In Belize, Catholic Diocese Helps Stop Non-Discrimination Legislation for LGBTQ People

The Catholic Diocese of Belize has vocally opposed legislation that would have protected people from discrimination based on gender and/or sexual orientation.

The Equal Opportunities Bill would have outlawed “discrimination based on twenty-one characteristics including lawful sexual activity, intersex, gender identity, and sexual orientation,” as well as HIV positive status, disability, race, and several other characteristics, reported Channel 5 Belize. The Equal Opportunities Bill was pulled from consideration by Belize’s Cabinet.

Although the bill addressed a wide variety of issues, the protections for sexual orientation and gender identity caught the attention of churches from a variety of Christian denominations. Breaking Belize News reports: “The Belize Council of Churches, whісh rерrеѕеntѕ thе trаdіtіоnаl сhurсhеѕ (Саthоlіс, Аnglісаn, аnd Меthоdіѕt) рut оut а ѕtаtеmеnt bасk іn Fеbruаrу, ѕауіng thаt thе Соunсіl саnnоt ѕuрроrt thе Віll … аѕ іt wіll hіndеr thе сhurсhеѕ’ аbіlіtу tо ѕеrvе іtѕ реорlе.” Subsequently, a coalition of Evangelical churches launched a “Kill the Bill” campaign, attempting to create widespread public opposition to the bill with a social media campaign using the hashtag #killthebill and a planned demonstration.

The Catholic Diocese of Belize released a further, independent statement opposing the bill, Breaking Belize News reported. The diocesan statement acknowledged that “Тhе Саtесhіѕm оf thе Саthоlіс Сhurсh tеасhеѕ, fоr ехаmрlе, thаt реорlе wіth hоmоѕехuаl tеndеnсіеѕ, muѕt bе ассерtеd wіth rеѕресt, соmраѕѕіоn аnd ѕеnѕіtіvіtу.”

But the statement went on to argue:

“Тhе bіll іntrоduсеѕ thе nоtіоn thаt humаnіtу hаѕ thrее ѕехеѕ іnѕtеаd оf twо, thе nоtіоn thаt ѕubјесtіvе gеndеr іdеntіtу іѕ mоrе іmроrtаnt thаn оnе’ѕ Gоd gіvеn, bіоlоgісаl ѕех аnd wоuld іmроѕе оn Веlіzеаnѕ thе tаѕk оf “gеndеr mаіnѕtrеаmіng.”  Аlthоugh wе lіvе іn а glоbаlіzеd wоrld thеѕе dауѕ, thеѕе nеw ѕехuаl dосtrіnеѕ dо nоt rеѕоnаtе wіth uѕ іn Веlіzе аnd mау рut іn dаngеr thе fаmіlу ѕtruсturе оrdаіnеd bу Gоd. … Law has a great power to form consciences and opinions.  Wе соnѕіdеr thаt thіѕ bіll іn іtѕ рrеѕеnt fоrm wоuld dо muсh tо соnfuѕе thе уоuth оf Веlіzе rеgаrdіng thе ѕасrеdnеѕѕ оf ѕехuаlіtу аnd thаt ѕех іѕ nоt fіrѕt оf аll а рlеаѕurе ѕоurсе but а wау tоwаrd hоlу mаtrіmоnіаl unіоn аnd thе соnсерtіоn оf сhіldrеn.”

The diocesan statement also suggested that the Equal Opportunities Bill could be a threat to religious freedom.

The bill sparked controversy within Catholic communities. Sacred Heart College, a high school in the city of San Ignacio, shared the “Kill the Bill” flyer created by the Evangelical churches on their Facebook page, Breaking Belize News reported. Current and former students who felt that the flyer did not reflect the views of the Sacred Heart community protested the posting of it, leading one student to call the school a “dictatorship.” Other students felt that the “Kill the Bill” campaign was in line with Catholic values. The controversy led Sacred Heart College to remove the post and issue an apology statement saying that the school was “not taking sides on this.”

The statement released by the Diocese of Belize reflects the false idea that there are two clearly defined biological sexes. This statement and those from the other Belizean churches opposing the Equal Opportunity Bill have already had real, harmful effects, by contributing to the legislation being pulled, as well as broadcasting a trans-negative message which can cause more oppression and violence. Even worse, this bill would have provided some protections for not only for LGBTQ people, but for people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, and other economically vulnerable groups, who often face discrimination in employment and housing.

The controversy at Sacred Heart College shows that the diocesan statement does not reflect the opinions of all Belizean Catholics.

—Mac Svolos, December 15, 2020