Tag: belize gay rights

Sorry about it homophobes, but Belize’s appeal courts just unanimously ruled that gay sex is definitely legal

A battle against an outdated colonial law has finally come to an end, after the court of appeals in Belize unanimously upheld a 2016 ruling that a ban on gay sex is unconditional. Section 53 of the country’s criminal code, which dubbed same-sex desire as “against the order of nature”, was found to go against… Read more »

Sorry about it homophobes, but Belize’s appeal courts just unanimously ruled that gay sex is definitely legal

A battle against an outdated colonial law has finally come to an end, after the court of appeals in Belize unanimously upheld a 2016 ruling that a ban on gay sex is unconditional. Section 53 of the country’s criminal code, which dubbed same-sex desire as “against the order of nature”, was found to go against… Read more »

Belize Supreme Court Overturns Anti-Gay Law

A law in Belize criminalizing same-sex intimacy was ruled unconstitutional on Wednesday by the country’s Supreme Court. The challenge to Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code, which banned “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and disproportionately affected gay men, was brought by Caleb Orozco, who leads LGBTQ rights group United Belize Advocacy Movement.… Read more »

Sir Ian McKellen honours Belizean LGBT activist who battled to overturn anti-gay law

Sir Ian McKellen has presented this year’s David Kato Vision and Voice Award to an activist who successfully battled to overturn Belize’s anti-gay laws. The David Kato Vision and Voice Award is presented every year in memory of murdered Ugandan LGBT campaigner David Kato. This year, the award was presented by veteran actor and LGBT… Read more »

Belizean LGBT activist to be honoured with David Kato Award for battle to overturn anti-gay law

An LGBT activist from Belize is the winner of this year’s David Kato Vision and Voice Award, in recognition of his successful battle to overturn his country’s anti-gay laws. The David Kato Vision and Voice Award is presented every year in memory of murdered Ugandan LGBT campaigner David Kato. Mr Kato, a Sexual Minorities Uganda… Read more »

Belize Government Opens Door For Appeal Of Court Ruling That Legalized Gay Sex

Belmopan, Belize, Monday September 12, 2016 – After weeks of insisting it would not appeal a decision by the country’s chief justice that made sex between consenting homosexuals legal, the Belize government is challenging one aspect of it. It wants the interpretation of the word “sex” in the Constitution to remain male/female instead of extending… Read more »

Belize Won’t Appeal Ruling Overturning Ban On Gay Sex

The government of Belize announced Wednesday that it would not appeal a ruling that overturned the nation’s anti-sodomy laws. Last week, Belize Supreme Court Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin ruled unconstitutional Section 53 of the country’s Criminal Code, which banned “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” widely interpreted to mean sodomy between two men or… Read more »

Belize Overturns Ban On Gay Sex

Belize’s highest court on Wednesday struck down the tiny nation’s anti-sodomy laws, making it the first Caribbean nation to do so. The country’s Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional Section 53 of its Criminal Code, which banned “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” widely interpreted to mean sodomy between two men or between a man and… Read more »

LGBTI rights: Important legal precedent in the Caribbean

In a landmark decision delivered on Friday, June 10, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled that as a homosexual I must be allowed into Belize and Trinidad notwithstanding their laws that ban the entry of gays. The court also urged both countries to repeal these archaic bits of legislation, which create confusion for travel… Read more »

Hearings begin over LGBT rights to travel in Caribbean

LGBTI rights activist Maurice Tomlinson provides this report on the first day of hearings at the Caribbean Court of Justice in connection with his case challenging the ban against gays entering Belize and Trinidad & Tobago. The case started with me giving evidence based on my witness statement. As expected, the lawyer for Trinidad and… Read more »

Belizean LGBT Rights Violations

Blog is all LGBT Belizean experiences about homophobia, violence and general discrimination. Deconstructing a System of Oppression in Belize and the Caribbean As a presenter at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex Association World Conference in Mexico City in October. It was my hope that I could share our experience on L.G.B.T activism in… Read more »

Belize faces heat over rights of Maya, LGBTI and migrant workers

Belize City—In a recent meeting held in Mexico City, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), an organ of the Organization of American States (OAS), called out Belize over alleged human rights violations against the Maya community, migrant workers and the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex) community. The IACHR, which took issue with… Read more »

Belize Transgender Woman Stoned And Beaten By Mob

Belize City, Belize – An 18 year-old transgender woman was attacked with stones and beaten by a mob on Tuesday evening in Belize City. The incident happened just after 6 pm. The young woman identifying as Vanessa Champagne Paris reported she was verbally attacked when a man spotted and shouted at her “why is a… Read more »