Equality Act in Jersey. As a result, Jersey’s sex discrimination legislation, which came into force in September 2015, included recognition of intersex as a protected characteristic and protections for all people who are of non-binary gender, not just those who are under medical supervision to transition.
In September 2015, Liberate was responsible for delivering the first ever Pride to be held in the Channel Islands. Hosted by Jersey, over 3,000 people took part. Liberate built on these numbers in September 2016 with the first pan-island Pride taking place in Guernsey and Jersey. (For more information about Channel Islands Pride, please visit channelislandspride.org)