Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 09:02:28 -1000 From: Mia H H Lam Subject: India: The Campaign for Lesbian Rights (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:37:34 -1000 From: mumtaz To: aplb@QueerNet.ORG Subject: India: The Campaign for Lesbian Rights (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 20 Jan 99 10:52:32 +0000 From: GREAT Network Reply-To: development-gender@mailbase.ac.uk To: Development-Gender Subject: India: The Campaign for Lesbian Rights Subject: The Campaign for Lesbian Rights Received: 20/1/99 10:34 am From: campaign for lesbian rights, caleri@hotmail.com THE CAMPAIGN FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS Following the violent demonstrations orchestrated by the Shiv Sena in early December against the screening of Deepa Mehta's film Fire, a number of organisations and individuals in Delhi have been meeting to discuss the issues that have surfaced. Democratic rights and freedom of expression are issues that constantly arise in India and these are central here also. At the same time, the attacks on the film, the responses to the film and to the protests have pushed women's groups, human rights groups and secular organisations to address the lesbo-phobia which prevails within large sections of Indian society. This country has a long history of discrimination-be it against Muslims, Dalits, Christians, women, tribals etc. However, people from these oppressed groups have been permitted a sense of public identity and can therefore try to seek recognition of their oppression. In the case of lesbians, their isolation and invisibility has meant the absence of collective identity. In the public domain there is no space for discussion of sexuality, leave alone women's sexuality. Culture, tradition, values and morals have consistently been used as tools of oppression and discrimination. Within this framework, one is marginalised as a woman and doubly so as a lesbian. Intolerance and fear of anything different from the so-called 'norm' results in the forced invisibility of minority groups. Is it any wonder then that there are not many 'out' lesbians in India? The Campaign for Lesbian Rights is a group of individuals-lesbian, gay and straight-and organisations who feel strongly that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation/preference is a violation of basic human rights. The Campaign seeks - to make lesbianism visible and dispel the myth that there are no lesbians in India - to create awareness about lesbian issues and concerns - to develop public and state recognition of the rights of al lesbians to a life of dignity, acceptance, equality and safety Over the next year, the Campaign for Lesbian Rights (CLR) will engage in the dissemination of information, public debates and protest actions. We seek the support of all those who hope for a world free of discrimination, intolerance and hatred. Email: caleri@hotmail.com Organisations supporting the mandate of The Campaign for Lesbian Rights 1. Psychological Foundations of India, New Delhi 2. TARSHI, New Delhi 3. Dastkar, New Delhi 4. Stree Sangam, New Delhi 5. Sangini, New Delhi 6. North East Network, Shillong 7. Aids Virodhi Bhedbhav Andolan, New Delhi 8. Saheli, New Delhi 9. DARE, New Delhi 10. Aarambh, New Delhi 11. CEHAT, Bombay 12. Sabrang, Bangalore ---------------------------------------- GREAT Network development-gender@mailbase.ac.uk ---------------------------------------- ********** To post, send mail to aplb@queernet.org. To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@queernet.org; put a line saying unsubscribe aplb in the body. (This may fail if your address has changed since you signed up; if so, or for other assistance, contact aplb-approval@queernet.org.)