LGBT and the country of Belize

A person being gay in his own country is not a choice. We don’t choose to be gay. I sure didn’t choose to be, not to say that it is a bad thing. If it were a choice to be gay, I could choose to be straight the day after or bisexual a couple months after that. The whole concept of being lesbian, gay bisexual or transgender should not scare anyone. Its because people don’t understand that the individual is the same person he or she knows and loves. Just because their sexual preference is different does not mean that you should hate them or avoid them. That kind of stuff actually hurts a person mentally, speaking from experience. United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) is a movement fighting for equality in Belize. The law does not protect sexual orientation or gender identity. The criminal code states that â€Å"carnal intercourse† with any person â€Å"against the order of nature† shall receive a punishment of 10 years' imprisonment. In practice the law was interpreted as including only sex between men. The extent of discrimination based on sexual orientation was difficult to ascertain due to lack of reporting instances of discrimination through official channels. UNIBAM the country's sole lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy organization, reported that continuing harassment and insults by the general public and police affected its activities, but its members were reluctant to file complaints. There were no gay pride marches organized during the year due to UNIBAM membership concerns over the public's possible adverse reaction. In December 2011, Barack Obama criticized nations that persecute homosexuals. In response, Hon. Dean Barrow, prime minister of Belize, reiterated, â€Å"Belize would not change its anti-homosexuality stance. â€Å"He argued that the issue is one for Belize to deal with and if the U. S. wanted to punish states by removing foreign aid for continuing such practice, then they will have to cut off their aid. † When will it actually be dealt with? It is not fair that we get to suffer worse than those who are, as they say, â€Å"normal†. I only have my friends and my family to keep me sane in this country. I had to grow up being ridiculed for having feminine features. Others bullied LGBT persons in high school; hate crimes being committed against the LGBT community. It is all so sad. Some of them say that Belize is not that bad, when in reality they are just in denial. Belize has too much ignorant close-minded assholes to even comprehend what it’s like. I thank God for my friends and family everyday for being so accepting and loving me for who I am. It’s not that I hate my country Belize; it’s just that I hate some of the people that make up the country’s population. Being gay in this country is nothing nice at all. We have to live in fear if we do something wrong that society doesn’t like so we don’t get shot in the head or beaten to death. All I want for my country is for everyone to live peacefully and not to discriminate anyone for loving who they want. For me it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or how much money you have in your pocket. When people talk about you to your face or behind your back, and when you feel bullied can you be brave enough to not give a fuck about what they say and just be yourself? A very inspiring woman said that and I live by it everyday.