A Solidarity Event called ‘Miniscule and Powerful! : Acceptance of LGBT community among the youth was held on Saturday evening in Patna. Patna Law College students discussed the rights of transgenders and MTH people at a special three hour seminar organized by Pehchan North Region Office. MTH means MSM, Transgender, Hijra. Some 80 students attended the session, which consisted of a documentary and an interactive session handled by Sachin Awasthy and Newsnet One Editor Frank Krishner.

“Why do Hijras behave that indecently?” “Shouldn’t they change if they want our attitude to change?” “Isn’t exclusion of MTH a part of the larger discourse on Brahmanical dominance?” “Now that our country have acknowledged third gender, what is their problem?” “Can’t they take the lead in shouting for their own rights?” “Why not set up special schools for transgenders to study?” “Why do they lift their skirts and do obscene things, and expect to be given respect?” The questions were many, but gradually, the audience quieted down and some of the misconceptions were cleared.

On the background of the event, Awasthy said, “ On 11 December 2013, the Delhi High Court decision (July 2, 2009 that decriminalised of same sex behaviour) was set aside by the Supreme Court of India recriminalizing the sexual minority. The decision severely impacted the access to human rights for the sexual minorities and increased harassment, violence and black mailing against them. It also contributed towards increase of homophobia and transphobia among the law enforcement agencies towards sexual minority.

“As the dawn of 2014 broke, all the gains between 2009 and 2013, in mobilising communities and sensitising service providers were almost rolled back. There is an urgent need to consolidate the sexual minority movement at the state level, to create an environment for them to access human rights. The event was held in the context of spreading greater awareness, the and sensitivity among the students, some of whom may become lawyers one day.”

The students clamoured for more sessions on human rights and also on topics like Section 377 and the judgements, the import of the NALSA judgment and so on. Pehchan would do well to revisit the college after the positive feedback from the students , and hold a few more sensitisation sessions.

Incidentally, the Principal of the college allowed PNRO to hold the event on condition that no speakers should mentioned the words ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’ in the discourse. “Stick to transgender only’, was the diktat. It was interesting to note that that students themselves brought in queries related to IPC Section 377, and that some of them stated that a just and modern society should have space for transgenders, gays and lesbians. Mission Accomplished?

  LGBT, Pehchan North Region Office, Rainbow, transgender