After urging Bahamians to vote yes to bill number four of the gender equality referendum -- which seeks to end discrimination based on sex -- human rights activist Erin Greene said yesterday she now plans to vote no to that particular bill because it would not provide protection for intersex Bahamians.

Bill four defines sex as being male or female.

Intersex describes people who are born with a sexual anatomy that does not fit the typical definitions of female or male.

"If we define sex as male or female then we run the risk of erasing intersex people from the law," Greene said.

She told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that she supports the principle of the bill, but not the way the government is going about it.

Greene said her decision to vote no came after a lot of research and the many concerns raised by the LGBT community.

"As an advocate for the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered and intersex community, I cannot support bill four... I am going to vote no," she said. "However, I am in full support of the entrenchment of a principle of non-discrimination on the basis of sex in our constitution.

"I want to support this exercise, but I cannot support an exercise that is willing, or people who are willing, to entrench discrimination on the basis of sex in an exercise to entrench the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of sex."

Greene said while bill four seeks to end discrimination based on sex, the bill would not protect intersex people because they are not defined as either male or female.

While Greene could not say how many intersex people live in The Bahamas, she thinks there are many people who identify as such.

Greene said she is concerned that in the government's attempt to avoid lifting the ban on same-sex marriage, the constitution will define sex as male or female, which is problematic for the intersex, or hermaphrodite, community.

She noted that the government should ensure that no Bahamian is discriminated against and the way to do that would be to define sex as biological assignment -- rather than male or female.

The four constitutional amendment bills were passed in the House of Assembly on March 2.

Greene raised similar concerns about the intersex community the day before the bills were passed in the House, but at that time she was in support of all four bills and encouraged members of the LGBT community to support them as well.

Greene previously said a yes vote would mean there is a greater space for the LGBT community to seek recourse under the law in housing issues; unemployment issues; access to state services like hospital care and police services.

Many concerns have been raised over the bill with some people fearing it would lead to same-sex marriage in The Bahamas.

Same-sex marriage is not recognized by Bahamian law, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
However, the concerns led to a group of pastors recently launching a vote no campaign called "Save Our Bahamas".

Greene previously refuted that she or the LGBT community is pushing for same-sex marriage. However, Greene admitted that she was in a difficult position in deciding on whether to support the bill or not.

"My left hand wants to vote yes, but my right hand, my heart and my mind reminds me that I have an obligation to more than myself and my community, but I have an obligation to the world to act with integrity," Greene said.

Asked about her changed position, Greene said, "It's unfortunate that we are prepared to grant rights to one group of people on the backs of another group of people, which is problematic for democracy."

The referendum will be held on June 7.

Samone Davis, Guardian

Staff Reporter

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