BLEA (blee-ya) is a non-profit organization for le***an, gay, bis*xual and transgender people in The Bahamas, and for straight people who support LGBT rights and equality. Established in July 2011, we are members of the Bahamas Human Rights Network and Civil Society Bahamas, an umbrella group for NGOs. We stand against homophobia, agitate for the removal of laws that discriminate against LGBT peop
le, and fight stigma and discrimination on the basis of s*xual orientation, gender identity and HIV status. Currently in The Bahamas, LGBT people can still be fired from their jobs simply for being who they are. Though homos*xuality was decriminalized in the country more than 20 years ago, discrimination on the basis of s*xual orientation and gender identity is not illegal in areas such as employment, education, housing, health care, banking and public businesses. There is also discrimination in the age of consent, which is two years higher (18) when the persons involved are of the same s*x. There is really no rational basis for having these laws in our society, as they are based on prejudice and perpetuate stigma and hatred towards g**s. Fortunately today, many Bahamians are joining us and are no longer passive or afraid to speak out against these and other injustices.
