Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and supporters took to the streets outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday to protest a magistrate’s decision to bar transgender persons from cross-dressing in his courtroom.
Magistrate Dylon Bess is being accused of discrimination by members of the LGBT community and advocacy group Guyana Trans United (GTU) after he barred one of its members from entering his court while she was dressed in women’s clothing.
“Twinkle,” the transgender woman, claims that she is a litigant in a matter before Magistrate Bess but yesterday was the third day that it was not heard in the court.
In the case, “Twinkle” alleges that she was attacked in a minibus by a man who hit her with a beer bottle. She claims that she went to a police outpost to report the matter but was further attacked by the individual and in an act of self-defence injured her attacker. The matter was then reported to the Brickdam Police Station.
“Every time I come to court, he [Magistrate Bess] puts me out of the court,” she stated. “Chief Magistrate never discriminate against me on the grounds of my sexual orientation/identity. She’s a gem because she has never put me out of her court [and] always listens to us properly, she added, while declaring that she did not believe her case should be tried by this magistrate, whom she thinks is discriminating against her.
Other magistrates have not prohibited litigants from appearing in court due to cross-dressing.
In support of yesterday’s peaceful protest was human rights activist Karen de Souza,
