Madras HC’s historic verdict to end prejudice against LGBTQIA+ people

Monday June 7 2021 was marked by a series of landmark judgment and judicial orders upholding the right to liberty and privacy of citizens In a historic order the Madras High Court banned the medical lsquocurersquo of the members of LGBTQIA people in an attempt to end the discrimination against the communityIt also stated that it was the statersquos duty to protect the LGBTQIA couples and that society needs to educate and change how they see the community according to The Quint report ldquoTill the legislature comes up with an enactment the LGBTQIA community cannot be left in a vulnerable atmosphere where there is no guarantee for their protection and safetyrdquo the court saidSociety needs to changeldquoThe actual problem is not the fact that the law does not recognise a relationship but that the sanction that is accorded by the society is not available It is only for this reason I strongly feel that the change must take place at a societal level and when it is complemented by law there will be a remarkable change in the outlook of the society by recognising samesex relationshipsrdquo The bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh who was hearing a plea by a samesex couple seeking protection from relatives issued guidelines to educate the society about the LGBTQIA community reported Bar and BenchIn April Justice Venkatesh had undergone an educational session with a psychologist to learn about samesex relationships He said the petitioners Vidya Dinakaran and Trinetra became his ldquogurusrdquo and ldquopulled him out of the darkness of ignorancerdquo ldquoIt was I us who has to set off on a journey of understanding them and accepting them and shed our notions and not they who have to turn themselves inside out to suit our notions of social morality and traditionrdquoAlso Read Covid19 Mumbai witnesses chaos on Day 1 of unlockBans medical lsquocurersquoldquoAny attempts to medically ldquocurerdquo or change the sexual orientation of LGBTIQA people to heterosexual or the gender identity of transgender people to cisgender should be prohibited Action should be initiated against the concerned professional involving themselves in any form or method of conversion ldquotherapyrdquo including withdrawal of license to practicerdquo the court saidIn direction to the police the court said they must ensure members of the LGBTIQA couples are not harassed when their families file a missing person complaint ldquoSensitisation programs are to be conducted for police personnel creating awareness about the Offences and Penalties as stipulated under Chapter VIII of The Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act 2019 and compliance of Rule 11 of the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Rules 2020rdquoMeanwhile the Rajasthan High Court has directed the police to provide protection to a couple in a livein relationship A similar order was issued by the Allahabad High CourtThe couple has alleged that they face threat to their lives as the womanrsquos parents and relatives are against their relationship Instructing the police to provide protection to the couple Rajasthan HC Justice Satish Kumar Sharma said ldquoIt is well settled legal position as expounded by the Honrsquoble Supreme Court of India inthat personal life and liberty has to be protectedrdquo A couple had moved the Allahabad HC seeking a direction to restrain their families from interfering with their lives reported Bar and Bench A Division bench of Justices Pankaj Naqvi and Jayant Banerji ordered ldquoTill the next date of listing no one shall interfere in the peaceful living of the petitionersrdquoInstructions for schools and collegesgtgt Ensure availability of genderneutral restrooms for the gendernonconforming studentgtgt Change of name and gender on academic records for transgender personsgtgt Inclusion of lsquotransgenderrsquo in addition to M and F gender columns in application forms for admission competitive entrance exams etcgtgt Appointment of counsellors who are LGBTQIA inclusive for the staffs and students to address grievances if any and to provide effective solutions for the sameAlso ReadPride Month The most addictive queer podcasts you should listen toThis 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