PUNE: City-based NGO ‘Right to Love’ on Tuesday organised ‘Premutsav’ on the occasion of its fourth anniversary, where activists and members of the LGBTQ community, along with senior journalist Ravindra Ambekar, shared their thoughts on the community.
“We want equality and not reservations,” said Madhuri Sarode Sharma and Jay Sharma - the first open marriage couple of the community. Madhuri Sharma, a third gender, is the first LIC agent from Mumbai and the first business women from the community. She said, “We got married on December 2016 just like a normal marriage. But yet we have not got a marriage certificate. Therefore, we cannot grow our family; we cannot adopt a child. The transgender bill is still pending in Rajya Sabha.”
Zameer Kamble, a member of the community and a professor at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, is a founder member of the community. Kamble said, “Earlier, it was very difficult to approach any gay or transgender in society. But I met similar people and those who support us. Later, we formed the community in early 1990s. As we were not accepted by society, gays used to meet near public toilets. Later, we started with our first theatre show ‘Off Beat’ in 2000 in Pune to educate people on the community.”
Kamble said, “After the first pride march, which was held in Mumbai, people started accepting our community. Eventually, the landmark judgement was passed by the Supreme Court on Section 377 and the country saw a paradigm shift in society, where people started accepting us and loving us.”
Ambekar said, “Even if we say that our society is getting progressive, still honour killings are increasing day-by-day. The mindset of people will take time to change. However, people have started accepting the LGBTQ community to a great extent and the community is also vocal about their issues, which is a good sign.”
