OCLF - 2019 | Fighting with the myth called equality - A disscuaaion with Gauri Sawant, Manvendra Singh Gohil, Dr. Rajan Welukar, Ashok Alexander, Nandita Om Puri- Moderator - vikrant Shandilya
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Gauri Sawant- LGBT community is seeing light the end of the tunnel. Discrimination persists and anti-discrimination laws are absent in work places. This, clearly, is a reminder that while 6 September 2018 is historic, it is more about basic rights. It's not about equity or equality, but more an allowance to have sex. Several activists and lawyers within the community felt that the right to own and inherit property, nominate their same-sex partners on hospital and insurance forms, and receive legal recognition of same sex relationships and marriage were areas that needed urgent attention.
Manvendra Singh Gohil- After these years of overturn of Section 377 criminalizing same-sex relationships, the fight for equality is far from over. India's LGBT community has marked the anniversary with a call to for civil rights for gay couples – though marriage equality is not the immediate priority. The country embarks upon another year of freedom for same-sex couples, discrimination remains and progress has been slow. The anniversary still called for celebrations to commemorate the ground-breaking and unanimous decision of India’s Supreme Court on 6 September last year, which decriminalized homosexuality in the socially and politically conservative society. All this while, this law was used to discriminate and harass us. But we can now be free and step outside without fear. In the past year, we have got to do, now we want to be.
Nandita Om Puri- Petitions pertaining to reservations for trans-persons in government jobs and educational institutions, and seeking the formation of transgender welfare boards, among other things, are in the works. Just last month, the country got its first dedicated hiring consultancy firm for the members of the LGBT community. At present, even after the change in law, the community lags behind their Western counterparts in attaining equal pay, corporate representation and other benefits. And unfriendly policies towards businesses that cater to LGBT consumers have led to huge loss.
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United States
