In a widely publicized video on Facebook, Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed is seen and heard chastising “questionable persons, lesbians, and bisexuals coming into the masjid to pray,” lamenting that “our leaders are not speaking out” against this. The Guyana Standard reported on this in an article titled “Mohamed warns about division, infiltration of lesbians in the Muslim community” on March 4, 2026.
Sexualities Women and Genders (SWAG) and SASOD Guyana have taken careful note of Mohamed’s remarks, as these are his first public comments on sexual minorities since being elected as a Member of Parliament and Leader of the Opposition. While both organizations respect religious freedom, Mohamed’s comments are divisive and discriminatory toward lesbian and bisexual individuals, particularly those who are followers of Islam. His remarks come at a time when the religious observances of Ramadan, Lent, and Vasant Vart intersect—a timely moment for sharing a message of inclusion and respect for diversity in all its forms. Guyana’s diversity includes lesbians and bisexual individuals.
Guyanese lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people come from all walks of life, many subscribing to different faiths while others do not. SWAG’s Co-Chair Savannah Williams stated, “There are lesbians and bisexual people who are devout Muslims, whether Mr. Mohamed likes it or not.” She emphasized that “it’s not Mohamed’s place to judge any Muslim or worshipper—he is neither God nor Allah.”
We call on Azruddin Mohamed to fulfill his constitutional obligations as the Leader of the Opposition. SASOD Guyana’s Chairperson Mishka Puran believes that “Mr. Mohamed’s first public remarks on LGBTQIA+ issues were a missed opportunity to share a message of unity, togetherness, compassion, and respect when Guyana and the world need it.” She urged the Leader of the Opposition to clarify his and his party’s position on reforming Guyana’s laws to decriminalize same-sex intimacy and protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression—issues that a strong majority of Guyanese across the political spectrum support.
SASOD Guyana’s Managing Director Joel Simpson noted that Mohamed’s comments in the masjid seem inconsistent with his party’s previous stance as articulated by their General Secretary Odessa Primus at the LGBTQIA+ Elections Town Hall held on July 29, 2025. At that forum, the representative of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) indicated her party’s support for necessary law reforms and public education to improve social attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ individuals in Guyana. “Mohamed could have called on his Muslim brothers and sisters to be more inclusive and welcome lesbian and bisexual Muslims to their masjids, but he chose to do the opposite,” Simpson questioned. “How is WIN championing education to change attitudes at one forum while preaching division and exclusion in the masjid?”
Mr. Mohamed cannot separate his personal, religious views from his role as Leader of the Opposition.
SWAG and SASOD Guyana are committed to constructive dialogue and publicly call on Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed and WIN’s leadership to engage with both groups on how his office and party can support the public education and law reform that they advocated for during the 2025 Elections Town Hall. Electoral promises must be delivered.
