THE Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) wants government to establish a consultative group with  representatives from the governing 32-seat People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), the 26-seat A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), which has seven seats in the National Assembly. In the wake of the state-sponsored public consultations on same-sex unions, that government has announced it will be hosting before the next United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) later this year, SASOD has jumped ahead of the initiative.
SASOD plans to use the new dispensation in parliament to have its demands  met in legalising same sex union.
The body believes that since the executive branch is leading this process, the legislative branch needs to be involved since it involves the repeal of laws.
The gay rights organisation plans to dispatch several pieces of evidence of discrimination to Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixeira. These include copies of affidavits in a February 2010 High Court case that challenges the constitutionality of laws against cross-dressing, which is still pending.
The body wants an inclusive and transparent process with clear terms of reference.
On Saturday last, SASOD held its first march around the streets of northern Georgetown, to clamour for equal rights and to highlight their demands. Plans are on stream to intensify bipartisan political lobbies to scrap laws activists say are discriminatory.
Backing their calls for British colonial laws against buggery and cross-dressing to be repealed, and for same-sex unions to be permitted, their march commenced at the Parade Ground,proceeded east along Middle Street, north along Camp Street, west along Lamaha Street and south along Main Street back to their point of origin.
The march, which was poorly attended, saw a total of eight persons who traversed the streets of northern Georgetown to have their demands highlighted.
Some persons from the organisation who were in support of the initiative chose not to join the march, since they were afraid if stigmatisation and discrimination.
The march was one of a number of activities to observe May 17 as International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). It is coordinated by the Paris-based “IDAHO Committee,” founded and presided over by French academic Louis-Georges Tin. The day aims to coordinate international events to garner support for the respect of lesbians and gay rights worldwide.
Police had arrested and charged four men with wearing female attire in 2009, an act SASOD says in court documents was irrational, discriminatory, undemocratic, contrary to the rule of law and unconstitutional.
The issue came up in Guyana several years ago and the present administration, led by President Bharrat Jagdeo, abandoned the idea to amend the constitution to provide for the respect of persons on the basis of their sexual orientation.
The administration had come under severe pressure from  various sections of the religious community not to support the passage of such a bill.