Five Guyana Parties Commit to LGBTQ Rights Repeal Plans

In 2025, several political figures and parties across the U.S. and Guyana are actively addressing LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination. Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, one of the state's first openly transgender lawmakers, is advocating for gender-affirming care and equal rights, particularly as neighboring states enact bans on such care for minors. In Ohio, legislative efforts are polarized, with Republicans proposing bills that restrict LGBTQ+ expressions and Democrats pushing for anti-discrimination laws, such as the Ohio Fairness Act, which seeks to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In Guyana, five of six political parties have pledged to repeal colonial-era laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy and support LGBTQIA+ rights, with the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) explicitly opposing workplace discrimination and backing legislative protections. These developments coincide with advocacy by organizations like SASOD, which are pushing for amendments to existing discrimination laws to explicitly include sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Despite some opposition to legalizing gay marriage, the general trend among these political actors is toward enhancing protections and recognition for LGBTQ+ communities.