Bermuda to Ban Homophobia
365Gay.com,
November 2, 2004
By 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Hamilton, Bermuda—The Bermuda
government has announced legislation to prohibit discrimination on the grounds
of sexual orientation.
Community Affairs Minister Dale Butler said the bill will
be presented to the House of Assembly during its summer term.
“The changes will take us out of the dark ages and
create an awareness about living openly rather than hiding these things in the
closet,” said Butler.
The announcement came as a surprise to Bermuda Rainbow
Alliance the gay rights organization on the island colony. There was no
mention of the legislation in last week’s speech from the throne.
“It should have been there,” Butler said. “There
was a line that was left out.”
“Just being included in that way under the human rights
act adds value to people’s lives as well as having the power to change how
gay people in this community live,” said Nicky Bowers a spokesperson for the
Alliance.
The announcement was generally well received except by
religious conservatives who waged a public fight against legislation which
decriminalized homosexuality in 1994.
The human rights act also will be amended to broaden
the definition of disability to include obesity, learning disabilities and
mental illness.
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