CHENNAI: Several activists have opposed the social welfare department’s decision to conduct regional-level consultation meetings on the LGBTQIA+ policy without providing the Tamil translation of the document to the community and also permitting only 20 individuals from the community per district to attend the consultation meeting.
Notably, an official circular from the department has also said that those who participated in the consultation meeting in Chennai cannot participate in the regional-level meeting.
“It is not fair to limit the number of people as they have to consider the opinions of everyone from the community. During the state-level consultation, we stressed the government should create a separate policy for trans and intersex persons. Transpersons face severe discrimination in society. Many are forced to beg and engage in sex work. The state cannot combine gender-based and sexuality-based discrimination into one policy,” said trans activist Grace Banu.
The regional-level meetings will be held in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Kallakurichi, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai, the official circular noted.
‘We stressed on separate policy for transpersons’
“During the state-level consultation, we stressed the government should create a separate policy for trans and intersex persons. The state cannot combine gender-based and sexuality-based discrimination into one policy,” said trans activist Grace Banu.