Not everyone equal for the ‘religious six’

THE EDITOR: Six men, religious leaders, linked hands to show unity in the fight against same-sex marriage, and to uphold exceptions to the Equal Opportunity Act 2000 which permit discrimination.

It made me feel sad, but not surprised.

I was glad my Christian denomination, the Anglican Church, was absent from the press conference. Though the days that follow may prove this relief to be temporary.

At the heart of this new development is the legal principle of equality.

To paraphrase George Orwell’s Animal Farm, it cannot be that all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. I am either equal or I am not.

If I am not, then I have suffered discrimination, and this can be quantified or measured in some way.

Here is where the religious leaders are taking in front, before in front takes them. In the Jason Jones case earlier this year, the buggery law in the Sexual Offences Act 1986 was deemed unconstitutional.

In a country where civil liberties were vigorously defended, this would have given rise to many new cases seeking to reverse existing discrimination.

The men with their hands linked are opposing amendments to the Equal Opportunity Act that would address the wrongness, and the irony that the act itself is discriminatory. These men seek to perpetuate the condemnation of LGBT people because this is in keeping with their religious beliefs.

These men seek to prevent others from having the same rights which they enjoy. These men seek an unconstitutional amendment to the Marriage Act that would enshrine religious belief about marriage into the laws of TT.

How do we deal with the intersection of religious freedom and equality under the law?

Freedom of religion means than anyone is free to believe what they wish, so long as they do not prevent others from having the same freedom. In the unlikely event that same-sex marriage becomes legal in TT, this does not prevent the six men from believing or teaching that this is not morally right.

TT is a secular state. We must resist attempts to write laws that favour religious beliefs. We must render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.

SUSAN SHIM

via e-mail