let’s have a clear discussion about LGBT+ issues

Why honor Admiral T? Readers can join an appeal to candidates in local Guadeloupe election

COMMENTARY

With municipal elections coming March 15 in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, discussions are rightly focused on employment, security, neighborhood development, and educational success. But a symbolic and deeply political question deserves to be asked publicly: whether to keep the name of the Christy Campbell – Admiral T school in the Boissard neighborhood.

Admiral T has a history of homophobic lyrics. If you want to add your name to this appeal for a forthright discussion of the issue, send an email to reporter/activist Moïse Manoël-Florisse at info@76crimes.com.

Here Moïse explains the reasons for this initiative:

This appeal is not intended to attack any individual or fuel fruitless controversy. It calls for a democratic, transparent, and peaceful debate on the values we choose to enshrine in our schools for the long term.

A powerful cultural symbol… but a controversial past

Admiral T is a major figure in the Guadeloupean and Caribbean music scene. His social commitment and cultural influence are undeniable.

But the debate is not just about his artistic career.

Like much of the Caribbean dancehall scene in the 2000s, some of the lyrics and statements associated with this world have been criticized for their hostility towards LGBTQ+ people. Even when changes or clarifications have been made, the collective memory retains traces of these controversies.

A public school is not a neutral space. It embodies the republican principles of equality, fraternity, and protection for all children.

Why the LGBT+ issue cannot be avoided

Guadeloupe, like other territories, remains rife with tensions around issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBT+ youth still face insults, harassment, and isolation.

In this context, symbols matter.

Can we claim to be fighting against all forms of discrimination without questioning the messages we send through the names we give to our schools?

Can we ignore the feelings of the families and students concerned?

This is not about rewriting the cultural history of Guadeloupe. It is a question of asking whether the name of a school should unambiguously bring together all children and parents.

Naming a school: a political act

Giving a name to a school means:

• Proposing a symbolic model;
• Inscribing a memory in the daily lives of students;
• Making a lasting commitment to the image of the community.

The republican tradition often favors historical figures whose legacy has been stabilized over time. Choosing a contemporary figure who is still active in the public sphere necessarily exposes the community to evolving debates.

The debate is therefore not cultural. It is institutional.

What we are asking of the candidates

We call on the candidates for mayor of Les Abymes, in particular Messrs. Eric Jalton, Olivier Serva, and Max Céligny, to take a clear position:

• Will you keep the school’s name as it is?
• Do you recognize that there is a legitimate debate about the LGBT+ dimension of this name?
• Are you prepared to organize a citizen consultation in Boissard?
• Do you support the adoption of a municipal charter setting out the criteria for naming public facilities?

Citizens deserve explicit answers.

For a democratic and peaceful debate

This is not about erasing, censoring, or stigmatizing. It is about opening up a space for discussion.

A modern community must be able to look at its symbolic choices with clarity. It must be able to involve parents, teachers, cultural actors, associations, and LGBT+ groups in a shared reflection.

Refusing to engage in debate would in itself send a message.

Les Abymes, the largest municipality in Guadeloupe, has a particular responsibility. The symbols it chooses shape the collective imagination and the external perception of the territory.

To name is to transmit.

To transmit is to choose.

To choose is to take responsibility.

We call for a clear, respectful, and inclusive public debate.

Signed:

• Moïse MANOËL-FLORISSE, journalist specializing in LGBT+ issues and social dynamics in French overseas territories
• Pierrette PYRAM, President of the Afro-Caribbean association Diivineslgbtqi+