Belizean LGBT Rights Violations

Posted July 25th, 2012 When we speak about institutional homophobia in Belize, it normally not understood. Its a concept the represents a structural problem in Belize that impacts rights advancement. The National AIDS Commission was asked, for example, to vote on the United Belize Advocacy Movement request to issue a statement of support, but the vote came back  9 for, 2 abstentions and 8 no's .The resistance can be argued as both rational and passive agressive response to not wanting to rock the boat in the system. Yet, the Universal Periodic Review of 2009 speaks to the NAC as an interim Human Rights Institution. Does this mean it fell short of its role? I will leave the reader to draw its own conclusion. One can argue that because of the section 53 challenge, CEO in Ministries  would not be able to support any public statements to support the human rights needs of the men who have sex with men population. but, what have they been doing the last 10 years?...

Dialog On LBGT Issues Tue, July 24, 2012 The public awareness of the issues related to gay men has probably never been so prominent in the national discourse. But, UNIBAM wants to push it further along and it joined with other advocate organizations in a Dialog to increase the visibility of homophobia, discrimination and understanding of gender based violence while also framing a background document for the development of an Anti-Discrimination Legislation. Caleb Orozco told us more: Caleb Orozco "What's happening here is that we are looking at the issue of gender base violence, homophobia and LBGT human rights. Because we recognize that it's little discuss, little understood and so our work around this issue is about understanding and consciousness that it does exist and there is a link between the 3 issues." "Whether its sexual abuse, physical abuse and discrimination - all those persons who experience it belong to a family and that f...

 Posted July 19th, 2012 It is interesting to note that with the United Belize Advocacy Movement constituutional challenge will lead to gay marriage. In reality it seeks a narrow ruling on amending the law so that it does not apply to consenting adults. We at the United Belize Advocacy Movement has not discussed the issue or consuulted with the community.  This dialogue in small groups in thhe LGBT community have taken place. What we realise is that positions in the community is diverse. To support the dialogue on the issue is this link about the cost of marriage ineqaulity which is at http://www.insurancequotes.org/cost-of-marriage-inequality/ What we do know at the United Belize Advocacy Movement has an inclination to look at some format like Civil Union or civil partnership. The issue as an organization is that marriage may not be a prioirty as discrimination and homophobia has to be addressed in the wider society. The organization sees the importannce of the state ackn...

Post 15th July, 2012 The power of rivers in shaping the Belizean environment cannot be underestimated.  But when used to to address the emotional well-being of the Belizean LGBT person, it impacts cannot be measured. Working together, the United Belize Advocacy camp team of three, saw over 20 persons show kindness, united in play, and express concern about discrimination. One particular-team building activity showed how individuals wheel-borrowing and walked in pairs, ensured that the person next to them kept paced with the group and all made the kilometer long hike to get to the river for tubing down a mile long path.   More interesting than this, is in knowing that our people could play games and not be concern about sex, social differences, or the discrimination that often occurs while in Belize City or Dangriga or else where. What we discovered was that while the lesbian community may not experience a high degree of violence, they nevertheless,...

Posted July 8th, 2012 COALITION OF LGBTTTI ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN THE OAS CELEBRATE THE APPROVAL OF THE FIFTH RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY   The Coalition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Travesti and Intersex (LGBTTTI) Latin American and Caribbean organizations, formed by groups belonging to more than 23 countries expresses in this communiqué its assessment of the activities of the 42nd General Assembly of the Organization of American States, which took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia on June 3 - 5, 2012. This Assembly adopted the fifth resolution AG/RES. 2721 (XLII-O/12) “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” This resolution, which is the result of the long term advocacy of the group, includes all the issues contained in the previous resolutions, calling on member states to introduce measures against discrimination and human rights violations and to implement public policies. Furthermore it r...

University of Texas Opens Inquiry of Regnerus Study; NCRM Reporting Plays Central Role by Scott Rose on July 1, 2012 in Analysis , Civil Rights , Education , families , Legal Issues , Marriage , Scott Rose The New Civil Rights Movement writer Scott Rose’s recent series of investigative reporting articles  about the Mark Regnerus study of “gay findings” at University of Texas has played a central role in the university’s decision to conduct a scientific misconduct inquiry  Between January, 2011 and June of 2012, Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas, Austin, plotted, carried out and then had published a “study” of dubious scholarly merit, alleged to show, but not actually showing, that homosexual parents are dangerous to children. Funding for the Regnerus study was arranged through the National Organization For Marriage ‘s  Robert P.George along with George’s anti-gay-rights colleagues at The Witherspoon Institute and the Bradl...