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. 

SASOD Guyana Launches LGBTQIA+ Manifesto ahead of 2025 Elections - Businessman Enzo Matthews Joins Call for Inclusion

On Wednesday, July 16, SASOD Guyana launched its Manifesto, ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, calling for political parties to commit to addressing legislative, socio-economic and other critical issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) Guyanese. The Manifesto lists 10 priority issues for political parties to include in their manifestos or to give clear and definitive commitments to.

SASOD Guyana’s Managing Director Joel Simpson said the Guyana LGBTQIA+ Manifesto will be shared with all the political parties contesting the General and Regional Elections. “Our goal is to have the political parties to include our top 10 priorities in their parties’ manifestos,” Simpson shared. SASOD Guyana launched its first manifesto in 2020, and Simpson pointed out that while only a few parties included the issues in their plans, the organisation is hopeful that all six contesting political parties will do so in 2025.

Simpson noted that a 2022 national poll found that 54% of Guyanese want the outdated laws criminalising same-sex intimacy between consenting adult men in private to be repealed – which is the first priority in the Manifesto. The Manifesto also calls for the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 to be amended to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected categories. Supporting this recommendation, the 2022 poll also found that 72.4% of Guyanese believe that LGBTQIA+ workers should be protected from discrimination. “These are common-sense issues that most Guyanese of all backgrounds can agree on,” Simpson noted.

The launch also featured special remarks by businessman Enzo Matthews of the Lezo Group, who commended the LGBTQIA+ Manifesto and called on Guyanese to support its priorities. “We can not pick and choose when we want to come together as a people. We should always come together as a people, holistically for every cause,” the businessman said. “Everyone should be treated fairly regardless,” he added.

Enzo Matthews and Joel Simpson

Matthews also shared that the LeZo Group is proud to among more than 100 Guyanese businesses and organisations that have endorse the Guyana Together campaign, calling for the repeal of the outdated laws criminalising intimacy between men – which is the 2025 Manifesto’s first priority.

Matthews called for all political parties to “adopt” the “golden rule” on the treatment of Guyanese, “treating other people the way you would want to be treated. I take pride in encouraging the values of fairness and equal opportunity in my establishments,” Matthews declared. 

Enzo Matthews

“LGBTQIA+ people and our allies are voting this year because we understand what’s at stake in the 2025 General and Regional Elections,” SASOD Guyana’s Joel Simpson added. Appealing to LGBTQIA+ voters, Simpson called on all to ensure that their “voices are heard,” through their votes. “Show our elected leaders that they must represent Guyanese who want them to uphold our shared values of respect for all families,” Simpson emphasized.

In addition to legislative reform, the Manifesto also prioritises training, policy and programmatic interventions to address the critical socio-economic challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ Guyanese. Mandatory, ongoing training in Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion is proposed for the uniformed services, social workers, healthcare workers and other state service providers to eliminate discriminatory attitudes and unconscious bias in the provision of state services. The Manifesto underscores that homophobia is a huge barrier for sexual and gender minorities to access public services in Guyana.

In terms of programmes, SASOD Guyana is calling on the elected Government to provide emergency shelter for LGBTQIA+ youth who are fleeing violence in their homes. The Manifesto notes that LGBTQIA+ youth face disproportionately high rates of housing insecurity due to unique challenges, such as family rejection and lack of support systems. Simpson noted that this an especially challenging issue in Guyana when minors are put out of their homes or escape from homophobic violence. “The state has no shelters in place to deal with these dire emergencies,” Simpson lamented.   

Since launching the 2025 Manifesto, SASOD Guyana has been meeting with the contesting political parties to engage them to include the 10 priority issues in their own manifestos and plans. The 6 political parties that have made the ballot have all been invited to the 2025 LGBTQIA+ Elections Town Hall, which will be hosted by SASOD Guyana and the Guyana Press Association on July 29.

Guyana’s LGBTQIA+ Movement Hopeful New Pope Leo XIV will Continue the Path of Acceptance for LGBTQIA+ Families Initiated by Pope Francis

Celebrating International Day of Families under the theme “Family Oriented-Policies for Social Development,” LGBTQIA+ leaders in Guyana express hope that Pope Leo XIV will continue the path initiated by the late Pope Francis — one of openness, dialogue, and recognition of LGBTQIA+ families. Pope Francis welcomed LGBTQIA+ people, leading to increased visibility and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ families within and beyond Catholic institutions.

Pope Francis met with gay and transgender people many times, supported LGBTQIA+ ministries, opened baptism and the role of godparent to transgender people and allowed priests to bless same-sex couples. In his words, LGBTQIA+ people were recognised as “children of God.”

In early 2023, Pope Francis also made historic remarks calling the criminalisation of sexual and gender minorities “unjust” in an interview with the Associated Press. According to Vatican News, Pope Francis emphasised that “being homosexual is not a crime,” but rather is a “human condition.” 

At the time of Pope Francis’ statement on decriminalisation, Bishop Francis Alleyne, Head of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Guyana, responded positively. Bishop Alleyne stated that “the Legislature should not label consensual same-sex intimacy as a crime.”  Like Pope Francis, Bishop Alleyne contended that homosexuality is a ‘human condition.’ The Guyanese Catholic Church has a long history of opposition to the country’s anti-gay laws.

Guyana is one of only 65 jurisdictions worldwide that continue to criminalise private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity. Guyana remains the only country in South America and among the minority in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) criminalising consensual intimacy between adults, despite 2022 polling demonstrating the majority of people in Guyana support eliminating this outdated law. 

Joel Simpson, Managing Director of SASOD Guyana, said “Pope Francis built a bridge towards LGBTQIA+ families, acknowledging that queer and trans people are cherished members of families and communities. Pope Francis reached out to LGBTQIA+ families who in the past have felt invisible, and we hope to see the new Pope continue with this vision of an inclusive and accepting church.”

Joel Simpson

Despite this historic progress, there is still much to be done to ensure all families are truly accepted and protected in society. The arrival of Pope Leo XIV has renewed hope for some leaders in the Guyanese LGBTQIA+ movement. Savannah Williams, Co-Chairwoman of Sexualities Women and Genders (SWAG) shared that “the new Pope has a history of advocating for marginalised communities in his more than 20 years as a religious leader in Peru.” In his initial address, Pope Leo thanked his predecessor. “The Guyanese LGBTQIA+ movement remains hopeful that his leadership will continue on the path of increasing recognition and acceptance for all families,” Williams added. 

Savannah Williams

Marked on May 15, International Day of Families is an annual United Nations observance. The Day reflects the importance the international community attaches to families and provides an opportunity to raise awareness of issues related to families.

International Youth Day 2024: Safeguard the Rights of All Young People in Guyana

On the occasion of International Youth Day on August 12, SASOD Guyana calls attention to the importance of safeguarding the rights of all young people in Guyana, and the Americas region, including their rights to life, bodily autonomy and safe working environments in every industry. 

On July 11, 2024, in the early hours of the morning, Coil Bottle - a 27-year old transgender sex worker whose given name is Shawn Simon Hooper – was executed in downtown Georgetown. Currently, two of the alleged perpetrators have been charged and are before the courts. Despite this, there is said to be at least a third perpetrator allegedly involved in the killing who is yet to be arrested and charged, while the motive behind the shocking murder remains unclear.

Coil Bottle

It is vital that a full and comprehensive investigation is conducted by the Guyana Police Force, that the prosecution of this case is professional and sound, and that the judicial process is free from bias and prejudice. While there have been many documented cases of violence against young sexual and gender minorities in Guyana over the past decade, this is a rare case in which the alleged perpetrators have been clearly identified. If justice is not properly administered in this case, this could motivate more bad actors to commit similar crimes against marginalised youth, including LGBTIQ+ youth and young sex workers, in Guyana. Justice must serve as a deterrent to prevent acts of targeted violence against marginalised youth and other vulnerable groups in Guyana.

SASOD Guyana also takes this opportunity to applaud the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the creation of the role of Commissioner for the Rights of Sex Workers and the appointment of Gloria Angélica Careaga Peréz on August 6, 2024. This groundbreaking move highlights the commitment of the OAS to protecting the rights of sex workers across the Americas region. Gloria Careaga is a social psychologist, LGBTIQA+ activist and feminist advocate from Mexico. On her appointment, she emphasised that “sex work is a job that can be recognised as being as worthy as any other and this must be our task.” SASOD Guyana will engage Commissioner Peréz in her mandate to collect and report information to the situation of the rights of sex workers, and submit recommendations to the OAS Secretary General to address these findings.

"LGBTQ+ Activism in Guyana Stronger than Ever" - Dr. Nastassia Rambarran Tells SASOD Guyana's 21st Anniversary Research Symposium

(Georgetown, Guyana)

On Tuesday, July 16, SASOD Guyana hosted a Research Symposium, as part of the organisation’s twenty-first anniversary celebrations. The presenters were Alessandra Hereman, who presented the research proposal for her Master’s thesis of Alessandra Hereman titled “Gender, Generation, Genres: A Genealogy of a History of Transgressive Experiences and Embodiments in Postcolonial Guyana, circa 1970s to 1980s.” and Dr. Nastassia Rambarran, who presented the findings specifically related to Guyana from her doctoral thesis titled, “A Comparison of Guyana and Barbados with respect to Colonial Legacies, Transnational Processes and Decolonial Activities involved in Queer Activism.” The event was held at Herdmanston Lodge Hotel in Queenstown, Georgetown, and was well attended by the diplomatic corps, elected officials, civil society advocates, international aid workers and LGBTQ+ activists. 

Alessandra Hereman is a transgender Guyanese and a candidate for the Masters in Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at UWI St. Augustine. Hereman is the first openly transgender person to graduate from the University of Guyana in 201, with a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree in Sociology (Pass with Distinction). She is an articulate activist for human rights of transgender people and other marginalised groups in Guyana and the Caribbean. Her thesis proposes to document the life stories of queer and trans people in early, post-colonial Guyana, in order to counter the false narratives of queer and trans Guyanese being a relatively recent import.

Alessandra Hereman

Dr. Nastassia Rambarran is a Guyanese-Barbadian researcher, writer, physician and public health consultant, based in Barbados. Her thesis is centred on a historical and sociological study of queer activism in Guyana and Barbados, and draws heavily from archival sources and interviews. She began her presentation by drawing attention to early LGBTQ+ organizing in Guyana during the early 2000s. At the time, there were only a couple organisations focused on promoting LGBTQ+ rights. Dr. Rambarran emphasised the vital role which SASOD Guyana during this period, especially in the context of promoting human rights through the use of international mechanisms at the level of the United Nations and the Inter-American human rights system. The evolution of SASOD Guyana progressed through public events such as the then “Painting the Spectrum” LGBTQ+ film festival, which Dr. Rambarran emphasised, is an important way to promote community. Over the 2006-2008 period, SASOD Guyana expanded its work and began engaging with international organisations. Dr. Rambarran also shared that the movement was initially perceived as upper-class organisation and not accessible to the masses and in response, SASOD Guyana held its first event aimed at a wider class audience in 2006.

Dr. Nastassia Rambarran

Although many strides have been made by LGBTQ+ organisations in Guyana, she noted that there are still areas for improvement. These include reducing movement fragmentation, increasing representation of women in the movement, and increasing inclusiveness as some organisations are perceived to be affiliated with one racial group. In particular, the low participation of persons from indigenous communities in the interior regions and their access to organisations like SASOD Guyana remain a significant challenge. “Despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ activism and organising in Guyana is stronger than ever,” Dr. Rambarran concluded. 

Press Release: "Defiant Bodies" Book Launched in Guyana to Celebrate SASOD's 21 Anniversary

(Georgetown, Guyana)

Last Tuesday, July 16, SASOD Guyana hosted a book launch of Dr. Nikoli Attai’s “Defiant Bodies: Making Queer Community in the Anglophone Caribbean” as part of the organisation’s twenty-first anniversary celebrations. The event was held at Herdmanston Lodge Hotel and was well attended by the diplomatic corps, elected officials, civil society advocates and the media.

A citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Attai is an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at Colorado State University (CSU) where he focuses on Black queer and feminist studies. Dr. Attai is also a co-manager of the CSU Collab Lab - a collaborative research hub that investigates the ways in which race, gender, and sexuality inform a sense of belonging in varied political, cultural, social, economic, and historical contexts.

Dr. Nikkoli Attai

Dr. Attai was motivated to write “Defiant Bodies” by his profound commitment to queer communities throughout the Caribbean, and to share their stories. Dr. Attai spent time in Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, where he observed how queer and trans people navigated life with limited resources. He also conducted research with transgender sex workers in these countries.

In his thought-provoking presentation, Dr. Attai drew attention to the difficult, and often violent situations, faced by queer people to promote discussion of how to resist these challenges both in the Caribbean and globally. Dr. Attai asserted that it is vital to consider the Caribbean’s colonial legacy in order to understand the current situation in which archaic laws continue to oppress these groups. “It is also important to challenge the false western perception of the Caribbean as a uniformly homophobic place where queer people are only suffering, when, in reality, there are defiant communities that are flourishing,” he said at last week’s launch. Dr. Attai notes that queer life is thriving “beneath the radar of the mainstream public space” and across contexts that differ in terms of race, class, gender, and other socio-economic factors. Increasingly, queer communities are moving into the open by utilizing different social spaces that contribute to building community.

The launch concluded with an engaging discussion with attendees, during which Dr. Attai discussed strategies for promoting human rights for queer people in Guyana and the Caribbean.

(Left to Right) SASOD Guyana's Joel Simpson, Author Dr. Nikkoli Attai, Shadow Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, M.P., Pan-American Development FOundation's Jermaine Grant, and Former Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine.

Photo Credits: Philip Drayton for DrayStudioGY

Guyana LGBTI Inclusion Index uncovers significant gaps in key sectors

A report which measures the inclusion of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in Guyana found significant gaps in education, health, political and civic participation, economic empowerment and security and violence. 

The “Piloting the LGBTI Inclusion Index in Guyana” report was launched on February 20, 2023, marking World Day of Social Justice at the Herdmanston Lodge Hotel. The study was conducted and presented by Research Consultant and Attorney-at-Law Kesaundra Alves. The five strategic sectors were measured according to 22 indicators, compatible with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Kesaundra Alves

 

The index was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with support from the World Bank and other international development partners for implementation worldwide. 

The study was commissioned by the Guyana LGBTIQ+ Coalition, led by SASOD Guyana and comprised of Sexualities, Women and Genders (SWAG) and the Guyana Trans United (GTU). 

Ranked from 0 to 1 (with 0 representing no inclusion to 1 as greatest inclusion), Guyana's overall score for LGBTI inclusion is 0.241 and the specific sectoral scores are as follows: 

1. Education: 0
2. Political and civic participation: 0.426
3. Economic wellbeing: 0.11
4. Health: 0.67
5. Personal safety and violence: 0

In Guyana, LGBTI inclusion has proven to be strongest in the health sector (0.67), followed by the sphere of political and civic participation (0.426). The lack of LGBTI inclusion in the areas of economic
empowerment (0.11), education (0), and personal safety and violence (0) are most alarming.

Managing Director of SASOD Guyana, Joel Simpson, said this research provides a framework for prioritising policy advocacy. "For us, we will focus on protection from violence and education when it comes to policy advocacy because those were the lowest scores at zero. Dealing with hate crimes is particularly important and dealing with the growing epidemic of anti-LGBTI bullying in schools from a policy and legal perspective,” Simpson commented.

The media launched was livestreamed and can be viewed on the SASOD Guyana YouTube channel.

New 2022 Poll Finds LGBT Acceptance Has Soared in Guyana

Positive attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Guyana has increased significantly over the last 9 years. This was a key finding of the 2022 poll titled “A Study of Perceptions and Attitudes towards LGBT Persons in Guyana” which was conducted by RMK Consulting Enterprise and commissioned by SASOD Guyana. This year’s national poll was conducted almost a decade after the first-ever public opinion poll on LGBT people and issues was done by the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) in 2013. According to results from the 2022 poll, LGBT acceptance in Guyana has soared since then, moving from 19% to 34.5% with an overall percentage of 72.4% of respondents stating that they accept and tolerate LGBT persons. Presenting at the launch of the findings last Tuesday, Dr. Marlon Anatol, a researcher with RMK Consulting Enterprise, noted that hatred of LGBT people had decreased by 50% from 25% in 2013 to 12% in 2022, which is quite significant.

 

Dr. Marlon Anatol presenting the polling results

Other key results include that nearly a majority of Guyanese believe the Government should prioritize legally protecting the rights of LGBT people with 49.6% of respondents replying positively that it should be a priority for the government to prioritize legally protecting LGBT people. Further, the poll found that a clear majority of 53.9% of the Guyanese population are likely to support the elimination of the law criminalizing sex between men. 

The results also showed that 72% of the population were likely to support legislation that ensures protection against workplace discrimination for LGBT people in Guyana. Remarking on the need for legislators to move with the times, SASOD Guyana’s Managing Director Joel Simpson was keen to note that “we have been in a place where politicians have been saying that the society isn’t ready for change, but these results clearly indicate that the society is way ahead of its leaders and Guyana has changed significantly over the past decade.” Simpson remarked that “the evidence is now available to the Government of Guyana to support including protection for LGBT people in workplace anti-discrimination legislation.”

 Principal and Director of RMK Consulting Enterprise, Dr. Mark Kirton, gave an overview of the study indicating that 1,070 respondents were interviewed in-person between June 18 and July 11, 2022, through a house-to-house exercise across most regions of Guyana. The stratified random sample was representative of the Guyanese population in terms of sex, age, race, religious affiliation and other demographics, based on the 2012 National Census for Guyana.

 

Dr. Mark Kirton providing an overview of the study

For over 19 years, SASOD Guyana has been at the forefront of calls to repeal the laws which criminalize same-sex intimacy and disproportionately affect LGBT people, leading to increased levels of discrimination in all areas of their lives. Simpson stated that SASOD Guyana intends to disseminate the polling results widely. He noted that “this information needs to be on the desk of every parliamentarian” and stated that SASOD Guyana is “going to continue our advocacy to bring this to the attention of the policymakers because we really want to see action, particularly now that we are seeing most of the population, 72%, saying they are supportive of non-discrimination protections for LGBT persons” as it relates to the right to work. SASOD Guyana has also been advocating for the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 to be amended to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as grounds of discrimination.

SASOD Guyana has noted with interest the positive rhetoric of the PPP/C administration on LGBT issues. However, Simpson repeated the call for decisive actions to be taken by parliamentarians and legislators. He confirmed that SASOD Guyana would be continuing to engage with the Government on these issues, noting the significant increase in support for LGBT people across Guyana.

 Video Recording of the Media Launch of the 2022 Poll: https://youtu.be/pGwgNIEtu3k

 

Link to the 2022 RMK Polling Report: https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00090502/00001/pdf

Visit Rupununi, Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition Ink Historic Agreement on LGBTQ+ Tourism

On Thursday, August 26, 2022, Visit Rupununi and the Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition together  signed a Memorandum of Understanding which signifies the beginning of a partnership to promote the Rupununi region of Guyana as a warm and welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ tourists.

 

Visit Rupununi is a non-profit regional destination marketing and management organization which has been developing sustainable eco-tourism products within the Rupununi region while conserving the nature-based, traditional heritage of local indigenous peoples and the wider Rupununi region.

 

The Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition is comprised of the Guyana Trans United (GTU), SASOD Guyana and SWAG. Together, these organizations have been tirelessly advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Guyana.

 

Providing brief remarks before signing the historic agreement, President of Visit Rupununi, Melanie McTurk, shared details about their eco-tourism products which are centered around nature, wildlife conservation and outstanding hospitality. And while the Rupununi region has always had a good history of hosting LGBTQ+ guests in the past, Mc Turk pointed out that being able to feel safe and be respected is what everyone desires when looking for a holiday destination. She said “with this in mind it is important for the Rupununi that we continue to equip ourselves with the skills and knowledge to appeal to an ever-growing market base to ensuring that all visitors to the Rupununi are treated with equal respect and consideration.”

 

The Memorandum of Understanding formalizes the partnership between these organizations whose common goal is to promote the Rupununi as a tourism destination that is LGBTQ+ friendly. One of the ways the parties to the agreement plan to do this is having the Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition train members of Visit Rupununi on LGBTQ+ issues in order to sensitize their representatives. The Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition will begin by training 15-20 Visit Rupununi trainers, and the training will teach them how to deliver the training themselves within their organization going forward.

 

Visit Rupununi’s Melanie McTurk (left) signs while GTU’s Miglon Braithwaite (second from right) SASOD Guyana’s Melina Harris (second from left) and Joel Simpson (right) look on.

[Photo Credit: Vishani Ragobeer / News Room]

 

Noting the importance and value of the “pink dollar” internationally, Mc Turk shared that “the LGBTQ+ travel market was worth more than USD$218 billion worldwide while the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S alone, spends 10 percent of its purchasing power, or nearly $100 billion US, on luxury travel.” Mc Turk went on to say that “through our collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Coalition we will be taking the first steps to ensuring that the Rupununi is a region that is safe and welcoming to all persons regardless of race, class, or sexual orientation.”

 

In supporting the sentiments of the Visit Rupununi President, Simpson said that “certainly from a business perspective, the private sector understands that there is no room for discrimination, money doesn’t discriminate, when you make money, you don’t make gay or straight money.”

 

He went on to say that “all of us will benefit the more inclusive our society becomes in every single, sector and this is something Guyanese believe, that if we allow everybody to participate in the economy, we allow everybody to work, to earn a living without discrimination, all of us will benefit, all of us will experience development.”

 

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding signifies the beginning of a strong partnership between the Guyana LGBTQ+ Coalition and Visit Rupununi. The parties are committed to promoting Guyana as a safe and warm tourism destination that is LGBTQ+ friendly for everyone within and outside of Guyana. 

 

The livestream is available on SASOD Guyana’s YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y8iMloTD2HU

 

SASOD Guyana Welcomes Antigua Court Decision Decriminalizing Same-Sex Intimacy

Joel Simpson, Managing Director of SASOD Guyana

SASOD Guyana welcomes the decision of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court following the conclusion of a challenge brought by a gay man against the state, who argued that the Sexual Offences Act (of 1995) contained several unconstitutional and discriminatory sections.

According to the Court’s ruling, sections 12 and 15 of the Sexual Offences Act which prohibited several acts of same-sex intimacy were deemed by the Court to be unconstitutional and discriminatory. SASOD Guyana emphatically celebrates with the people of Antigua and Barbuda, civil society and other partners who contributed to the success of the legal challenge.

Celebrating the victory, Co-Chair of the Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CariFLAGS) Lucien Govaard, stated that “we reiterate that it is time governments in the region let go of these colonial structures as they have no place in a modern, diverse, and developing Caribbean.” The leader of the regional LGBTIQ+ network went on the urge regional leaders to “tackle these issues as a united region, one Caribbean, where all our peoples can live without fear, discrimination, harassment, or violence.”

Similarly, the Caribbean Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Observatory and the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA) are urging Caribbean Governments to repeal discriminatory laws that continue to marginalize and infringe upon the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people and to firmly adopt and promote a culture of inclusion and respect for all people.

The Court’s decision in Antigua and Barbuda follows rulings in Belize (2016) and in Trinidad and Tobago (2018) where similar legal provisions were struck down. There are currently ongoing constitutional challenges of the same nature in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados, where final rulings are expected to be handed down by the end of the year.

SASOD Guyana notes that there are now fewer Caribbean nations where these archaic laws remain on the books. Joel Simpson, Managing Director of SASOD Guyana, reminded that “We have been lobbying and working with the Government of Guyana for over 19 years to remove these discriminatory and dangerous laws here in Guyana. We remain among a rapidly decreasing number of Caribbean nations that continue to allow these colonial remnants to endanger the lives of LGBTIQ+ people, in spite of the human rights implications.” Simpson went on to state that “we hope that the Guyana government can see that this issue is now practically settled law. These provisions are discriminatory and unconstitutional, and they must go! We hope the government is encouraged to table legislation in the National Assembly to repeal similar provisions which criminalize same-sex intimacy in our law books.

“They were wrong then and they are wrong now” – British Envoy on Laws Criminalizing Same-Sex Intimacy at Media Launch of Guyana Pride Festival 2022

 

Georgetown, May 12, 2022

On May 11, 2022, the Guyana LGBTQ Coalition, comprised of the Guyana Rainbow Foundation (GuyBow), Guyana Trans United and SASOD Guyana, with support from Her Excellency Jane Miller OBE, British High Commissioner to Guyana, launched the Guyana Pride Festival 2022 ahead of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). 

In providing brief remarks, the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller OBE noted that “the UK is very proud to be a champion for LGBT rights across the whole world. LGBT rights are fundamental human rights, and we are committed to the principle that everyone, everywhere, should be able to love the person they love and express themselves without fear of violence”.

The Pride Festival will be celebrated this year under the IDAHOTB theme, “Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights.” Joel Simpson, Managing Director of SASOD Guyana, stated that the advocacy focus of this year’s Pride Festival would centre around sexual rights, noting that, “we want to draw attention to laws which criminalize same-sex intimacy; we know that these laws are colonial in nature and they are relics we inherited from colonial rule.” He shared that as part of the festival’s advocacy plans, there would be various opportunities during the course of the activities for there to be discussions around the impacts of the criminalization of sexual rights and how they particularly impact the LGBTIQ people in Guyana.

When asked what she thought about the laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy, High Commissioner Miller stated that “Guyana has inherited laws that were brought in many, many years ago, British laws, the UK has now repealed that. We now have very progressive laws in the UK that protect the rights of the LGBT community and there are many countries like Guyana where that has never changed. The UK has changed, and I am very proud of the fact that the UK has changed, which is why I am very proud to be championing the rights of the LGBT community. My view is that they [the laws] were wrong then and they are wrong now and I will do all I can to be championing changes that protect the rights of the LGBT community.”

Simpson stated that the festival would see “us celebrating ourselves, our communities and who we are and we are saying that we will not shy away, we will not cower in the face of stigma, discrimination and prejudice. We will stand proud because we are a part of the Guyanese society and we are championing a one Guyana these days and we believe that we are part of that one people, one nation and one destiny that is promised to everyone in this country.”

The Coalition presented that Guyana Pride will return to the streets of Georgetown in 2022 after 2 years of being confined to virtual Pride events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the Festival’s activities will be in-person events this year.

Guyana Pride Festival will open on Sunday, June 19, 2022, with a Virtual Inter-Faith Forum hosted in collaboration with the Caribbean Inter-Faith Network (CARIN) at 18:00hrs on SASOD Guyana’s social media pages. Then, on the night of Saturday, June 25, 2022, the Guyana Trans United will be hosting the much anticipated “Drag Fest” event, further details will be provided by the GTU in the coming days.

On the evening of Friday, July 1, 2022, the Coalition will host an “Open Mic” Night where attendees are invited to take the stage to showcase their talents in music, dance, poetry, prose, spoken word and other art forms. On Monday, July 4, 2022, SASOD Guyana will host a Movie Night.

On the following Friday, July 8, 2022, the Coalition will also be hosting a Games Night which will see competitors battling to win a number of exciting prizes. Then, in the afternoon of Sunday, July 10, 2022, GTU will be hosting a Tea Party and Hat Show. The following day on Monday, July 11, 2022, GuyBow will host the Pride Symposium which is slated to start at 17:00hrs.

Finally, Pride 2022 will conclude on Saturday July 16, 2022, with the two of the most anticipated events: Pride Parade 2022 and the Pride Party. As customary, the Pride Parade will move off from the Parade Ground at Middle and Carmichael Streets at 14:30hrs and is set to conclude at the Square of the Revolution. GuyBow will then host the Pride Party from 21:00hrs at Cocktails Hotspot Bar and Grill on High Street, Kingston. 

The calendar of events and details of all activities will be available on the social media pages of the members of the Guyana LGBTQ Coalition: GuyBow, GTU and SASOD Guyana.

Please access the live streamed event here: https://youtu.be/EAD28OobzG8

SASOD, Human Dignity Trust Gather Evidence on Hate Crimes in Guyana

Georgetown; March 25, 2022 

SASOD Guyana and The Human Dignity Trust (HDT) - a UK-based organisation working to challenge laws that persecute people on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity – have embarked on a process to examine the occurrence of hate crimes in Guyana.

In early 2021, the two organisations commissioned “A Situational Analysis on Hate Crimes in Guyana” which was conducted by Guyanese researcher Pere DeRoy, a social scientist and doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas in the USA, to document the nature and extent of hate crimes based on prejudices related to race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality in Guyana.

The preliminary results of the research have highlighted the need for more discussion and dialogue on prejudice in Guyanese society. SASOD Guyana and HDT are working to condense the situational analysis into a short summary chapter which will be accompanied by chapters examining the local legal context, and the international context and good practice principles, which together will inform the approach to be taken to address hate crimes in Guyana.

This past week the two organisations hosted introductory workshops on hate crimes to raise awareness and receive feedback on the preliminary results of the situational analysis from key stakeholders in Guyana. From Tuesday, March 22, to Thursday, March 24, 2022, SASOD Guyana and HDT held three, half-day workshops with civil society groups. The workshop sessions successfully engaged a wide range of civil society groups, especially from the Guyana Equality Forum. On Wednesday evening, March 23, there was also a special workshop with Guyanese human rights lawyers. The workshops were led by Joel Simpson, Managing Director of SASOD Guyana, and Naomi Lumsdaine, Senior Lawyer at HDT. There was consensus among civil society groups who noted the need to build a coalition to support reform and to better protect racialised groups, gender and sexual minorities, and other marginalised groups from hate crimes.

The two organizations committed to continue working together to finalize the report on hate crimes and disseminate the findings widely in Guyana, whilst building further consensus among civil society and other key stakeholders on a comprehensive approach to tackle hate crimes.

Joel Simpson, SASOD Guyana

Naomi Lumsdaine, HDT

SASOD Guyana Announces Second Virtual Pride on IDAHOTB 2021

May 17, 2021

SASOD Guyana Announces Second Virtual Pride on IDAHOTB 2021

SASOD Guyana joins civil society and state actors around the world in observance of  the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), under the theme: “Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing!” As the world continues to grapple  with COVID-19, now more than ever the need for solidarity is  a matter of life and death. We all must do our part to ensure the survival of the most vulnerable groups among us.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in  Guyana in March 2021, SASOD Guyana recognized that this global health crisis could  have had a disproportionate impact on sexual and gender minorities. Alongside the University of the West Indies and other partners in the Eastern Caribbean, SASOD Guyana therefore conducted a study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among LGBT people. The June 2020 survey found, unsurprisingly, that over 70% of participants  had lost their job or experienced reduced working hours due to COVID-19 pandemic and national containment measures; most of these persons reported having had very little savings. The analysis also revealed moderate levels of psychological distress among the target population. Most participants  were unable to meet their basic nutritional needs  and are in need of supporting services to cope with the emotional distress brought on by the pandemic.

 As the response against this global health crisis  wages on, SASOD Guyana reiterates its previous calls to the Government of Guyana to provide tangible support to LGBTQ+ persons and other vulnerable groups across  the country.

As in most other parts of the world, there are no public gatherings for IDAHOTB and Pride celebrations this year. SASOD Guyana is therefore pleased to launch its second 592 Virtual Pride 2021, under the theme: #LiveOutProud. The one-week online festival will commence on June 7, marking SASOD Guyana’s 18^th anniversary, and run until June 13. LGBTQ+ persons and allies alike can look forward to the Live Launch on June 7, Pride Yoga on June 8, Queer Film Night on June 9, "Global Guyanese Gaffing" on June 10, Pride Games Night on June 11, Caribbean Inferno Pride Party on June 12 and a final Pride Inter-Faith Forum on June 13, which brings the curtains down on  the week of virtual activities. Persons can follow SASOD Guyana on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more details on the upcoming 592 Virtual Pride celebrations.  

SASOD Guyana Mourns the Loss of Former Trustee and Co-Chair, Namela Henry

 

The Board of Directors, Management, Team, Members and Volunteers of SASOD Guyana are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of early member and former Trustee, Namela Henry. Namela joined SASOD not long after its formation in 2003. Affectionately called “Aunt Nams” by the young people in SASOD, Namela was always a proud and vocal ally, demanding that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people be treated equally to their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. Given her passion, empathy and activism for LGBTQ+ human rights, Namela joined the SASOD Board of Trustees in 2009 and served as a Trustee, and later as Co-Chairperson, until 2014.

 

Namela participated actively in the projects and work of SASOD Guyana. One of her many invaluable and tangible contributions which live on today is her role as a community researcher in the “Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights” Project led by York University in Canada. Namela diligently applied her skills in communications and journalism to document the experiences of violence and discrimination against LGBT people in Guyana. As part of the project, she also produced short documentary videos in 2014 which SASOD Guyana still uses today in its awareness and education efforts.

She also co-authored a chapter with Pere DeRoy titled “Violence and LGBT Human Rights in Guyana” in the project book, “Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights: (Neo)colonialism, Neoliberalism, Resistance and Hope” published by the University of London Press, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, in 2018. Namela was empathetic and always willing to lend a helping hand to support the LGBTQ+ movement. Before resources became available for office space, Namela opened her home in Charlotte Street as a venue to host Board meetings and gatherings for members of SASOD. In fact, when Namela joined the Board of Trustees in 2009, it was her home address that was registered as SASOD’s official address. Her contributions to SASOD are too numerous to mention all.

Namela was also active in many other civil society groups, including the HIV-focused Comforting Hearts group in Berbice where she was an early member. Namela later went on to found Rainbow House – a now defunct organization which provided short-term housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youth while its benefactor resided in Guyana between 2015 and 2017. Her selfless efforts have saved many lives.

SASOD Guyana extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of Namela Henry in this time of bereavement.

Photo-Release: SASOD Guyana Discusses Recent Research with Health Minister

 

On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, SASOD Guyana’s Managing Director Joel Simpson (centre) met with and discussed the findings and recommendations of two recent research reports published by his organization to the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P. The reports are titled “Desires for Care and Access to Services among Transgender Persons in Guyana (March 2020) and “Qualitative Assessment of HIV Services for Key Populations in Guyana during the COVID-19 Pandemic (January 2021). 

Simpson was accompanied by SASOD Guyana’s Human Rights Coordinator, Kobe Smith (second from right) and Community Representative on the Guyana Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, Christopher France (right). Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Dr. Tariq Jagnarine (left) also participated in the meeting at the Minister’s Secretariat.

 

Photo Credit: Aubrey Odle for Ministry of Health

 

Sex-Positive Youth Groups Call on New Government to Improve Sexual Health

 

World Sexual Health Day, observed on September 4 annually, provides the opportunity to galvanize action for the promotion of sexual health for all, irrespective of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, health status, national origin or any other human characteristics.

The reality, though, is that every day should be Sexual Health Day. Every day, people are faced with the issues of early sexual debut, unsafe sex practices, the contraction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, and the lack of access to sexual health information and services. Young women, girls, youth, sex workers and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other queer (LGBTQ+) people are most affected. 

According to “The Situation Analysis of Adolescent Pregnancy in Guyana” Report (UNICEF, 2018), Guyana recorded the second highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 19 to 22% of girls becoming pregnant before the age of 18.

In 2014 alone, UNICEF found that 15% of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 began childbearing and that 62% of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 have an unmet contraception need. Additionally, Guyana has noticed an increase in HIV and other STIs among the youth demographic.

Further to this, discrimination, stigma, fear, and violence prevent many people from accessing basic sexual health services.

The Government must do more to realize our legal right to the highest attainable standard of health. Article 24 of the Constitution of Guyana provides that every citizen has the right to free medical attention.

Let us be clear: Guyana must do more for vulnerable groups and their sexual health. And therefore, ASPIRE Youth Network - Guyana, Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s Youth Advocacy Movement, SASOD Guyana and SRHR Adventures call on the new PPP/C Government to:

·        Invest in training for healthcare workers to deliver confidential, youth-friendly, and non-discriminatory services;

·        Invest in mobile clinics and tele-medicine to deliver sexual health services and care during the COVID-19 pandemic;

·        Provide PrEP for those at substantial risk of HIV infection in accordance with WHO guidelines;

·        Promote sexual health information on all media platforms;

·        Conduct age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education in schools; and

·        Support civil society organisations as partners in addressing sexual health issues in Guyana.

Because sexual health matters; today and always.

ASPIRE Youth Network – Guyana            

Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s Youth Advocacy Movement

SASOD Guyana

SRHR Adventurers

Call to Action to the New PPP/C Government on Priority Issues for the First Year in Office on International Youth Day

 

International Youth Day (IYD) provides the opportunity to recognize the power of all youth, including those often left behind with unmet needs. The theme for IYD 2020 as prescribed by the United Nations, “Youth Engagement for Global Action,” highlights the importance of placing young people at the center of social justice and advocacy, especially when human rights and dignity of people are threatened and restricted.

For over 17 years, SASOD Guyana has been defending and promoting the rights of vulnerable groups in Guyana, including LGBTQ+ persons and marginalized youth who are subject to discrimination, violence, and persecution, for simply being who they are.

Together with local and regional partners, SASOD Guyana fought tirelessly to bring an end to the archaic law against cross-dressing, which was struck down by the Caribbean Court of Justice, almost 2 years ago. We have trained hundreds of police officers on issues related to gender and sexuality, and how to interact with LGBTQ+ youth. Notably, SASOD Guyana continuously documents abuses and offers pro-bono legal services to young women, girls, marginalized youth, and LGBTQ+ persons, as they seek to pursue justice against violators of their human rights. But we all must do more for, with and by them.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation of poverty, unemployment, and violence faced by youth further inhibits their potential to lead healthy and promising lives.

While the recently installed PPP/C Government has included some young people in its Cabinet, its sincerity to addressing issues affecting youth will be measured by its actions.

In the spirit of IYD 2020, SASOD Guyana calls on the new PPP/C Government to implement these top 5 actions for marginalized youth in its first year in office:

1.      Repeal sections 351 to 353 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act which criminalize same-sex intimacy between consenting, adult men in private.

2.     Include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds for discrimination in the Prevention of Discrimination Act (Section 4).

3.     Introduce Comprehensive Sexuality Education all schools in Guyana to provide young people with the tools they need to make more informed decisions to either delay their sexual debut or prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, if they choose to be sexually active. Comprehensive sexuality education would also inform students about diverse sexualities and genders, and reduce targeted bullying of LGBTQ+ students in Guyana’s public schools.

4.     Provide access to housing for LGBTQ+ people, especially children, who have been temporarily displaced or rendered homeless due to bias violence.

5.     Provide comprehensive and accessible entrepreneurial training programmes for vulnerable groups, especially LGBTQ+ youth, and make capital accessible to start up small businesses through grants and low-interest lending schemes.

SASOD Guyana asserts that these top 5 actions, coupled with supportive programmes, will move the needle for marginalized youth and advance equality for all young people.