THE SOCIETY Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) has captivated the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community in Linden and in extension Region 10 with a concept party that was held on Sunday at the Watooka Guest House. The party was a curtain-raiser for the commencement of the Region 10’s LGBT sexual health training project that is set to commence in the upcoming week. According to of SASOD’s Social Change Coordinator Jairo Rodrigues the party was a success and the attendees did enjoy themselves despite the location was not very accessible. “The party was a celebration of pride specifically for Linden and the environs…we wanted to reach out and introduce ourselves to the community,” he said. In addition there was free HIV counselling and testing available.
SASOD will be partnering with local NGOs such as Linden Care Foundation (LCF), For the Children Sake Foundation (FCSF) and Peace Corps for the successful execution of the programme which is geared towards a twofold initiative. The aim is to create empowerment for the community while simultaneously promoting positive mental and sexual health practices. The populace is also expected to benefit from this initiative and the facilitators will push for the gradual reduction of general discrimination and even internal stigma within the LGBT community.
The SASOD officials have consulted the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)/Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV (PANCAP) workshop manual, entitled “Sex positive model for HIV prevention and promotion of sexual health” which will be imparted via a 16-night sex positive HIV prevention training. The students will also get an opportunity to be tested in a confidential environment free from stigma and discrimination.
SASOD Managing Director Joel Simpson articulated that the idea to decentralize SASOD was birthed about a year ago after realizing that members of the community were residing all across Guyana and were in need of empowerment too while advocating for safe health practices. The organization is working in harmony with their 2020 vision to be established across the length and breadth of Guyana within the next four years.
This he said was stymied as a result of limited resources and the focus to have Parliament to pass the bill on legalizing cross dressing. However, the need to expedite the commencement of the programme in Region 10 was necessary as research from the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), revealed that homophobia was said to be more pronounced in Linden when compared to other towns across the country.
“The reasons for the findings may be limited access to broadcast information, high levels of unemployment, limited access to tertiary education and a direct link between poverty and discrimination, Sampson suggested. In addition the local LGBT community feels freer to express their sexual preference in Georgetown. This has resulted in persons committing suicide because of being discriminated against.
“There’s a direct relationship between levels of education, poverty, homophobia and discrimination, because of the socio- economic circumstances of Linden that we find homophobia is more pronounced…. With that said, we recognize the dire need to work in Linden.”
“Often times, the approach to sexual health tends to be just about giving people information… without looking at some of the underlying issues that prevent the vulnerable population, vulnerable groups in particular, from attaining a higher level of sexual health. One of the issues that prevent those groups from attaining the best sexual health is the discrimination they face,” Simpson affirmed.
Prevention Coordinator for Linden Care Foundation Yanick Copeland expressed appreciation for SASOD’s establishment in Linden as the LGBT community was in dire need of support. Similar sentiments were echoed by Vernon Todd, Executive Director of For The Children’s Sake Foundation. He revealed that the SASOD programme would boost the “Youths seeking answers programme” piloted by his organzition.
The SASOD sexual health training programme is aiming to identify a support network of LGBT and ally persons to establish a sustainable and ongoing linkage of local support at its conclusion. The LGBT population in Linden is not known as many persons as a resulted of being affected by stigma and discrimination prefers to keep their sexual identity private. SASOD’s aim is to change this fear that permeates the LGBT community in Linden.