In a little over a month, Guyanese LGBTQI+ persons and allies will begin celebrating Pride, an annual event aimed at not only highlighting love and gender identity in all its forms, but also a period of reflecting how far we have come and how far we still have to go. It is clear that Guyana is making progress when it comes to wider knowledge of persons who do not strictly fit the binary of those who are cis-gender and heterosexual. Visibility is incredibly important as it helps to destigmatise these identities, and contributes towards more persons feeling less hate towards themselves and others. Visibility, however, must also be accompanied by societal acceptance and systemic changes that would provide LGBTQI+ persons with the support and equality needed. We continue to see the harmful impacts that lack of societal acceptance continues to have on members of the community, as persons struggle to be themselves in a world that is steadily against them.
Recently, two young men who are suspected to have completed suicide made the news. Instantly, there was an outpouring of statements concerning their sexuality, with many even going so far as to say, that they were right to kill themselves. I won’t speculate on the sexualities of the young men, but the responses towards their deaths did raise some important points about the ways that LGBTQI+ persons continue to be viewed and the treatment that is often meted out against them.
A point that is often used to denigrate LGBTQI+ persons is that they suffer high rates of mental illnesses. A correlation is forcibly drawn between their sexual and gender identity, and their mental health. There is of course a correlation between these things, but it is not because sexual and gender identity outside of the binary causes or is caused by mental illnesses. Rather, the correlation exists because of the social, political and economic challenges that these persons face from larger society. Growing and living in an environment that is hostile to your existence and who you are, will wreak immense trauma on one’s mind. There is not only internalized stigma that one has to steadily battle through surrounding their worth, but also the external ones by those who see sexual and gender identities outside of the cis-heteronormative binary to be a symptom of evil, and a badge of disgrace. Of course, when normal behaviours are viewed so negatively, it fosters a response wherein abuse and stigma are seen as rational, resulting in LGBTQI+ persons being repeated victims of physical and verbal violence. This of course does not only exist within the home and at the community level, but in all spheres of their lives, from the school, religious and work environments.
LGBTQI+ persons, like all other citizens, deserve to live lives free from violence and instability. They deserve to not only be free to pursue their goals and dreams without fear of stigma, but to also exist comfortably within themselves. This is currently not the reality, but with a commitment from individuals to challenge the stigma they hold towards gender and sexuality-diverse groups, we can contribute towards not only increasing visibility, but in changing negative social norms. Systemic support from the government and other relevant parties to overturn discriminatory laws and policies that are often used as ammunition to deny LGBTQI+ persons of their rights, must be realized. Mental healthcare support is still insufficient for the needs of the population and this needs to be drastically amped up so as to ensure that persons from marginalized communities are able to benefit. It is only through actionable and sustained paths that we can begin to create an environment wherein persons do not feel the need to hide their identities or take their lives, as the space they exist in is a supportive one.
