Vinayak's Deposition, Pune Panchayat, Resisting Stigma and Homophobia
Director: Jeevanandhan Rajendran
Duration: 00:04:53; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 34.256; Saturation: 0.077; Lightness: 0.779; Volume: 0.188; Cuts per Minute: 0.409; Words per Minute: 122.390
Summary: People’s Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Vinayak, one of the deposers at the Pune Panchayat and a MSM, shares some of his experiences with the Panch and the audience.
Good afternoon, my name is Vinayak Khadape. I am from Sangli and I work for Sangram and Muskan. In 2000, when there was not much awareness of condoms, we would distribute condoms to people and police used to beat us. When we would go to Kolhapur, Ichalkaranji to outreach, we used to get so scared of the police, because they would beat us like anything at the stands. They used to ask us, what were we doing there, what were we distributing. I would reply that I have every right to distribute condoms and save one's life. I was 17 when I joined Sangram. Meena Shishu said that I am very young, how can he help us? Madam supported me a lot. She let me join Sangram. I could not study as other kids used to tease me a lot, because I would behave like girls and play with them. I was not manly. The kids would call me a Eunuch. I could not tolerate it and left the school in 9th standard. Otherwise I would have completed my studies very well. Hence, I could not study or get any job. My first job earned me 500 rupees. At the time, our financial condition was quite bad. My father was a drunkard and mother was a house maid. My sister was young, so my mother never let her work. I used to cry a lot. Sangram supported me a lot. I have been with Sangram since 9 years in 2 districts.
People's Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Vinayak, one of the deposers at the Pune Panchayat and a MSM, shares some of his experiences with the Panch and the audience
Pune
action plus
msm
people's panchayats on resisting stigma and homophobia
pune
vinayak
Pune, India
About 6 months back, I and my friend were heading to Satara. It was 12 o'clock in the afternoon. 4 criminal like people got down from an auto rikshaw and demanded sex with us. They were heavily drunk. They assaulted us to the extent that my hands and face were swollen, I had fracture in my hand and I could not even talk. A police from a bus stand came down. We narrated him the story. But he started telling us that this is not new to him and eunuchs deserve it. You must have taken the initiative in the whole situation. I felt so bad. Whatever may happen, I decided to go to the police station to file a complaint. On the way to the police station, the same police offered me money and asked to dismiss the problem, then and there. The criminals had actually given 1000 rupees to the police as a bribe to not to take the case further. We did not listen to them. Then my friend called people from VAM. VAM is an organization like Muskan. Even they are into social service since past 16 years. All the ladies came down to the police station to help us. Then the police filed the complaint officially. And only then, 2 of the criminals were arrested by the police. They were in the lock for 3 days and also were fined of rupees 3000. The auto rikshaw was seized by police. We decided to make our organization strong. After I filed the complaint, my friends too gathered courage to go against the abusing. Because it is of no use to just destroying of assets. We cannot be understood by the society, neither our families. Neither we too can make them understand that we are MSM and we are attracted to the same sex and not the opposite sex. We like to have sexual relation with a man only, may he be a gay or bisexual or an eunuch. I am MSM and I like guys only. That's it I want to share with you.
action plus
msm
people's panchayats on resisting stigma and homophobia
pune
vinayak
People's Panchayats on Resisting Stigma and Homophobia; Action Plus - a Coalition for Rights, Education and Care in HIV and AIDS. Vinayak, one of the deposers at the Pune Panchayat and a MSM, shares some of his experiences with the Panch and the audience
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