Homosexuality in Belize

The geographic location of Belize

Homosexuality is taboo in parts of Belize's society and homosexual acts were illegal until August 2016.

legality

Belize was the last country in Central America to have criminal laws against homosexual acts. Although legalization had been achieved in Belize in 1988, homosexual acts were once again made a criminal offense in 2003.

Gay sexual acts were illegal and could be punished with up to ten years in prison. Lesbian sexual acts, however, were never subject to the prohibition. Confessing homosexual foreigners were denied entry to the country, but this was declared inapplicable by the Court of Justice of the Caribbean Community due to international treaties.

On August 10, 2016, the Constitutional Court lifted the de facto no longer enforced ban on homosexual acts. It explicitly included sexual orientation in the characteristics protected from discrimination . The government then took the ruling to the Caribbean Court of Justice , where it was finally defeated in 2019.

Recognition of same-sex couples

Both same-sex marriages and registered partnerships are not possible in Belize.

Social situation

Because of the illegality, homosexual people in Belize have been pushed underground. Homosexual people had to hide their sexuality in the country.

In 2017 the first official Pride Parade took place.

See also

• Laws on homosexuality

Individual evidence

1. ↑ World Views: From Tolerance to the Death Penalty ( Memento of the original from February 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ ^{a b} GayTimes: Belize ( Memento of the original from August 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Bild der Wissenschaft : Das Schwulen-Klischee , November 2009
4. ^ ^{A b} Norbert Blech: Belize: Homosexuality now legal. queer.de from August 10, 2016
5. ↑ Belize verdict: gay sex is legal (with imprecise appeals court name). mannschaft.com (accessed January 4, 2020).
6. ↑ Belize verdict: Gay sex is legal. mannschaft.com (accessed January 4, 2020).