Dear Editor,

I refer to Phyllis Jordan's letter captioned "Homosexuals in Guyana have not suffered from discrimination" (3l.7.200l). [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ]

Ms Jordan joined the bandwagon in denouncing homosexuality as "unnatural, deviant, and sinful". But what do these words mean in practical terms? What is unnatural? Does she mean that it does not exist in nature? Well, Ms Jordan homosexuality is not confined to humans. There are homosexual dogs and cats and ducks and sheep and apes. And what is deviant? Two people of the same gender feeling affection for each other? And sinful? Says who?

Ms Jordan also wrote that "Gays are a minority".

Surely Ms Jordan didn't mean that minorities should not be protected by the constitution?

In her letter Ms Jordan raises some scary scenarios. She sounded alarmed that her children would be "oriented" towards homosexuality. Well, Ms Jordan, you should know that homosexuality is not something people get oriented towards. You either are or you're not. No one can "make" you gay if you're not. Does the writer know of a case where a straight person was turned gay? Or a child was sexually abused by a gay person? And Ms Jordan, if your child is sexually abused then you have a right to pursue prosecution of the perpetrator, gay or straight. Giving homosexuals protection under the constitution from persecution and discrimination is not sanctioning any kind of action that would put other people at risk, whether children or otherwise.

Let me say that I respect her spunk. I think it would be better used speaking out against racism, discrimination, poverty and crime in Guyana.

But the main reason I'm responding to her letter is because it is clear to me that there is a general lack of knowledge about homosexuality in Guyana. There is need for this to be studied in high schools and universities, to inform people that homosexuals exist and to quell some of the fears flying about, fears that are unfounded, hypothetical, and based on religious doctrines. Let's find out the truth. Let's get the hard facts and discard unproven fear.