Guyana’s greatness will be realised when we accept its diversity in all forms

Dear Editor, Thank you for publishing the letter by Ms Phyllis J Jordan `PM overstepped authority on cross dressing ruling - SN 30 Nov, 2018’. It is important that people air their views so that we can understand all the misconceptions and confusions which inform the prejudice which continues to exist.

The recent CCJ ruling on the cross-dressing challenge did remind the Government of Guyana that they are duty bound to respect the human rights and dignity of all Guyanese, and not just the majority who voted for them. It is surprising that anyone would object to the Government of Guyana’s affirmation of its duty to transgender, gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens. All of the devout Christians, Hindus or Muslims who do not like homosexuality and who voted for either the APNU+AFC coalition or the PPP must have known that both entities promised in their manifestos to not discriminate against any Guyanese because of their sexual orientation.

APNU+AFC said that they “recognise that Gender equality is an intrinsic basic human right and are committed to eradicating all forms of gender bias and gender– based violence. We commit to putting in place measures which will ensure that all vulnerable groups in or society, including women, children, persons with disabilities, rural and indigenous women, youth, the elderly and the sick and those marginalised because of sexual orientation are protected and not discriminated against.”

The PPP/C said they were “building a country in which no one should feel left out from development. We want to give a good life to all citizens so that they can live with dignity and security. As such, we aim to address the needs and meet the expectations of all our people with particular concern for our children, women, indigenous people, single parents and the vulnerable. We believe that all Guyanese must be free to make choices and must not be discriminated against because of their ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation.”

While Ms Jordan might be able to speak for the majority of Christians and Muslims, it would be surprising if any Hindu feels that any transgender citizen is deserving of any less rights and dignity. Many Hindus might not know that Lord Rama, in the Ramayana acknowledges that there are more than male and female in humanity. In the Tulsidas Ramayana, (Sri Ramcharitmanasa), one of the important parts is the dialogue between Lord Rama and Kakbhusundi, where Lord Rama explains about the compassion for devotees. In the Uttarkanda, Doha 87, Lord Rama continues… “..be it man, woman or ‘one lacking the characteristics of both’ or for the matter of that, any living being whatsoever, of the animate or the inanimate world, he who adores Me with all his being, giving up all guile is supremely dear to Me..”

Guyana’s greatness will be realised when we accept the diversity in many ways including religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expresssion and gender identity, and that we work on ways to seek consensus as we realise our differences. We have a lot of work to heal from the violence of the colonisers who created the laws, culture, policies and systems which continue to divide us. Yours faithfully, Vidyaratha Kissoon