Belize, Central America

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 1, 2011 A November 16, 2011 Guardian newspaper report announced a new challenge in Belize to its anti-gay laws. The legal suit is the first contest by a new human rights organization that intends to overturn all post-UK former colonies that have laws criminalizing homosexuality. “The Human Dignity Trust (HDT), which launched its campaign in London on Thursday, is targeting the 80-odd states where consensual sexual activity between adults of the same gender is outlawed. More than half are Commonwealth countries which inherited their regulations from British colonial rule. In some like Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon and Ghana the laws are seen by some as justification for violent attacks on gay and lesbian people.” (photo right: for tourists Belize is a paradise; for gays it is less than that.) Not surprising, Belize’s Anglican, evangelical, and Catholic ‘spiritual leaders’ have united to oppose the effort. They will

Central American LGBT (gay) organizations distribute an impressive amount of information ads, brochures and booklets about HIV care and prevention, homophobia, coming out, condom promotion and gay/human rights. Pictured here are a few of these advisories.

Belize City is the largest city in Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 79,600 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country’s principal port and its financial and industrial hub. Several cruise ships drop anchor outside the port and are tended by local citizens. The city was almost entirely destroyed in 1961 when Hurricane Hattie swept ashore. It was the capital of British Honduras (as Belize was then named) until the government was moved to the new capital of Belmopan in 1970.

San Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye in the Belize District of the nation of Belize, in Central America. According to 2005 mid-year estimates, the town has a population of about 12,400. It is the second largest city in the Belize District and largest city in the Belize Rural South constituency. San Pedro was granted the status of a town in 1848. Its inhabitants are known as San Pedranos. English is the main language spoken, however many people speak Spanish.

This story starts in Belize City, the largest and former capital city of Belize where I spoke to a leading activist, Caleb Oroczo, about LGBT and HIV organizations in Belize. From there I went to San Pedro, a small town on the island cay of Ambergris off the east coast of Belize to talk with half a dozen LGBT people about gay life in this small rural country. Also see: Gay Belize News and Reports Also see: Belize Photo Galleries By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Part 1: Belize the Country Formerly a Spanish settlement that became a British colony more than two centuries ago, this small country with a mere population of 300,000+ citizens is the only country in Latin America where English is a predominant language; Spanish and Creole are also widely spoken. It’s significant that Belize had no bloody civil war as in other Central American countries that left

Intro: In a conservative corner of the Caribbean/Central American lies quiet Belize, passed up by most of the world. But for some wise expats and knowing natives, this patch of earth offers a mellow life not found elsewhere. Despite some poverty and violence of Belize City–40 kms across the bay– the modest town of San Pedro offers a place of calm and natural beauty for a community of LGBT residents. By Richard Ammon and Colette GlobalGayz June 2009 GlobalGayz received a vociferous message a while ago from an irate, outspoken and well-written lesbian protesting that Belize was poorly represented on our site. Previous to her message there was little of ‘inside’ value we could find on the Internet about LGBT life in belize. However, that shortcoming has now been repaired thanks to some thoughtful comments from Colette who lives with her partner Maya (and their dogs, chickens and occasional wild