And while most people saw today as prime fish shopping time, members of the trans community celebrated "trans visibility day." It's a day of awareness for the trans people across the world - but here in Belize it is used to educate the public on the small but growing community here. There are 597 trans people living in the country, but it hasn't been easy for them. Between encountering close-minded persons and the lack of proper medication and healthcare options for trans people, one trans woman decided to start an organization aimed at guiding anyone making that transition. Zahnia Canul told us today that her goal is to ensure other people in the community are afforded the help she did not get.
Zahnia Canul, Trans woman/President, Trans In Action Belize
"I started my advocacy in 2014 where we established the first trans organization in Belize, and this was mainly to create visibility and mobilization for the community at first, but now we are branching off into the political arena whereby we're asking, especially with the equal opportunity bill, where we can speak now for trans identities. I mean we trans women and trans men who live in Belize and still have no sort of rights to say when it comes to our identity being respected. So what we do is try to advocate for our gender identity to be recognized as trans women and trans men."
"Because you see trans person that doesn't mean that we are mentally insane or we have some disability, that was a stigma that would always follow trans bodies but we want to change that, we want to speak of trans identity whereby we can say this how I identify, I don't have a mental issue. And so we have to educate our community."
"When it comes to hormones, hormone intake, and a specialized doctor, and an endocrinologist, we don't have that in the country, and we've been advocating for this for a long time because through the region, and this is not only Belize where we find that trans individuals who want to make their transition do not have this facility."
"We saw a shift especially in the last couple of years whereby the terms trans was not very popular in our country, you would always listen about LGBT populations but there wasn't quite an amount of visibility for trans individuals. So for two years now we're seeing that now we have a younger population, we have youths who are identifying as trans, and this just goes to show that the work we've been doing is getting out there."
Canul, along with a trans man, Star Reyes, explained the struggle they have had to go through in their daily life as part of the community.
Zahnia Canul, Trans woman/President, Trans In Action Belize
"It was very difficult for me because when I identified as a trans woman, I didn't really have anywhere to go, I didn't have a person that could give me the answers that I was seeking, I didn't have advice, I didn't have someone who would really tell me what hormones would do to my body or where I can advance in to trying to educate myself more about who I am and that is one of the reasons why we started with this first organization, Trans in Action Belize."
"I identified as trans from an early age. I knew that I was not gay, I knew that I did not fall into that category. When I did my transition I was already 30 and for a trans person that was really late because hormones affect differently at an older age."
How Can Belize Be More Progressive
And that struggle is compounded by everyday situations in which trans people are ignored and stigmatized. Belize may not be as progressive as members of the LGBT+ community would like it to be. Reyes told us more about how the country can be a bit more accommodating.
Star Reyes, Trans man/Vice Chair UC Trans
"We are not seeing the opportunities that other communities would have so like I mentioned, access to healthcare, jobs, education, gender recognition, gender marker, things like that."
"What other way do you feel like Belize can progress, I know like you said it might be hard applying for a job or filling out a simple survey that has two binary genders, something as simple as using the correct, quote unquote, bathroom, how are ways you think Belize can progress to accommodate trans people?"
"Being more sensitive and coming to a human level of understanding that we are all humans and we need our basic - it's like our basic human rights are being violated for not being able to use a bathroom. Like I mentioned before, we're not a threat. Maybe having an open mind and being able to listen to people and our need."
"What are some of the basic things that people, cis-gendered people, they go about, they don't think that this is something that would affect trans gendered people, something that a lot of people don't know about?"
"I think pronouns, pronouns are very important. Just coming from, like I mentioned, a human level and just ask, how can I address you? That helps a lot."
The community here in Belize gave out informationals magazines and pamphlets for anyone who stopped by their resource center. They also gave free HIV tests.
COVID Crunch On Businesses
Right now, the public's psychic energy is focussing on Easter, but right after that, it's unto April 12th and the phased re-opening of schools.
For many, it's a daunting process with both health and financial concerns at the forefront of their worries. That's largely because children are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
When it comes to their teachers, GOB has made every effort to make inoculation both available and convenient. Still, only 36% have gotten the jab - that's just about a third of all teachers.
It's a situation that the government and its partners are hoping to remedy swiftly. And this afternoon we ask UNICEF rep Allison Parker her opinion on why the vaccine is so important for each and every teacher.
Cabinet Talks Curfew's And Casino's
There is good news for Casino goers - in yesterday's Cabinet meeting, the ministers agreed that casinos can reopen on April 15th. As we told you earlier, the Cabinet also approved the extension of curfew to April 15th.
Also discussed in the meeting was an update from the union consultation team and the progress of the discussion with the joint unions. They will continue these consultations on April 5th.
Finally, the Cabinet endorsed the "Easter Safety Three W's" campaign which reminds residents to wash their hands, wear their masks, and watch their distance.
Jaguar's Touch Ground
Last night, we told you all about how the Belize National Football Team rebounded from its first loss in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers to Haiti when they defeated Turks and Caicos with a dominant score of 5-nil.
This afternoon, they returned home from their trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and we were at the PGIA to talk with them. Here's what one of yesterday's goal scorers had to say about the two games:
Team Belize's next match for the 1st round of the World Cup qualifiers takes place on June 4th. That's when they'll face the Nicaraguan National Team.
Covid Caused Contractions For Busniess Sector
The Statistical Institute of Belize has released information about the impact that COVID 19 has on businesses. The information was gathered through a survey of approximately 2,500 randomly selected businesses across the country and across all main industry groups. Majority of the businesses were from the Belize District and fell into the wholesale and retail sector.
The first statistical category was the employment percentage. The total number of persons employed by the businesses declined sharply by an estimated 35.8 percent between March 2020 and November 2020.
The steepest drop was seen in the Orange Walk District and those businesses reported that their staff had been reduced by 66.5 percent.
As of November 2020, approximately 86 percent of formally registered business establishments in the country were able to remain in operation. About 11 percent of establishments indicated that they had closed temporarily due to COVID-19, while about 2 percent had permanently ceased operations.
Some 61.3 percent of establishments reported that they had been highly impacted by decreased demand for their products and services. Similarly, 64.3 percent indicated that they had been highly impacted by reduced weekly revenues. More than 46 percent of businesses had been highly impacted by the cancellation of contracts by customers.
As expected, by November 2020, businesses across all industry groups reported that they had suffered revenue losses, when compared to March 2020.
More than a quarter of businesses reported that they did not know how much longer they could continue operating under present conditions, including continued social distancing and other safety measures.
8000 Vaccines For Tourism Sector
Tourism is another area hard hit by COVID. And now they're getting ready for the COVID vaccine.
87% of tourism workers via a sector-wide survey have expressed interest in taking the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. It's an answer that's prompted the Ministry of Health and wellness to grant an availability of 8,000 doses to the sector.
That process started today with phase 2 of the vaccination rollout targeting frontline workers considered to be at high risk, and specifically those tourism workers over the age of 40.
And tonight in a Press release the Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations. Hon. Anthony Mahler, said quote: "The vaccination of frontline tourism workers; the reduction in active COVID-19 cases; the receipt of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp; and the ongoing implementation of the Gold Standard Certification program convey to world that Belize is a safe destination. This will assist us in our efforts to boost traveler confidence and attract visitors to Belize."
To date 21,000 Belizeans have received a first dose of the vaccine with another 33,600 doses newly arrived in the country. Additional doses of the vaccine will be received in the coming weeks.
