Joint Statement from Sexualities Women and Genders and SASOD Guyana

In a now widely publicised video on Facebook, Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed is seen and heard chastising “questionable persons, lesbians, bisexuals coming in the masjid and pray.” Mohamed lamented that “our leaders are not speaking out” about this. The Guyana Standard reported on it in an article titled “Mohamed warns about division, infiltration of lesbians in Muslim community” on March 4, 2026. 

Sexualities Women and Genders (SWAG) and SASOD Guyana haven taken careful note of Mohamed’s remarks as these are his first public comments on sexual minorities since being elected as a Member of Parliament, and Leader of the Opposition. While both organisations respect religious freedom, Mohamed’s comments are divisive and discriminatory towards lesbian and bisexual people, in particular, who are followers of Islam. His remarks came at a time when religious observances of Ramadan, Lent and Vasant Vart intersected – a timely season to share a message of inclusion and respect for diversity in all its forms. Guyana’s diversity includes lesbians and bisexual people.  

Guyanese lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people come from all walks of life. Many subscribe to different faiths while others do not. SWAG’s Co-Chair Savannah Williams responded that “there are lesbians and bisexual people who are devout Muslims, whether Mr. Mohamed likes it or not.” She added that “it’s not Mohamed’s place to judge any Muslim or worshipper – he is not God or Allah.”

Savannah Williams, SWAG Co-Chair

We call on Azruddin Mohamed to fulfill his constitutional obligations as the Leader of the Opposition. SASOD Guyana’s Chairperson Mishka Puran believes that “Mr. Mohamed’s first public remarks on LGBTQIA+ issues were a missed opportunity to share a message of unity, togetherness, compassion and respect when Guyana and the world need it.” She added that the Leader of the Opposition should clarify his and his party’s position on reforming Guyana’s laws to decriminalise same-sex intimacy and protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression – which polls show a strong majority of Guyanese across the political spectrum support.

Mishka Puran, SASOD Guyana Chairperson

SASOD Guyana’s Managing Director Joel Simpson added that Mohamed’s comments in the masjid seem at odds with his party’s position as articulated by their General Secretary Odessa Primus at the LGBTQIA+ Elections Town Hall which was held on July 29, 2025. At that forum, the representative of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) indicated her party’s support for the necessary law reforms and championed public education to improve social attitudes to LGBTQIA+ people in Guyana. “Mohamed could have called on his Muslim brothers and sisters to be more inclusive and welcome lesbian and bisexual Muslims to their masjids, but he chose to do the opposite. How is WIN championing education to change attitudes at one forum and preaching division and exclusion in the masjid,” Simpson questioned. “Mr. Mohamed cannot separate his personal, religious views on policy issues from his role as the Leader of the Opposition,” Simpson added.

Joel Simpson, SASOD Guyana Managing Director

SWAG and SASOD Guyana are committed to constructive dialogue and publicly call on the Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed and WIN’s leadership to engage both groups on how his office and party can support the public education and law reform that they advocated for at the 2025 Elections Town Hall. Electoral promises must be delivered.