UK envoy urges Govt to ensure equal rights among Guyanese

…as LGBTQ community hosts annual Pride Parade

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn on Saturday joined the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community in its second annual pride parade and urged the coalition Government to do what is necessary to ensure that Guyanese are treated equally.

“Everybody in Guyana is entitled to exactly the same rights regardless of who they are, so I think the Government needs to be doing what they can to ensure that everybody has their rights.” Greg underscored.
On this note, the High Commissioner further revealed that countries across the globe will be in support of advocating for fair and well-deserved rights within the LGBTQ community since this is merely what they need.
“Human rights is universal; everybody is entitled to same rights as everybody else. All the LGBT community is here asking is to be accorded the same rights as any other citizens of Guyana and that is something that we across the world will support,” he stated.
Being the second annual parade for the respective community, Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson in a brief interview with this publication stated that the event is being held with the expectation of a more confident display of gender and sexuality diversity without discrimination.
“It’s the second pride parade and we are expecting a more confident display of gender and sexual diversity we are to celebrate who we are as LGBTQ people and to claim our public space, claim our rights to equal citizenship, claim our rights to exist and love who we love without any discrimination in the country.” Simpson related.
The event was hosted as part of Guyana’s carnival celebrations under the theme “Come for carnival, stay for pride” when it was officially launched on May 28, and expected to last until June 3, 2019.
“It doesn’t have a specific theme; I think it has many themes. The theme for the entire festival is “Come for carnival, stay for pride” because this came off the heels of Guyana carnival”, Simpson added.
Even in a country where the rights of persons within the LGBTQ community isn’t recognised or popularised, scores of supporters decked out in their rainbow coloured costumes and outfits, journeyed the city streets and concluded at the Square of the Revolution, Georgetown, in an effort of advocating for their rights and proudly displaying who they are.
Among the crowd, Opposition Member, Priya Manickchand and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee were some of the country’s top officials that participated in Saturday’s event.
The first pride parade activity was held back in June of 2018 since the month is recognised as one to promote social and self-acceptance, achievements, legal rights and pride within the LGBT community.
The parade was organised by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), the Guyana Rainbow Foundation (GuyBo) and Guyana Trans United.