Dear Editor
As the National Assembly prepares to deal with the legislation which discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Guyanese, we will be expecting strong and vocal opposition from religious groups – many of whom are normally silent on other matters of injustice in Guyana.
The release shared by Advocates Guyana last week, reported in the different media, and detailed in the Guyana Chronicle on 4 October, 2012, in addition to asserting the view that homosexuality is a sin, contains the usual claims that homosexuality is not natural and that equality for LGBT Guyanese will somehow destroy Guyanese family life. The quote from the statement in the Guyana Chronicle.
“We call upon all right-thinking Guyanese who are not blinded by the deception that is being peddled by those who claim to be protecting the rights of homosexuals.
Advocates Guyana urges all Guyanese to stand up against this most unwholesome and unhealthy initiative to destroy family values. We join with the Christian community and other faith based groups in raising our voices against any initiative to ruin the very fabric of our society. Be vigilant and ready to speak out against this initiative. The future of family values depends on you.”
These calls about an attack on family values have been made whenever attempts have been made to address the injustices which occur in many marriages whether legislation about divorce, domestic violence, sexual violence or child abuse.
In the US, President Obama indicated his support for gay marriage. This resulted in similar claims from many US clergy about attacks on marriage and family.
Pastor Otis Moss wrote to some of the clergy and in his letter he noted –
“The institution of marriage is not under attack as a result of the President’s words. Marriage was under attack years ago by men who viewed women as property and children as trophies of sexual prowess. Marriage is under attack by low wages, high incarceration, unfair tax policy, unemployment, and lack of education. Marriage is under attack by clergy
who proclaim monogamy yet think nothing of stepping outside the bonds of marriage to have multiple affairs with “preaching groupies.”
Same-gender couples did not cause the high divorce rate, but our adolescent views of relationships and our inability as a community to come to grips with the ethic of love and commitment did. We still confuse sex with love and romance with commitment”
The full text of the letter is available at http:// www. huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/28/otis-moss-iii-challenges-on-marriage- equality_n_1550449.html
Those people of faith in Guyana who work with families, and to rescue people from abusive and oppressive marriage and family structures, would probably want to reject Advocates Guyana’s prejudicial attacks on those who believe that LGBT Guyanese are deserving of the same rights as any other Guyanese.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
