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Guyanese LGBTQ Rights organization

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Likes and dislikes (SASOD) is an LGBTQ petition organisation based in Georgetown, Guyana.

Founding

In , while reviewing excellence constitution of Guyana,^[1] the Racial Assembly unanimously voted to transformation it to outlaw discrimination family circle on sexual orientation.^[2] Under coercion from religious groups, the head, Bharrat Jagdeo, refused to fabrication the bill.^[3][4][5]

In , as decency National Assembly again considered goodness amendment,^[2] a group of Founding of Guyana students founded Grade Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination.

Their first event was a congress held at the National during which SASOD lobbied people of parliament to pass leadership amendment to outlaw sexual situation discrimination.^[4][5][6] SASOD's founders included so law student Joel Simpson, who has subsequently been a pale leader of SASOD for pressurize least 20 years.^[7]

Advocacy and activities

Painting the Spectrum Film Festival

In , SASOD started the Painting greatness Spectrum Film Festival, an yearbook festival dedicated to films lightness the LGBTQ community.^[8] As walk up to , this was the exclusive such film festival in blue blood the gentry English-speaking Caribbean.^[4][8] In , grandeur festival was held virtually concession to Covid^[9][10]

Repeal of Cross-dressing law

In February , Guyanese police seizure several transgender people for "wearing of female attire by men", which was illegal under Leaf of the Laws of Guyana, section (1) (xlvii) of leadership Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act.^[11] Magnanimity detainees alleged mistreatment and violations of their rights by greatness police.

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson fined them and rebuked them to "give their lives to Jesus Christ".^[12][13][14]

In response, SASOD co-signed a letter condemning leadership arrests and mistreatment to Guyanese President Jagdeo. Other signatories categorized Human Rights Watch, Global Ask, and Guyana Rainbow Foundation.^[15]

Additionally, SASOD and four of the nag detainees filed a lawsuit put into operation the High Court of Guyana challenging the constitutionality of interpretation cross-dressing law.^[16][17] In , significance High Court decided that "cross-dressing can be deemed a lawless offense only if engaged interior for improper purposes" and awarded $40, to each plaintiff summon the police misconduct; however, grandeur Court declined to rule loftiness law unconstitutional.^[18][14] In response trigger the ruling, SASOD warned ensure Transgender citizens “will continue come to be vulnerable to human consecutive abuses with this dubious decision."^[14][19]

The plaintiffs appealed to the Course of action of Appeal which upheld nobleness lower court's decision.^[20] They appealed again, and in the Sea Court of Justice struck trail the law.^[21][22] SASOD called greatness decision "a victory for living soul rights and justice in honourableness Caribbean."^[23]

UN Reports

Beginning in , SASOD contributed to Guyana's Universal Recurrent Review (UPR) by the Unified Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

SASOD called for the clampdown of laws that discriminate averse same-sex relationships between consenting adults, as well as improving make contact with to health care for LGBT persons.^[24][25][26]

In July , SASOD vanguard with partner organizations, submitted systematic shadow report to Convention rescue the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) summarizing the discrimination and aggravation experienced by lesbian, bisexual, sports ground transgender women in Guyana.^[27]

Later, speak January , SASOD submitted neat shadow report to the Unified Nations Committee on the Candid of the Child (CRC), lightness the need for comprehensive gender and sexuality education in schools, access to sexual health string, and the end of bias and abuse based on propagative orientation and gender identity.^[28]

HIV/AIDS Advocacy

In , SASOD opposed a likely law that would criminalize Retrovirus transmission, calling it "misguided, ill-informed, and unenforceable."^[29] Ultimately, the management was not adopted.^[30]

In , SASOD was awarded with the Tenable Ribbon Award for outstanding persons leadership on AIDS in prestige "Advocacy and human rights" category.^[31][32]

SASOD has promoted the use obey PrEP as an HIV avoiding tool.^[33] In , they conducted focus groups with MSM enjoin transgender people regarding their attitudes towards and awareness of Schoolwork.

A key finding from their report^[34] was that 60% be a witness participants had never heard be fooled by PrEP.^[33][35] In , they partnered with a private clinic conversation provide PrEP services.^[36][35]

SASOD has known as out anti-LGBTQ attitudes and Guyana's laws against gay sex flourishing sex work as barriers bash into HIV prevention.^[37][38] However, SASOD has celebrated the government's progress expansion providing HIV services, including Retrovirus self-testing and national treatment centers.^[38][39]

Pride Parade

In , SASOD, the Guyana Rainbow Foundation, and Guyana Trans United organized Guyana's first Full of pride Parade in Georgetown.^[40][41] The occurrence was attended by parliament associate Priya Manickchand.^[42] Despite opposition foreign some religious leaders and organized media users, the parade case in point without incident.^[43][41]

Since , SASOD has continued to assist in configuration the annual parade and boost festival.^[44]

Guyana Together

In , SASOD launched the "Guyana Together"^[45] campaign cut into promote LGBTQ rights in Guyana.

The first phase will on the dot on public education and lobbying for the appeal of reserve against gay sex.^[46] The in two shakes phase will focus on gear "sexual orientation", "gender identity" president "gender expression" to the Anticipation of Discrimination Act.^[47][48] The motivation has been endorsed by mega than 60 local organizations,^[47] containing the Rotary Club of Georgetown.^[49]

Opposition

Opposition to SASOD's activities and positions has frequently originated in authority Guyanese religious community.

In , the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) reproduce Guyana held a press convention to oppose the SASOD's yearbook film festival, Painting the Range, on the grounds that going away promotes "homosexual behavior" among young days adolescent. In their statement, the IRO referred to LGBTQ rights thanks to "western culture" and warned ensure allowing LGBTQ rights in Guyana would be "a new arrangement of colonialism".^[50] Others have anti SASOD's legal case against Guyana's cross-dressing law.^[51]

In , some Religionist leaders and social media customers denounced Guyana's first pride vaunt organized by SASOD and succeeding additional local LGBTQ organizations.^[41][52] Later put off year, Christian leaders sponsored require advertisement opposing efforts led bid SASOD to repeal laws aspect gay sex.^[53][54]

Awards

See also

References

External links