Gay community in Orissa(India): social discrimination and their fight for their Rights and Dignity in the society

Ratikanta Pradhan
(This is a letter from Ratikanta Pradhan to Satya Sundar Mishra the founder member of SAKHA a CBO established to fight for the rights and dignity of LGBTs in Orissa.

Gay community in Orissa(India): social discriminiation and their fight for their Rights and Dignity in the society

Yes, i am very proud to be a gay. I think that God has a good and noble reason behind creating me like this, so i am happy being a gay. And moreover, we gays play a very important role and contribute a good amount of development initiatives to the society in particualr and as a whole in the world. I dont think we should regreet about being gay and our identity and sexual orientation is natural. We behave and are feminine in our movements except that we do not posses physcial attributes of a women.

But, at the same time, we face a lot of problems regarding our identity and respect and place in the society. There is widespread problem of ragging from physcial to mental as well as economic being a gay in the society. In Orissa(India) society as they are yet to understand us, Society still thinks same sex relation is unnatural and against the order of nature. Gays still face social stigma and other forms of exploitation in each and every field.

Gays in India do feel happy when people accept us, understand our emotions and sentiments. But that itself is not enough we would feel even better and proud if our uniqueness was accepted as normal. Many educated people encourage us and support us in our fight for your dignity and Rights and rightful place in the society.

Now, we have started a association called "SAKHA"(friend) in Bhubaneswar, which primarily works for the development and welfare of the sexual minorities We have been celebrating and coming together on different occasions; The World AIDS Day and organising different workshops regarding the sexual reproductive health, HIV&AIDS, formation of self-help groups and organising other recrational events.

I would take this opportunity to thank Mr. Satya Sundar Mishra
(Subhi/subham)) for his contribution and hard work and for establishing this platform I hope and appeal to all gay people who re living in and around Bhubaneswar please come foreward and fight for our Rights with altogether
I Wish all of us success