Protection of minority groups constitutes a basic human right

I write this missive on the heels of “National Coming Out Day ‘’ , an annual LGBTQ+ awareness day held on October 11 in several countries worldwide with the purpose of supporting those in the LGBTQ+ community in “coming out of the closet”.

One may recall in the Parliament recently the decriminalisation of cross dressing. It was about time that such an archaic and heinous law be removed from our law books. However, the work is not finished yet. Guyana is one of the few countries in the world where sex between men is a criminal offence. We are in 2021. These laws cannot exist in any society, much less a modern one. It is time for the decriminalization of homosexuality in Guyana. There should not be a referendum on this matter. Simply because why should a majority decide on the protection of a minority group? Does that make sense? I think not.

Moreover, this is a basic human rights issue. Protection of minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community forms part of any serious equal rights agenda. I trust that LGBTQ+ rights will be fought for in the Government’s “One Guyana” initiative. No singular group should face discrimination for their existence. I call on the Government to begin steps to decriminalize same sex intimacy in Guyana. This must not be left off the agenda for our country’s progressive development. I have confidence in the Irfaan Ali Government to make this long overdue change and hence they must do so as soon as possible. To those in the LGBTQ+ community, I say “Power to You”.

Sincerely,

Nikhil Sankar