It was a rare occasion for the sexuality minorities to raise their voices against the ill-treatment meted out to them. The event also became a tool to seek their rightful demands.

‘They’ wanted answers for some of the questions such as, when will the State government recognise their marriage? Is there any end to the woes that they are facing today? What crime have they committed for denial of job opportunities? Will police ever stop harassing them? Why have they been prevented from getting ration cards?

They also had questions like: When will owners of houses come forward to give houses to them on rent? These questions came thick and fast at the 2nd Karnataka State Sexuality Minorities Annual Convention organised by Sangama, Suraksha and Samara in Bangalore on Sunday.

The sexuality minorities took out a public rally from Makkala Koota which culminated at Banappa Park where the programme was held. The theme for this year’s convention was ‘Mobilisation, Collectivisation and Empowerment’.

Lot of discrimination

Akkai, associated with Sangama, urged the society to recognise hijras as women and transgenders (female to man) as men. Hijras lived with a lot of discrimination. They did not want the society to discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients, added Akkai.

The cultural festival was the main platform for the sexuality minorities to express their talents. That would serve as a means to stress their struggles and desires to be empowered, Akkai said.

On the number of curious onlookers, she said, hijras never bothered to keep anything secrete. They were open about our identity and sexuality. They also wanted the people to know about the hijras. They could create more awareness among citizens about hijras by being open. Their openness about their sexuality would bring about a positive change in the society, she felt.

Sexuality minorities were facing violence, punishment from families, public harassment, denial of rights, punishment by the police, discrimination from public and private health sectors and education institutions as they society adopted different attitude towards gender and and sexuality, said Reginald Watts, executive director, Sangama.

Violence of another form

The situation left them with the only option of begging and sex work for a livelihood. Forced heterosexual marriages were another form of violence against this community, he felt.

Hundreds of homosexuals, bisexual, and transgenders participated.