LGBTQ+ Community Advocates Seek Visibility and Equal Rights

LGBTQ individuals often face discrimination from family, friends, and society, leading to acceptance issues throughout their lives. The Rainbow Dialogues conclave brought together 75 LGBTQ members from West Bengal to share experiences and advocate for inclusion. They highlighted the need for equity and accessibility for the LGBTQ community. Despite challenges, some LGBTQ individuals have found more acceptance in recent years, but discrimination persists, as evidenced by harassment on public transport. The conclave emphasized the importance of human rights for LGBTQ individuals and the need for further societal progress.

People known as LGBTQ members usually face discrimination in their growing up phase from childhood facing acceptance problems from family, parents, siblings, neighbours, even friends and teachers, participants at a conclave here revealed.

Seventy-five members of the LGBTQ community from different parts of the state, shared their experiences at the conclave - ''Rainbow Dialogues – All in this Together'' – a project of US Consulate held across seven states in east and north-eastern India, held in collaboration with US-based organisation StoryCenter and BRIDGE early this week.

The participants called for inclusion, equity and accessibility for the LGBTQ community, a spokesperson from BRIDGE told PTI.

Director of the American Center Kolkata, Elizabeth Lee, said ''As we reflect on the importance of human rights, we recognize that the struggle of LGBTQ people to obtain rights and recognition is inseparable from the broader fight for universal human rights.

An LGBTQ member from Kalyani in Nadia district told PTI, that though the attitude of people to the community is slowly changing he still faces harassment in public transport.

He recalled when he was a class seven student in a boys' school, his classmates often would ask him to prove he was male by undressing.

''However, in my workplace, my colleagues and seniors are very helpful and cooperative,'' he said emphasizing that attitude and perception have undergone a change in the past two to three years.

The 24-year-old youth was attending the meet at the American Center to share experiences with other community members.

Prithiraj Nag, one of the speakers and LGBTQ advocacy right activists said, ''People known as LGBTQ members usually face discrimination since their growing up phase from childhood facing acceptance problem from family, parents, siblings, neighbours, even friends and teachers.'' The 75 participants were mostly from West Bengal including transmen, transwomen, bisexuals, lesbians and other queer group members.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)