The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) is celebrating the 17th anniversary of its founding today.
The organisation, which was formed on June 7, 2003 by mostly students of the University of Guyana at the time, sought to advocate for the inclusion of sexual orientation as grounds for discrimination in Guyana’s Constitution. That goal is still to be achieved but along the way SASOD has had a number of successes, albeit ones that came with their own challenges.
During a telephone interview with Sunday Stabroek, the Managing Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson, recounted that when the group was formed, they initially went by the moniker “Students Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination” and had one mission, which was to lobby for the adoption of the amendment to the Constitution protecting persons from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. They did not foresee the beginning of a movement, he said.
