Belfon mocked us after taking our $

Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community want to know why Denise Belfon, a soca singer they once saw as a trusted ally, chose to use homophobic slurs in a dub plate video.

Last week an Instagram video posted by Belizean DJ Elton "DJ Dro" Isaguirre showed Belfon doing a “dub plate” intro calling for the killing of a person she describes as a “b----r” and a “batty bwoy.”

After causing outrage on social media, that video was pulled down. A sanitised version without the homophobic slurs remains on both Belfon's and DJ Dro's social media profiles.

Executive director of the Coalition Advocating for Sexual Inclusion (CAISO) Colin Robinson wondered why Belfon chose to sing these lyrics and not give an adequate account for her actions.

"She would come and fete in b----r man fetes all the time. She was one artist who was in the LGBTI community's parties, yet she couldn't articulate why she decided to do this?"

Robinson said many members of the community reached out to Belfon over the weekend to try to get an explanation, but were dismissed or blocked when attempting to communicate with her.

Newsday contacted Belfon on Sunday and was told: “You can go the selector’s page and get all the information on dub plate and on the dub plate culture.”

However, Robinson said there are limits to what is said in music clashes.

"Would you sing a dub plate about raping someone's mother? No. So why is calling violence against gender non-conforming people acceptable?"

Robinson said instead of focusing on Belfon, there should be a focus on making the country a safer place for LGBTI people or stopping LGBTI students from being harassed in school.

"I just had a long weekend where I launched the Safer Together programme, which is a national community-building effort for the LGBTI community. The frustrating thing is, I have important work to do, and I am supposed to spend my time commenting on Denise Belfon?"

Cherisse Berkeley, co-director of Queer Corner Caribbean, an online weekly LGBTI talk show, said it is upsetting that someone who had received payment from the LGBTI community for performances would sing such homophobic words.

"It is disheartening as a member of the LGBTI community. I am someone who looked up to her as a role model. She has disappointed us after taking our money," she said.

Berkeley said using derogatory terms, regardless of intent, towards a person was wrong.

"You wouldn't call someone a stereotype to insult them. She could have easily said 'that stupid man,' but she chose to say the word 'b---erman.' Even if she said kill the f---er instead...'b---erman' is a word used to spread the message of hate against the LGBTI community," she said.

The Silver Lining Foundation also called on Belfon to explain herself and be mindful that violent words make an impact on society. The foundation is an NGO geared towards LGBTQIA youths and aimed at preventing bullying, suicide and discrimination.

A release on its Facebook page said: "We say this to remind Ms Belfon, and all those supporting this video, that words do matter. And when you callously refer to the LGBTQIA community with hateful language, not only does it fully amount to hate speech, but it legitimises the violence the community faces on a daily basis."

Newsday tried to contact Belfon via her Instagram page, but the message went unanswered.