Resisting Stigma and Homophobia: Two questions for Munshri Dharmesh Kumar, Bangalore Panchayat
Director: Jeevanandhan Rajendran
Duration: 00:05:04; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 4.309; Saturation: 0.077; Lightness: 0.225; Volume: 0.151; Cuts per Minute: 0.788; Words per Minute: 50.053
Summary: Action Plus, a network of 14 organisations working on HIV/AIDS in India, conducted a series of People’s Panchayats in 2009, which sought to understand people's battles against Stigma and Homophobia through the voices of survivors and resistors. The Panchayats sought to address the devaluation of livelihoods and life systems of entire communities of people who practice alternate sexualities, and the erosion of rights or dignity.
This series of People’s Panchayats was held in five cities in India. The first one was in Bangalore on January 28, 2009, the second in Hyderabad on February 6, 2009, the third in Chennai on March 21, 2009 and the fourth on April 11, 2009 in Pune. The fifth and final one was held in New Delhi on April 24, 2009.
Each of the Panchayats followed a similar structure. The interactive meetings were structured to have affected members from sexual minority communities share their personal experiences of living with stigma and homophobia. These were the deposers. Then the two-member expert panel shared their thoughts and ideas based on their experience in the field. The audience comprising of the general public, NGOs, media, opinion leaders and religious communities made their queries and comments at the end of the deposition. There was a brief audience interaction following which the jury or the panch gave its ‘verdict’.
In this video, two members of the audience ask questions to Munshri Dharmesh Kumar about his verdict on the testimonials heard. In response, Munishri Dharmesh Kumar says that there should be special government-run facilities for the queer community.
Bangalore
People's Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Two members of the audience ask questions of Munshri Dharmesh Kumar vis-a-vis his verdict on the testimonials heard. In response, Munishri Dharmesh Kumar expounds on his views that there should be special government-run facilities for the queer community.
The last thing he said was, "How do you find solutions to their problems?" As I said, their problems are Universal. These are not problems faced by an ordinary person, and these cannot be handled like the problems of the ordinary. Like for the handicapped, the facilities and arrangements are exclusive, like one who is mentally retarded is taken care of in a separate way, likewise these people have problems physically and emotionally, and they've to be tackled differently. Like the others who have certain exclusive facilities for them, these people too should get some exclusive facilities and arrangements. The institutions should research and analyze their problems. They should try to find solutions for them.
action plus
aids
bangalore
care
coalition
disability
education
hiv
homophobia
jain
jainism
munishri dharmesh kumar
non-violence
panchayat
people
resistance
rights
stigma
verdict
Bangalore
People's Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Two members of the audience ask questions of Munshri Dharmesh Kumar vis-a-vis his verdict on the testimonials heard. In response, Munishri Dharmesh Kumar expounds on his views that there should be special government-run facilities for the queer community.
Woman: I don't think that transgenders should be institutionalized or looked at differently. The problem is the society looks at them in bad taste. I wish the society looks at them too like they look at any normal being. The point of the discussion should be, "How do we get people to respect them?" They should not be discriminated against in any way
MDK: Your question is good. I am not talking about discrimination in any way. I am only talking about the basic rights that they have been denied. Respect alone is not enough; they need education and medical treatment and all sorts of facilities. Their problems need to be analyzed in detail, and only respecting them in the society will not do. Along with that, their necessities have to be fulfilled, and for that, things have to be analyzed.
action plus
aids
bangalore
care
coalition
disability
education
hiv
homophobia
jain
jainism
munishri dharmesh kumar
non-violence
panchayat
people
resistance
rights
stigma
verdict
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