LGBTIQA+ community condoles
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 14 2016:
All Manipur Nupi Manbi Association (AMANA), Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHII) and Empowering Trans Ability (ETA) have condoled the victims of Orlando gay club firing.
A condolence service was held at New Checkon, Rajabari road at 5.30 pm today.
In a statement, the three organisations said that the LGBTIQA+ community of Manipur and Imphal stand in solidarity with the families of the victims of Pulse gay nightclub massacre.
The statement further said that LGBTIQA+ community in the State also continue to face ill-treatments and rejection from the family and society.
The organisations further said that LGBTIQA+ community of the State has been encountering cases like suicides among community members, unable to stand family rejection, curative rape of transmen, police harassment against transwomen and transmen including inappropriate touch during the routine security-related frisking, physical assault during public events and celebrations such as Thabal Chongba and denial of access to prayer spaces such as Lai Haraoba.
The three organisations said that LGBTIQA+ community worldwide had called for end to harassment, hate and violence against them, whether these are motivated by religion or cultural prejudice.
At the National level, the community called for repeal of punitive laws like Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and formulation of appropriate anti-discrimination laws.
In Manipur, the community called on the families and society to stop forcing LGBTIQA+ community to conform to gender norms that go against the nature of LGBTIQA+ community.
The three bodies said, "We condemn all forms of hatred and violence, whether based on sexuality, gender, religion, caste, ethnic or tribal affiliation.
We dare to imagine a world where there are no more mass shootings, no AFSPA, no religions dictating whom we should and should not love, and how we should and should not express our genders.
We also aspire to a world where tragedies such as the one at Orlando are not exploited by ideologies for personal or political gain, but only serve to make us introspect on the fragility of life, love and the need to protect these by any means possible" .