SECRETARY of the Board of Trustees of the Society against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Ms. Zenita Nicholson, has reacted to an article published in the Guyana Times newspaper of December 12. She said her group felt very uncomfortable with the way it was put forth, by the publication, as being a gay organisation which pushes persons to be more involved in the homosexual community.
Nicholson pointed out that SASOD, formed in July 2003 and registered via a trust deed in September 2006, is working towards the eradication of all forms of discrimination, especially on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
She said, in order to do this, SASOD has used resources from donor agencies, individuals and funds which it has raised, and one of the advocacy and entertainment activities is the Film Festival, the only one of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean.
SASOD is managed by a board of trustees who registered the trust deed and project coordinators are hired, according to what is required, to implement specific projects.
Other volunteers work on various activities and events, she explained, pointing out that SASOD is not a gay rights group which encourages the general public to be gay.
Just because most of the members of the group may have a different sexual orientation, something which is not always readily accepted by society, does not mean that they would egg on others to do the same, she insisted.
Nicholson said the group does, indeed, support gay rights, but does not wish to change the sexual orientation of the world in any way.