Guyana Elections 2015 against homophobia and transphobia?

(17 May is commemorated as "International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia", a day for the Worldwide Celebration of Sexual and Gender Diversities )

Quincy McEwan of Guyana Trans United was happy on Saturday 16 May, 2015. Quincy was relieved that there was going to be a change.. the Bishop who approved of "gays on an island" was no longer a Minister. The GTU had mobilised its members to vote. They had different political parties. According to Cracey Fernandes, another member  of GTU, the trans went out in their numbes and "voted like a boss"

Quincy did not dress up too much, in case there were problems with matching the appearance on the ID Card. Other trans who voted, said they had no problems with anybody telling them anything.

One trans from a rural community said it was no problem dressing normally with makeup and clothes as she normally did. The polling agent was from the village and was able to verify the identification for voting. 

One person had some problems with taunts in the line, but persisted and managed to vote.

Lina Free, the woman who the former Minister of Health wanted slap and strip, does not identify as heterosexual.

Some people have praised her for her stance, others have said she was offensive and had no respect for the office. Those who are offended include a man who has come out publicly as gay.


Another young man campaigned hard for his party.  He told some of his colleagues and those who asked respectfully. He has had some comments thrown at him but it did not stop him from his work.


The manifestos of the main political contenders talked against discrimination towards lesbian, gay and bisexual (and maybe trans since many people use the word gay for trans as well ).

The APNU+AFC manifesto states "....APNU+AFC recognise that Gender Equality is an intrinsic basic human right and are committed to eradicating all forms of gender bias and gender-based violence. We commit to putting in place measures
which will ensure that all vulnerable groups in our society, including women, children, persons with disabilities, rural and Indigenous women, youth, the elderly and the sick and pregnant and those marginalised because of sexual orientation are
protected and not discriminated against..."


The PPP/C manifesto states that "We believe that all Guyanese must be free to make choices and must not be discriminated against because of their ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation."  

The  Code Of Conduct For Political Parties Contesting The 2015 General And Regional Elections asks each party to  ".. insist that its Candidates, Agents, members and supporters avoid making speeches or statements that promote racial or ethnic tension by using stereotypes and other language to denigrate citizens or other groups through derogatory references to gender, race, class, ethnicity, language, religion, age, place of origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, political beliefs or affiliation."

There are no public reports or anecdotes of any candidate using a derogatory reference to sexual orientation unlike in previous elections when hints where thrown. Some persons on social media indulged, and in quite a few cases, it was interesting to see how challenges were put to the persons.

Guyana still has the discriminatory laws on the books. LGBTQ citizens continue to experience various forms of discrimination.

Guyana's 2015 elections has seen different kinds of provocation based on political and ethnic affiliations and there is deep division as nearly half the voters voted one way and the others another way.

Things have been tense. For the first time though, in 2015, the elections seemed to be against homophobia.  More needs to be done to understand gender identity.

As the nation tries to heal after the elections, it might be good for us to recognise the tiny steps to  overcome homophobia and transphobia