Dear Editor,
It was fascinating to see the Government of Guyana’s ‘pink-washing’ in their propaganda for World Press Freedom Day 2023. The Government’s “Shaping a Future of Rights” supplement seemed to celebrate the Government’s support of each of the human rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Government chose under ‘Freedom from Discrimination’ a photograph of participants at one of the LGBTIQ+ Pride parades, with the prominent rainbow flag. Can’t go wrong with the illusion of progressive politics by seeming to endorse what is normally a protest for LGBTIQ+ equality. The last decade or so has seen politicians from all parties liming with LGBTIQ+ citizens, attending cocktails and raising rainbow pride flags with diplomatic missions.
They probably feel that is all they have to do to show that Guyana is serious about freedom from discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other queer citizens. The Government also seems to imply that since there is no discrimination against LGBTIQ+ citizens, then there must be no other discrimination against any other citizen. The trouble though as politicians in Guyana in the last decade have come out to support events and to also recruit LGBTIQ+ citizens to participate in political activities, is that human rights should also be enshrined in law which would then ground policies and practices for Government, private sector and other organisations and individuals.
The Government’s propaganda machinery might have a different view of the human rights they want to shape. The last Universal Periodic Review of Guyana’s human rights commitments in 2020 lists the actions which are needed for Equality and Non-discrimination. Guyana has only made the change to remove the cross-dressing law after the CCJ ruling. The other actions which would lead to repealing the buggery laws, and to including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics as prohibited grounds of discrimination across all laws and policies and practices have not been done.
In Shaping Human Rights for the future, there is an intersectionality which has to be addressed on all rights. The politicians might feel comfortable with the expression or lack of expression from their LGBTIQ+ allies and other supporters who might also be part of communities which are historically marginalized. But when those expressions change or challenge the politicians’ policies and politics, it is a different story. Many citizens have to understand that the duty of politicians for human rights is not to be done as patronage. The duty of politicians to ensure equality and non-discrimination is about implementing and enforcing protective legislation, and policies and being accountable to all citizens.
And in recognising that it is going to become more difficult to be human as the Earth burns, it also means that shaping human rights for the future also means ensuring protection of our living Environment and understanding that our living Environment should be treated equally. Maybe next propaganda releases from the Government will show the appropriate screenshots of the implemented legislative changes to ensure equality of all citizens.
Sincerely,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
