Madras HC against medical cure or change to LGBTIQAs' sexual orientation

The Madras High Court on Monday weighed against attempts to medically cure or change the sexual orientation of LGBTIQA people to heterosexual or the gender identity of transgender people to cisgenderIt also suggested action against professionals involving themselves in any form or method of conversion therapy including withdrawal of license to practiceThe court also suggested conduct of awareness programmes for judicial officers at all levels in coordination with enlisted NGOs and community support and to provide suggestionsrecommendations to ensure nondiscrimination of persons belonging to the LGBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer andor Questioning Intersex and Asexual andor Ally communitySimilarly it called for sensitisation programmes for police on the rights of LGBTQIA community and to ensure transgender and gendernonconforming prisoners are housed separately from cismen prisoners to eliminate chances of sexual assault by the latterAlso Read Pride Month Follow these Instagram accounts to learn about Indiarsquos LGBTQIA communityThe court also suggested change in educational curricula and also sensitisation of the parentsThe institutions should also ensure availability of genderneutral restrooms for the gendernonconforming student change name and gender on academic records for transgender persons and include transgender in addition to M and F gender columns in application formsThe court also came out with its directions while deciding the case of a lesbian couple hailing from Madurai who had fled to Chennai as their parents were opposed to their relationshipThe parents of the two girls had filed girl missing complaint with the Madurai police which in turn registered an FIRThe lesbian couple approached the court after the police had interrogated them at their residential apartment fearing further harassment from police and their parentsJustice N Anand Venkatesh issued detailed directionsguidelines for various authorities after undergoing a counselling session to understand the issues relating to LGBTQIA community voluntarilyThe court also ordered the police to close any complaint regarding girlwomanman missing if during the investigation it finds that it was a case of consenting adults consenting adults belonging to the LGBTQIA community after receipt of their statementsThe Ministry of Social Justice amp Empowerment has to enlist NGOs including communitybased groups which have sufficient expertise in handling the issues faced by the LGBTQIA community the court orderedThe list of such NGOs along with the address contact details and services provided shall be published and revised periodically on the official website it said adding that such details shall be published within eight weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this orderThe NGO in consultation with the Ministry shall maintain confidential records of such persons who approach the enlisted NGOs and the aggregate data shall be provided to the Ministry concerned biannually it saidWith specificity of issue of accommodation suitable changes are to be made in existing short stay homes Anganwadi shelters and garima greh a shelter home for transgender persons the purpose of which is to provide shelter to transgender persons with basic amenities like shelter food medical care and recreational facilitiesBesides it will provide support for capacity buildingskill development of persons in the community which will enable them to lead a life of dignity and respect to accommodate any and every member of the LGBTQIA community who require shelters andor homesThe Ministry shall make adequate infrastructural arrangements in this regard within a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order the court saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever