The Finance Minister, Mr Jaitley, looks at a world bank study on India that states that $31 billion is what we lose due to homophobia in our country
Last Frigay, Obama and I met at the Nehru Memorial Library in New Delhi. Of course, there were 300 other amazing change makers, but narcissistically speaking, in my head I was alone with him. I have been fan-boying over him ever since he was in the race for president.
This townhall invitation by Obama Foundation made my dream come true. He has stood up for equal rights of LGBTIQ persons openly and he has left me wishing that I find a leader like him in India, too. Of course, zaroor, we have Tharoor, but it will take Shashi a while, to step to the front from the aisle. We have Arun Jaitley who has openly stated that he in in favour of decriminalising consensual sex between adults in private. But then, I am hoping that the Finance Minister, Mr Jaitley, looks at a world bank study on India that states that $31 billion is what we lose due to homophobia in our country.
Not that one has to be a Obama or a Trudeau, one could be a Jaitley or a Tharoor and do their unique bit for the minorities of this nation that have long been supressed by a draconian british law that we are slaves of. Article 377 is victorian culture, and to show the courage to accept, not just tolerate the different, is Indian culture.
Speaking of courage, I am really glad that my friend Akkai Padmashali, a trans woman from Bengaluru, who has founded an organisation called Ondede, got to ask a question on behalf of queer community to Obama. She quizzed him about how can a marginalised community raise their voice and be accepted. Obama wasted no time in promptly responding to her by sharing that the very act of her standing up and asking the question stands testimony to the fact that people are finding their voice and their resilience.
Though Obama took no stand against section 377, which basically stands against everything that Obama stands for, this verbal exchange between Akkai and Obama was no less than a moment in history.
Transgenders and bisexuals are most discriminated even in the LGBTIQ space. In times like these, to get up and embrace your own truth on a global platform becomes a revolutionary act. Thank you Akkai.
Back to Mumbaichi porgis, I am happy to share that my Thanekar friend Koninika Roy, was in Quebec attending the 8 th International Conference on Human Rights Education. Additionally, Tinesh Chopade had the opportunity to be a gender and sexuality trainer at the State Police Training Academy in Nashik. "Glad to share that the Maharashtra Police Academy has incorporated a module on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Human Rights of LGBTQ community in training curriculum for police officers," reads his Facebook post.
The common thing is that both Koninika Roy and Tinesh Chopade are from The Humsafar Trust.
Yes, it may take time to wipe out prejudice... pann shuru zhaala process atta, aikaa ho!
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