Barrow on Gender Policy 2013
May 2013 has probably generated more interest and controversy in the Government’s gender policy than in all the years combined since its first issue. Mired with controversy over definitions of sexual orientation, gender and gender equality, it also had passages about the possible legalization of prostitution while offering no clues about one passage that spoke of transforming a gender relation within family and community while establishing anti discrimination measures. These are only some of the questions that the media asked Prime Minister Dean Barrow at a press conference on Thursday.
Dean Barrow
“The fact of homosexuality is a fact of life. Certainly it is very much a part of what is happening in Belizean society. There can be no discrimination in terms of employment opportunities, in terms of access to health care, in terms of services that the society offers. This administration certainly is not concerned about what happens in the bedrooms of the employees of government. There are constitutional protections for public officers properly appointed and even with respect to open vote workers; there can never be any kind of interference, any kind of surveillance, any kind of concern about the sexual orientation of the employees of government.”
Aaron Humes,
“Do you see private institutions possibly being sued, for instance, refusing to embrace homosexuality, teaching it, etcetera, etcetera using such laws?”
Dean Barrow
“My God Aaron no, absolutely not man. This is the same vein as the charge or suggestion or fear or anxiety that we will get to a point where same sex unions will be legalized. No. Government’s gender policy is trying to set out norms, trying to set out normative concepts and saying what will inform government’s actions. It can’t be anything that ought to be misinterpreted as suggesting that government would use any kind of coercion or any kind of even effort at persuasion with respect to the churches, with respect to private institutions; absolutely not. So please, it is really a pity that that kind of confusing is arising and I am happy for the opportunity to clarify that. This is limited to government and government’s attitude. Any kind of legislation that anybody wants to suggest—and there may well be a case for some legislative action—would have to happen by way of very deliberate, well thought out steps that would have to be run by stakeholders, by interested parties and in particular it would have to be in fact talked about with the churches in this country. If we ever wanted to legislate—and the question of whether there ought to be legislation in certain areas to make the word flesh with respect to protections of people’s rights—if we ever wanted to legislate, there would have to be widespread consultation and an effort at some sort of a consensus. So when people see the policy as the thinnage of the wedge; when they get from there to the suggestion that this is opening the door to some sort of legislation that would sanction same sex marriages, my gosh that is entirely bizarre. That is out of the question and not a factor in the equation at all at all.”
Why did GOB exclude the churches, our moral leaders, from the development of the homosexual policies? Why did he not comment on the proposal to legalize prostitution that was advanced under his watch?
He sounds like he’s a point-man for the international homosexual movement in Belize, but too cowardly to come out openly as such.
The questions to Barrow should also include – who approves the Revised National Gender Policy. He already stated the word “consensus” in the interview. Why wasn’t consensus by all groups (including the Churches) concerning the new policy that included prostitution? The next question should be “How much pressure are you getting from the international community over the sexual diversity issue? Are they attaching financial “strings” (withholding aid) because the people of Belize will not buy into the homosexual agenda? Next question – do you personally endorse the homosexual agenda including civil unions, marriages, adopting of children by homosexual couples, and teaching homosexuality equality in the schools?
As the old expression goes, it appears that Barrow and others in senior government offices “turn a blind eye” when it comes to critical issues like the homosexual agenda. Then again, someone let the new “policies” slip under the radar screen…… Was it intentional or unintentional?
????????????????????
@PM: “opening the door to some sort of legislation that would sanction same sex marriages, my gosh that is entirely bizarre”
It may be bizarre, but it sure is happening in the US; and it appears that Belize is on that path, so this shouldn’t surprise you that this is making Belizeans anxious, should it?
Well spoken, @Liberty & Freedom. Barrow is not supposed to be a dictator, so why does he make all of the earthshaking decisions like legalizing sodomy and prostitution, and forming his BIL slush fund, and selling Crawl Caye, WITH NO LEGISLATIVE VOTES AT ALL!!
@Bear: “Why did GOB exclude the churches, our moral leaders, from the development of the homosexual policies?”
When did the churches become moral leaders? O.o please try to learn a little more from history…
Homosexual unions, marriages, adopting of children by homosexual couples, and teaching homosexuality equality in the schools should not be of concern, since they are humans and not an alien species bent out on exterminating the human race…
To think there is some secret agenda here is just stupid. Barrow answered with common sense for social justice. There is no agenda to push gay marriage in Belize. But the religious right has been doing a great job in spreading fear and propaganda. They base their arguments not on logic, but fear, and uses the ignorance of the people. Seems they are doing a very good job.
The same that happened with sodom nd gomorrah will happen with belize. belize is so tiny in the hands of god, and becuase of those gays and lesbians our country will suffer generation after generation. Mr. dean will regret it, but after he’s dead and his soul on hell.
The same that happened with sodom nd gomorrah will happen with belize. belize is so tiny in the hands of god, and becuase of those gays and lesbians our country will suffer generation after generation. Mr. dean will regret it, but after he’s dead and his soul on hell.
In the United States a woman who owned a flower shop was sued because she would not provide the flowers for a gay wedding.
I am not saying that could happen under Belize law but I am saying it is a legitimate concern.
Under no circumstances should we allow this 2013 Gender policy to pass as is. There is only male, female and neuter gender. If anyone think I am lying, ask a lesbian to have sex with a gay man and see how fast she will get pregnant. Under no circumstances can a gay man get pregnant no matter how much he want to act like a woman. He is still a MAN! The difference is a matter of choice, and anyone can make those choices.
If this is past, it will open the flood gates and next thing, pedophiles will wants rights too. The laws are based on the morality laws of the Bible, going against God is never a good idea. Why should the majority suffer for the good of the minority in this case. This is when the churches need to step up and unite against something that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah over. Don’t let history repeat itself.