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Courtney Weatherburne reporting
For this couple, kissing and being affectionate to one another in public is natural, but in homophobic society like Belize, it's openly rejected and condemned. But that is just at the surface. That denouncement is a representation of a much larger social and cultural battle on human rights, one the LGBT community has long been advocating for, and today their struggle was acknowledged with a symbolic raising of the rainbow flag at the US Embassy. US President Barack Obama declared the month of June LGBT Pride month and this ceremony was part of the commemoration. The Belizean LGBT rights supporters celebrated in this occasion.

Lisa Shoman, Advocate
"We're really delighted to be here at this pride event that the ambassador has kindly invited us to. I think it's very symbolic and wonderful."

But today was more than just an official observance, more than just hoisting this colorful flag, it's all about continuing that fight for basic human rights.

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"LGBT rights are human rights, human rights are LGBT rights, there is no distinction, and there is no difference."

And the hope that that sameness will be recognized, lies in the outcome of the challenge to Section 53 of Belize's Constitution. It's a pending case, one that has stirred major controversy but one that the LGBT community believes it has already won.

Caleb Orozco, LGBT Advocate
"No other legal case has triggered debate at a dinner table, no other case has challenged Belizeans to reflect on the dignity and rights of the fellow LGBT citizens. More precisely force families to reflect on how much or how well they're treating or not treating their own family members, their blood, that are LGBT self-identified. Outside of that, it's a case which triggered the community ownership of the defense and protection of its rights and walking up the LGBT community in getting them to take action in whatever little way in getting things done."

Lisa Shoman, Advocate
"We're coming towards the end of the first phase of a very long journey. Caleb has been at this 10 years, I've been at this 7 years. We are absolutely delighted that in about 6 weeks, we expect to finally get a decision on this matter. No matter the outcome, we feel as though we've already won, because as Caleb says, we are getting people to listen and to notice. It's sad that something like the Orlando massacre woke people up in Belize, but it did and that is the important message. We not only expect to win, but we expect to win even if we have to take it all the way to the CCJ. The win won't be for Caleb alone, the win won't be for me, the win will be for all Belizeans."

The US Ambassador also reiterated that the principle behind this challenge and LGBT movement is simple and should be applied across the board.

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"I think that the Belize perspective and the Belize constitution really seeks equal treatment for all regardless of sexual identity, gender identity and so forth. What the US is advocating for is simply equal treatment for all to be free from stigma, discrimination, in particular, name calling. I can't think of any Belizean who would really favor or advocate name calling or bullying against any person. So I think the overall perspective here is to advocate against discrimination and housing, inheritance rights, healthcare, so the panoply of rights associated with human dignity is so broad that it would apply to everyone including those in the LGBT community. I don't think that religious community has anything to be concerned about when the advocacy here is really to accord everyone basic human dignity."

But the church community says it has every reason to be concerned, outside the embassy gates, a small group of religious leaders were having their own ceremony with bowed heads and clutched hands.

Pastor Lance Lewis, President, Evangelical Association
"I have never seen a rainbow flag raised anywhere before, to see it at the American Embassy in Belize really grieves my spirit. This is LGBT month, I don't think this is the first time, but for them now to put the American Flag with the LGBT flag, is sending a clear signal that they are pushing an LGBT agenda as far as I am concerned. We are concerned about this because LGBT represents a downgrade, a family division, a destruction and we will see more and more situations like what occurred in America happening around the world. People are oppose to this and they know the order that got us place in the book of Genesis."

For these church leaders, it's not about the denial of human rights, it's about the possible effect that the LGBT agenda can have on the existing social norms.

Kerm Thimbrel, Concerned Christian
"Our position is that we have separated the lifestyle of the individual from the actual agenda that their pushing. You guys have brought up the interesting term of the rights of those people, which I believe everybody pretty much respects. We all know of section 53 in our laws and none of these people have been arrested, none have them have been put in prison even though that law is in the books. What we have said out rightly to the LGBT community is this, 'you guys want to live that lifestyle, it's a personal choice, but whenever you formulate an agenda that you seek to push in the society to redefine it, we have a very serious problem with that'. Teaching our kids in school that this is right, this is normal and good, I'm telling you that I'm actually using words, I'm paraphrasing words that I've actually read from some of the manuals that have been put together by this community."

Pastor Lance Lewis, President, Evangelical Association
"We are praying that God will divine intervene; in what is happening in America and it's being exported in our nation to make us come under the judgment of God. God is not pleased with this and he will judge."

While the religious community stands firm in their faith and await God's judgment, the LGBT community awaits the outcome of the Section 53 challenge and what it will mean for them as citizens. But regardless of the conclusion of this case, there will still be a very long and difficult road ahead on their journey to true freedom and acceptance.

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"That arch of history and the trajectory towards the quality and justice is a long and incremental one. You asked about my experience, and in my experience during my lifetime in the United States, interracial marriage was prohibited until 1967, certainly within my lifetime. So I would point to that as a fine example where I can't imagine in a society as diverse as Belize, multinational and so forth, they would find that hard to understand, but it took the United States decades to really have that basic stigma and discrimination, some of which still, I am sure exists. So I think what I would suggest is to look at this as an incremental, a long arch of history, equality and justice."

And just like in Belize, hoisting the flag also caused backlash in Jamaica. According to the BBC, after the rainbow flag was raised at the US Embassy in Jamaica, Jamaica's attorney general tweeted: "I strongly condemn #OrlandoNightClubShooting but find it disrespectful of Jamaica's laws to have #RainbowFlag flown here."

Jamaica - like Belize - has laws criminalizing gay sex so it was seen as an affront.