Anita Sumanth's Verdict, Chennai Panchayat, Resisting Stigma and Homophobia
Director: Jeevanandhan Rajendran
Duration: 00:01:52; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 266.147; Saturation: 0.152; Lightness: 0.238; Volume: 0.198; Cuts per Minute: 2.660; Words per Minute: 152.658
Summary: People’s Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Anita Sumanth, one of the jury members at the Chennai Panchayat, shares her suggestion that perhaps queer activism should include lobbying for a 'transgender' category on application forms that require information about the applicant's gender.
work
Chennai, India
We all fill in an application form whether it is public sector or private sector. Our application is only considered after looking into the position for which you have filled the application form. There are only 2 columns which are traditional in that form. It is either male or female. There is no column that are asking us whether the applicants is transgender or not. I was wondering that lobbing or powers that be to include such a column would help in increasing the visibility to offence as well as ensure that there are more equal employment opportunities for them in public and private sectors, government jobs, private sector jobs etc.
This is just a thought that I had and like Dr. Suniti was saying the Indian penal court only says that if there are homosexual acts of sexuality they will be considered illegal but gender identity has not been touch upon at all. Section 377 of Indian penal court does not say that if an individual identifies himself or herself to be part of different gender that is illegal or against the law.
So inclusion of such a column in a job application form or a job resume where we include a column saying that so and so gender, transgender will it help at all, will it increase the opportunities that we can make available for our friends. This is the thought that I just want to leave with you. we are now with Action Plus where a coalition of 13 NGOs that are working for making life easier for our friends. If they think this is a valid suggestion that can be acted up on then I think they should do something along these lines.
action plus
gender identity
transgender
visibility
Chennai
People's Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Anita Sumanth, one of the jury members at the Chennai Panchayat, shares her suggestion that perhaps queer activism should include lobbying for a 'transgender' category on application forms that require information about the applicant's gender.
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
