World Wide Wave

20 May 2013

Belize: David vs.Goliath

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“Our laws are in the dark ages,” laments Caleb Orozco, executive president of United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) is the sole challenger in this week’s Supreme Court case against the same-sex activity ban.

Not only is same-sex activity illegal, and the church strongly positioned against gay rights, but the rules are harsh–even homosexual foreigners are forbidden from entering the country.

And it’s an uphill battle for Orozco, who’s one of two staff of the only gay organisation in Belize. Still, he’s not afraid to stare down the evangelicals–who are supported with Evangelical funds.

“American evangelicals are interfering with human rights in Belize,” Orosco told W3JOY. “What they’ve done is put out attack ads equating all human rights with all people wanting to walk the streets naked and making people feel like human rights are bad.”

Orozco’s reply is simple:

“We’re not asking you not to believe in a G-d, all we are saying is that you do not have the right to undermine, suppress the fundamental rights and freedoms that are existing in our constitution.”

In an exciting development last Friday, on IDAHO day, first lady Kim Simplis-Barrow gave an anti-homophobia message: “Does beating a homosexual make him straight?…We have the responsibility to create a safe environment.”

And so there is hope. As the Central American LGBT community waits for the Supreme Court decision, Orozco remains cautiously optimistic that “…the justice may make a ruling that is favourable to what we are trying to do.”

Find out more on W3JOY’s Belize webpage.