7 News Belize

LGBT Members: Belize We Exist; Get Over It
posted (July 9, 2013)
And while we were out there, we discovered a group of 5 members of the LGBT population, better known as the gay community, and they seemed interested enough to see the crowd for themselves.

We approached them today, and for the first time – at least in recent memory – they agreed to an interview, in which they discussed the issues being put in the national consciousness.

More than that, we found one member who was unafraid to announce on national television that this is his lifestyle, and that he won't apologize for it.

Here's how our conversation went with him.

Aaron Mai - Openly Gay Cayo Resident
"My name is Aaron Mai and I live in Santa Elena and I'm a productive open gay homosexual in Belize."

Daniel Ortiz
"Tell us about your impression about this march - they call it a pro-constitution march."

Aaron Mai
"My impression is that it's a demonstration and the reason why I am frustrated it is because not only have I heard, I have seen the internal issues that plague the church - if the constitution of Belize was built on the principles of the Bible then why is divorce, fornication and adultery against the law? If we're going to be fair, let's be fair and if the church is going to heaven, then I rather go to hell. We do not have an agenda - we want to live freely and if I am gay then I should be openly gay without discrimination from community, family, friends, jobsite and health. If I should want to get married - that is nobody's business but my own - I believe. Cayo is very open and I believe that there is a lot of gay people in this nation but the problem is that majority of them is what we call 'in the closet' because of jobs, family and friends that they cannot be openly out. I believe that we need to take a stand for the next generation of gay people that are coming out that they can live free because like I said people are calling me nasty names for 33 years of my life and I have never committed a crime. If I want to sleep with a man over 18 that is my business - I do not see that as a criminal offence and so what the church needs to realize is that there's a generation young gay people that are coming out that needs to live freely."

Reporter
"People are saying - mostly these people here at the march are saying that there's no threat, that homosexuals can live just like the rest of us and no problem. Do you feel that there is a threat, that there is persecution against homosexuals."

Aaron Mai
"So far there has been no persecution - I have lived freely, if the law is changed or if it is not changed but there is a possibility that I can be imprisoned for ten years and sleeping with another man is not a criminal offence and so I believe that the law must be changed. It is 2013, Belize needs to get with the program - I am over it and they need to get over it." And while Mai had no problem discussing his lifestyle and the issues he faces daily on camera, his friends weren't as comfortable.

But he did inspire them to open up to us on what it is like living in an anti-gay society. Here's what they told us:

Voice of: Gay Cayo Resident
"Belize is still growing as a country and I think you know homosexuals need to be free. I'm free to a certain extent that's why I'm doing this, I think we're doing it for the betterment of the others. I have a lot of friends who are in the closet and they refuse to come out because of the issue of discrimination that we're facing right now with the whole churches issue as well as jobs, the entire community itself. It's really messed up how the churches are creating so much hatred against gay people - it's not funny. If I go over there where the demonstration is, everybody looks at hate stares when the church is suppose to be creating unity - they are creating hatred towards homosexuals."

Reporter
"I noticed you asked not to appear on camera today - any reason for that?"

Voice of: Gay Cayo Resident "No particular reason sir, it's just for my own safety. I definitely think that you have to be concerned about safety because there isn't a lot of people who are willing to go on camera and say this is for my betterment - but for my personal safety."

Reporter
"Are you openly gay?"

Voice of: Gay Cayo Resident
"Not really because of all the issues and discrimination that you have going on here in Belize and you lead a difficult life everyday and they always say it's something that you choose. Why would I choose to live something like that? I do not choose for people to be insulting me and sometimes it goes to the extent to beat you. That's not something you choose."

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