In Belize, we believe in treating others the way we would want to be treated. But too often, members of our community – especially women and girls, people living with disabilities and gay and transgender people – fear that they will be treated differently in the workplace and in public spaces because of who they are.

Everyone should be able to get a job, find a place to live or walk down the street knowing that they will be treated with respect like everyone else – and not be discriminated against.

People should be judged on the basis of their work, not on who they are. Nobody should have to be afraid of being fired – or not being hired – for reasons that have nothing to do with their work qualifications.

Every gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Belizean is someone’s son or daughter, sister, brother, niece, nephew or grandchild. No person should be rejected by their family for any reason – and no young person should be told that they are undeserving of respect in Belizean society.

Women and girls – our daughters, mothers, spouses, friends and coworkers – should be afforded the same opportunity to pursue an education and fulfill their dreams without having to worry about facing discrimination. As adults, it’s on us to make sure we are living out the same values that we instill in our children – by ensuring that all young girls grow up in a Belize where they are valued, respected, feel safe and afforded the same opportunities as everyone else.

People living with disabilities must often work even harder to overcome challenges in order to make a living and provide for their families. These hardworking members of our community should know they are protected from discrimination – in the workplace and in public spaces across Belize.

We Belizeans are all one family, and we should place family before politics or religion

We are all God’s children, and we should respect one another at home, at work, and out in public. Those are lessons we teach our children, and it’s good to practice what we preach. Live and let live.

We need to return to a Belize that is a caring and supportive community, living the values of our ancestors when it took a village to raise a child and help him or her become a productive citizen of this country.

Many Belizeans say it is their faith that leads them to support efforts to ensure respect and basic protections from discrimination for all of our neighbors – including women and girls, people living with disabilities and gay and transgender people.