Unified By Our Diversities
In our 2016 Community Needs Assessment, three priority areas came out: homophobia, lack of safe spaces and poverty. Our Circle found that while 83% of our participants experienced homophobia/transphobia in the streets from random strangers, 25% reported experiencing the most homophobia/transphobia with the very LGBT community which they make up. Our Circle has seen within its own projects, where the trans population has be invisible compared to the lesbian, gay and bisexual population. While, regionally and globally the trans population in Belize is known and respected, too many times we have seen where locally, the acknowledgement of the transgender population is indiscernible. Although there is a trans organization in Belize, that partners closely with Our Circle, many of the “gays” and “straights” are uncomfortable talking about the transgender community because they don’t understand transgender issues.
Engagement in sports bring the local community together in friendship, to experience participation, and to achieve a form of cultural and intellectual synergy. Therefore, this inclusive physical activity program, “Unified by Diversity” is culturally relevant. From an individual aspect, sports also give people the opportunities for natural self-expression, self-confidence, relief of tension, and integration, as well as for learning the spirit of solidarity and fair play. The community can become more involved and more comfortable in not only discussing issues but also support the discussions and de-mystify and myths or uncertainty about each other’s gender identity and sexuality. To achieve broader goals in education and development, this project will focus on the development of the individual and not only on the development of technical sports skills.
The activities implemented by Our Circle’s “Unified by Diversity”, through funding by PlanetRomeo Foundation, are directly or indirectly focused on reducing and resolving conflict and improving community cohesion between the LGBT community, especially the trans population which commonly faces discrimination.
Engagement in sports bring the local community together in friendship, to experience participation, and to achieve a form of cultural and intellectual synergy. Therefore, this inclusive physical activity program, “Unified by Diversity” is culturally relevant. From an individual aspect, sports also give people the opportunities for natural self-expression, self-confidence, relief of tension, and integration, as well as for learning the spirit of solidarity and fair play. The community can become more involved and more comfortable in not only discussing issues but also support the discussions and de-mystify and myths or uncertainty about each other’s gender identity and sexuality. To achieve broader goals in education and development, this project will focus on the development of the individual and not only on the development of technical sports skills.
The activities implemented by Our Circle’s “Unified by Diversity”, through funding by PlanetRomeo Foundation, are directly or indirectly focused on reducing and resolving conflict and improving community cohesion between the LGBT community, especially the trans population which commonly faces discrimination.