Dear Editor,
Our beloved homosexual brothers and sisters had their gay pride parade on Saturday. As a heterosexual man, I am really sorry I was not there to celebrate with them. Celebrate that privilege that we all take for granted; freedom to be ourselves.
Guyana is a secular and not a religious society. This means that there is a separation between religion and state. There is freedom of expression. Freedom from discrimination. No one is allowed to force their religious beliefs on another. To do that would be unconstitutional. Yes religious bigots it will be unconstitutional.
Homosexuality is not a choice. They were born that way. The common theory is that the mother’s immune system not having ‘Y’ chromosome and only ‘XX’ chromosomes attacks in-utero the ‘Y’ chromosome of the male foetus. The ‘Y’ chromosomes are responsible for maleness. As a result these males foetuses will develop female characteristics in the absence of a fully functional ‘Y’ chromosome. The question is why this happens. The mother on making the first son becomes sensitised to the ‘Y’ chromosome. Any further male foetus will result in her immune system attacking the ‘Y’ chromosome. In other words the more male babies she has, that increases the chances of the successive child being homosexual. I agree this does not explain everything about homosexuality.
In the 1950’s it was thought it may be hormone related. Alan Turing, the British gay scientist was subjected to hormone treatment. It failed and he committed suicide. His life story was chronicled in the movie The Imitation Game. Very sad. Alan Turing was instrumental in Britain deciphering the Nazis codes in World War 2. Without his brilliance the war would have had a different outcome. His crime? Being born gay. Later it was thought that it may be a mental disorder which can be cured by counselling. That also failed. Religious leaders thought it was the work of the devil and can be cured by spiritual intervention. That also failed. We are now getting a better understanding of homosexuality and the theory of ‘Y’ chromosome dysfunction has some scientific evidence. It does not explain all we need to know about homosexuality but one day we will get there.
So the pious religious leaders that are attacking our gay brothers and sisters should sit back and get their own house in order. How dare they judge homosexuals. Who made them the judges of right and wrong? Who made them the moral judges? If heterosexuals can have their carnivals, why can’t gays have their pride parade?
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord. Rather than spending time judging homosexuals, we should spend more time on our knees begging for forgiveness. Get the lumber out of our own eyes before we take the spec out of the eyes of our brothers and sisters.
Joel Simpson please let me know a few months in advance the date of the next gay pride parade. I would love to be a part of it. I would love to have our heterosexual brothers and sisters joining. Let’s take this from the hundreds to the thousands. Of course if our gay brothers and sisters don’t want us being a part of it we will understand.
I will end in a prayer. Dear lord you know me before I was born. I wish to be like Jesus. Dwelling amongst homosexuals, prostitutes and thieves. Dear lord please save me from these scribes and Pharisees. I am on my knees. Please save me.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Mark Devonish
