The island of St. Croix, known as one of the most “gay-friendly Caribbean islands,” hosted its 4th Annual Pride Parade, one of a very few islands in the Caribbean with a Pride celebration—and the stars of the parade were the new generation of young, queer residents of the island.
St. Croix, part of the US Virgin Islands, has been a popular travel destination for LGBTQ+ travelers since the later part of the 20th Century, when gay visitors from The US and Europe moved to the island to enjoy the island’s lovely weather and gorgeous, white sand beaches. Although communities in the Caribbean are traditionally very religious and conservative, the Cruzan people (the name for native residents of St. Croix) are a mix of international of cultures, where diversity is more common than on the other islands. The majority of the population is from African descent, but St. Croix also has a mix of French Caribbean and Latino communities—Puerto Rico Friendship Day is a big holiday here—as well as descendants from the various European colonial powers that previously owned the island over the centuries. This diverse base of cultures leads to a more open, relaxed, “live and let live” attitude throughout the island, especially welcoming to newcomers.
As these gay travelers enjoyed freedom and acceptance in St. Croix, many opened hotels, restaurants and shops, putting St. Croix on the rainbow travel map. The island became a popular stop for gay and lesbian cruises, and thousands of LGBTQ+ travelers swarmed the island, to experience the delicious Cruzan cuisine, friendly local residents, and those gorgeous, white sand beaches.
However, in St. Croix — or anywhere in The Caribbean — the experiences of queer native residents are a different story, as they encounter scrutiny from their neighbors and co-workers, which LGBTQ+ tourists and expats can avoid. Even on a multicultural island like St. Croix, conservative religious views are the norm, and with only around 40,000 residents, there is a feeling of “everybody knows everybody.” This leads to a strong sense of community, but it also invites unwanted social pressure from everyone knowing your secrets.
This is why hosting a Pride parade is such a big achievement for St. Croix, and all of the Caribbean. In the 2023 parade, groups of locals and expats marched together through the center of the town of Christiansted, dressed in rainbows as they passed beads to the small crowd watching along the short route. Many of the participants were young locals who identify with non-binary pronouns, and embraced each other publicly. And those groups of young people were led by the expats who introduced the LGBTQ+ community to the island years ago.
Check out some photos of St. Croix during their Pride celebration:
