EOB Myth Busters: BNN's push for equal opportunities

This summer, BNN launched "EOB Myth Busters," a nine-week social media campaign under the Belize, Wi Redi! banner, to correct misinformation about the Equal Opportunities Bill (EOB) and build informed public support.

Running from late June to the end of August, the campaign set out to show - with facts drawn directly from the Bill and from the 2022 National AIDS Commission public opinion poll - that the EOB protects every Belizean, not any one group. Its approach was simple: bust the myth, never the person who believes it.

Each week took on a common misconception head-on, from "it's just an LGBTQ bill" and "it threatens religious freedom" to "it's a foreign ideology." The facts tell a different story. The EOB covers 21 protected characteristics - including race, age, sex, disability, pregnancy, religion and political opinion - and every Belizean holds at least one. It was built by Belizeans, through eight nationwide consultations. And it explicitly protects the autonomy of religious bodies.

The numbers back it up. According to the 2022 poll, 90% of Belizeans want laws that protect everyone, 64% believe the EOB would benefit their personal lives, and 84% support hate-crime protection on all grounds.

The message was clear: it's time for a law that protects everyone. BNN continues to advocate for the Equal Opportunities Bill as a matter of dignity, fairness and belonging for every Belizean.