Tag: Gender Justice | Page 8

Quote: There is no rationale to criminalise 'talaq-e-biddat'. Using penal actions to discourage instant triple 'talaq' will not help in getting justice for women. When a woman reports a complaint about triple 'talaq', she wants to continue staying in the matrimonial home and draw financial support from her marital home. Imprisoning the husband will deprive her of both, making her and her children even more vulnerable.

Policy Matters Jan '18

Bill against instant triple ‘talaq’: Lose-lose proposition?

By Shampa Sengupta

Shampa Sengupta explains why criminalizing instant triple 'talaq' will not protect Muslim women’s rights

The graphic shows an illustration, which is captioned “Look before you pee!?!” It is borrowed from a cartoon series published in the January to July 1997 issue of ‘Naya Pravartak’, a queer journal published in the 1990s by Counsel Club, one of India’s earliest queer support groups (1993-2002). The cartoon, done in an exaggerated style, shows a man using a urinal in a public toilet. The man is looking to his right towards a second man in the adjacent urinal. Distracted, the first man doesn’t realize that he has not been aiming right and has splashed on a third man to his left. The third man is aghast, but the first man remains oblivious. The cartoon also shows a little birdie sitting on a window ledge above the urinals and looking down with a puzzled expression, while the sun outside is peering in and having a good laugh at the comedy of errors inside the toilet. The cartoon artwork (done with black ink on paper) was by Ranjan, while the ideas thinktank behind the cartoons consisted of Navonil, Pawan, Peter, Rana, Shane and other members and friends of Counsel Club. The illustration is accompanied by a quote from the article text that says: “In this discussion on inclusive, safe and universally designed toilets, men, especially those with the privileges of money, heterosexuality, cisgender identity and absence of any major disability, can’t afford to be disinterested bystanders. Not only are many of them policy and decision makers charged with responsibility for greater good, but they can also get mugged in a toilet, heckled by other men stronger than them, or slip, fall and break a bone in a badly designed toilet. They could also be harbouring the pisser’s block from younger days, and as we know, retention of any kind (whether it’s urine or power without responsibility) is bad for health!”

Vartanama Dec '17

Toilets: Inclusive, safe and universally designed

By Pawan Dhall

To pee or not to pee – in a public toilet! Till this day any decision in this regard has sometimes to be taken even before I have left home.

This graphic shows a banner prepared by the national campaign against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016. The title says “Stop Passage of the Transgender ‘Rights’ Bill, 2016” and “Uphold NALSA Judgment and Standing Committee Recommendations”. Below the title, the text says: “This Bill criminalizes traditional Hijra livelihoods and families; encodes discrimination with lower penalties for violence against transgender people; upholds a government screening committee for transgender people; has an unscientific definition of ‘transgender’, and rejects our main need for reservation, non-discrimination and prevention of atrocities.” The banner is signed off as: “All India Transgender Community – Trans Resistance, Parliament Street, New Delhi, December 17, 2017”. To the left of the banner, next to the text, and extreme right corner are drawings of a pair of hands clapping in the style often used by Hijras and other transgender women (such clapping is termed as ‘thikri’ in Bengali and often signifies assertion and protest). The entire banner has a lavender and purple coloured background with text in black and white; the pairs of hands are flesh coloured with the nails painted red. Graphic credit: All India Transgender Community – Trans Resistance Campaign

Insight Dec '17

Pushback against wrongs in Bill on transgender rights

By Sayantan Datta

The campaign against the regressive Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 is not just an unprecedented mobilization of trans communities to resist the exclusionary nature of our legal system,...

The photograph shows a protest under way against the central government’s Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, which has been severely criticized as discriminatory and regressive. The protest took place on Parliament Street in Delhi on December 17, 2017, where hundreds of transgender men and women, intersex and gender non-conforming people and their allies came together from across India. In the photograph, an activist can be seen speaking on a dais, with several other people standing close to her with posters that say “Liberation” and “Stop TG Bill 2016”. A few individuals are seated on the dais. Behind the dais there is a large banner titled ‘All India Transgender Aur Intersex Pratirodh’ in Hindi. It provides details of why the proposed legislation should be opposed. In the background, to the right side, a number of trees are visible with the morning sunlight filtering through. Photo credit: Ajita Banerjie

Happenings Dec '17

In rage, and in hope, we fight

By Ajita Banerjie

Delhi witnesses a collective voice of dissent against the central government’s Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016. Ajita Banerjie reports

This is a graphic designed for the ongoing campaign against the Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016. The text says “Stop the Transgender Bill” in a bold typeface and large point size. To the left of the text is a layered illustration that shows a clenched fist in the background. An open palm is placed on the fist, with many more hands and forearms visible inside the open palm – all symbolizing a demand for protection and promotion of transgender and intersex rights. The dominant colour theme in the graphic is red, black and white. The numerous hands and forearms are in multiple colours juxtaposed on the black colour of the open palm. The clenched fist is in orange tinged red, while the text is in mainly white on a background of red and black. Artwork credit: Siddhartha Sankar

Happenings Dec '17

‘Transgender Day of Rage’ to mark Kolkata pride

By Kolkata Rainbow Pride Festival, Siddhartha Sankar

The 16th edition of the ‘Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ is planned for December 10, 2017. The walk will be preceded by a protest against the discriminatory Transgender Person (Protection of...

This graphic is a collage created with key illustrations used in the articles in this month’s issue of ‘Varta’ (November 2017). The long descriptions of each of the illustrations can be found in the respective articles, that is, ‘Cinema, Commerce and Causes', ‘Government Letdown on Transgender and Intersex Rights Legislation’, ‘PIL in Calcutta High Court to Push for Transgender Rights’, and ‘Voicing Out Stasis in Transgender Lives’. The collage is enclosed in a thought cloud, which is placed on a background with brown colour. Collage credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Nov '17

Down, but not out!

By Pawan Dhall

Three of the articles in this issue of 'Varta' talk about the continued hardships faced by transgender and intersex people in India. All jab us in the eye at how far...

This graphic consists of pencil sketches on paper in caricature form of the faces of key actors from the films discussed in the accompanying article. The sketches are presented in two rows, one above the other. In the first row are Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan; in the second Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Bajpai. The background is made up of handwritten repeat text consisting of the names of the films – ‘Aligarh’, ‘Dangal’, ‘Dear Zindagi’, ‘Kahaani 2’, and ‘Pink’. The text is in all capitals but in small point size, and seems to form an intricate pattern on which the sketches of the faces are placed. Graphic credit: Shubhrajit Roy

Cinemascope, Insight

Cinema, commerce and causes

By Nitin Karani

Campaigns to highlight different human rights issues are just past, ongoing or round the corner. Last year saw a spate of Bollywood films on many of these issues. How true...

This main photograph shows a scene from the ‘Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk 2016’ held on December 11, 2016. The focus is on a poster that has the diagram of a human brain on top. Below the diagram is a hand with a finger pointed at the brain and text below the hand that says “Gender is here”. Below the text is a broken line running from left to right. Below the line is another hand with a finger pointed downwards and text above the hand that says “Not here”. The implication is that gender or gender identity is supposed to be in the brain and not in the genitals. The poster is made on yellow chart paper and the writing and drawing are in black. The poster is held up by one of the walk participants and there are a few other walkers in the background – all persons are partially visible. Photo credit: Kaushik Gupta

Policy Matters Nov '17

Government letdown on transgender and intersex rights legislation

By Sampoorna India, Kaushik Gupta

In a stunning reversal, the Government of India has ignored all civil society inputs and plans to table a much criticized version of a Bill on transgender and intersex rights...

Quote: The PIL filed in the Calcutta High Court emphasizes that despite the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court of India in National Legal Services Authority Vs. Union of India & Others, transgender people continue to be denied opportunities in public service recruitment.

Advice - Rights and Laws Nov '17

PIL in Calcutta High Court to push for transgender rights

By Debayan N. Sen

Debayan N. Sen explains the purpose of a recent petition filed in the Calcutta High Court to address the livelihood concerns of transgender people

This graphic shows a pair of scales with the left scale weighed down. The balance beam, tilted to the left, along with the central vertical stand, appears like a giant ‘T’ (as the first letter of ‘transgender’). A circle placed right at the centre of the balance beam just above the central stand can be visualized as a human face and makes the entire pair of scales look like a person with their arms stretched out, with one side weighed down. Just above the left scale is a thought cloud with text that says “Human Rights Violations”; a similar thought cloud below the right scale says “Court Verdicts, Boards, Bills . . .” The sense conveyed is that human rights violations are weighing down transgender people’s lives despite progressive court verdicts, legislations and welfare bodies for transgender communities in India. The pair of scales is shown inside a frame that implies confinement or lack of freedom. The entire graphic consisting of the scales, thought clouds and frame is itself placed inside another cloud shaped figure. The graphic colour scheme – a mix of deep blue for the scales, black for the text, and light and deep shades of grey interspersed with white for the other elements and the background – conveys a negative mood but not complete doom. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall (graphic based on Clip Art by Microsoft Office).

Happenings Nov '17

Voicing out stasis in transgender lives

By Pawan Dhall

A trans* community hearing organized last week in Kolkata captured numerous grievances and complaints of government inaction across West Bengal. Pawan Dhall reports

The photograph shows a panel discussion in progress at the launch of a set of five standards to support corporate bodies in preventing discrimination against queer people in the workplace and beyond. The standards have been developed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The event took place at the Godrej global headquarters in Mumbai on October 12, 2017. The document on the standards was titled ‘Tackling Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, & Intersex People: Standards of Conduct for Business’, and was launched by Fabrice Houdart, Human Rights Officer, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The panel discussion preceded the launch and featured Radhika Piramal, Managing Director, VIP Industries Limited; Nandita Das, Actor and Filmmaker; Gauri Sawant, Transgender Activist; Meenakshi Ganguly, Director South Asia, Human Rights Watch; and Keshav Suri, Executive Director, Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. The panel was moderated by Salil Tripathi, Senior Adviser, Global Issues, Institute for Human Rights and Business, London. Photo courtesy: Communication Design Team, GCPL

Happenings Oct '17

Queer inclusion: Business not as usual

By Pawan Dhall

The business world in India has an opportunity to adopt a benchmark to prevent discrimination against queer people in the workplace and beyond. Pawan Dhall reports on the launch of...

Word cloud roughly in the shape of a diamond to highlight the issues talked about in the article below. There is key emphasis on the word ‘vigilance’, which stands out in big point size and red colour in the centre. Other words, all in blue or red colour, include ‘criticism’, ‘diversity’, ‘gender’, ‘health’, ‘law’, ‘legislation’, ‘medication’, ‘mental’, ‘policy’, ‘rules’, ‘sexuality’, ‘standards’, ‘therapy’ and ‘transgender’. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Sep '17

What price vigilance?

By Pawan Dhall

A new media acquaintance wondered what the focus of this issue’s editorial would be. He was sure I would write about journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder. Well, he wasn’t wrong.

The photograph shows a close up shot of a poster with a message on gender diversity and equity at the ‘Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ held on December 11, 2016. The message says “I am not what happened to me. I am who I choose to become.” The text is accompanied by the drawing of a double-face – the masculine and the feminine elements mirrored in a single human face. The feminine elements have been symbolized by a red ‘bindi’, red lips and a golden nose bangle. The person carrying the poster is not visible. There are other people around carrying more posters. Photo credit: ‘Hidden Pockets’.

Commentary Sep '17

Inclusion of transgender community: Status of NALSA judgement implementation?

By Brindaalakshmi K.

Brindaalakshmi K. provides a low-down on where the much celebrated apex court verdict on transgender identities and rights has reached

This photograph shows a scene from NGO Civilian Welfare Foundation’s annual walk in Kolkata to celebrate the cause of the Paralympics. A walker is seen standing with a poster that says “Born to Be Free” and has the sketch of a para-athlete in a running pose drawn in the centre. Birds can be seen flying in the background of the poster, as also a kite soaring in the sky. The text and the graphics are rendered in eye-catching red and black. A few other walkers can be seen next to the walker holding the poster. This year’s walk in South Kolkata on August 28, 2017 attracted nearly 300 participants, including a number of para-athletes who won medals for India in the Paralympics held last year in Rio de Janeiro. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Aug '17

Freer, hardier, sexier

By Pawan Dhall

Freer, hardier, sexier! How about that as a motto for achieving a better life for everyone? A motivation where the contest is with our limitations in becoming a more just...

This graphic shows a collage of media headlines on the Supreme Court of India’s verdict on the Fundamental Right to Privacy. Headlines are from ‘Ei Samay’ Bengali newspaper (‘No Entry Goponiyotay’); ‘Hindustan Times’ (‘Right to Privacy: Supreme Court Judgment Mirrors People’s Aspirations’); ‘Amar Ujala’ (‘Nijta Ke Adhikar Per Supreme Court Ka Bada Faisla’); ‘The Indian Express’ (‘Privacy Supreme’); and NDTV (‘Right to Privacy Is Fundamental Right under Constitution, Declares Supreme Court’). The ‘Ei Samay’ report has an interesting graphic that shows a hand holding a huge key, with the icons of a man and a woman holding hands imprinted on the bow of the key. The ‘Indian Express’ story shows a gallery of pictures of the nine judges who came out with the verdict. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall

Insight Aug '17

Dazzled, and hopeful – the notion of privacy for all Indians

By Vivek Divan

Vivek Divan on the commitment and flourish shown by the Honourable Supreme Court of India in rescuing the right to privacy from oblivion

This main photograph shows an exhibition match that was played between the Empowering Trans Ability (ETA) and Women Football Association teams in Manipur earlier these summers (year 2017). The match, played in a village ground near Imphal, was part of the ‘Village Level 7-A-Side Open Football Tournament’ organized every year by ETA. This match was the only one played in the women’s leg of the tournament. The photograph shows an ETA player dribbling and moving ahead with the ball near the opponent team’s ‘D’ area and penalty box. The player is being shadowed by a rival team member, while another rival tries to block their way. There are six other players from both teams in the vicinity. A line referee can be seen in the background, as also a few spectators (some with umbrellas) seated on the sidelines or walking on a lane next to the playground. A few soldiers seated in an army jeep or standing next to it – an omnipresent sight in Manipur – are among the spectators. The sidelines are marked by small coloured flags hoisted on bamboo poles. In the distant background are fields, trees and hills merging into a grey-blue sky. ETA’s players are dressed in maroon and black striped t-shirts, white shorts and light green socks, while their opponents are in an orange combination. ETA, a queer support forum, aims to empower lesbians, bisexual women and trans men in Manipur through football tournaments like these. Photo credit: ETA

Clickhappy! Aug '17

Kick-off for gender equity

By Oinam Hemba

Oinam Hemba, founding member of ETA, a community group of trans men, lesbians and bisexual women in Manipur, presents glimpses from a unique football contest

Tagged Under: Gender Justice

Bill against instant triple ‘talaq’: Lose-lose proposition?

Toilets: Inclusive, safe and universally designed

Pushback against wrongs in Bill on transgender rights

In rage, and in hope, we fight

‘Transgender Day of Rage’ to mark Kolkata pride

Down, but not out!

Cinema, commerce and causes

Government letdown on transgender and intersex rights legislation

PIL in Calcutta High Court to push for transgender rights

Voicing out stasis in transgender lives

Queer inclusion: Business not as usual

What price vigilance?

Inclusion of transgender community: Status of NALSA judgement implementation?

Freer, hardier, sexier

Dazzled, and hopeful – the notion of privacy for all Indians

Kick-off for gender equity

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