Kathmandu (Pahichan) May 9 – Aayena Lama (name changed) who is working in a restaurant at Lazimpat asked when lockdown will be lifted completely. Lama (26) is a third gender within sexual and gender minority community. Now, she is currently living with her partner in a rented room in Lazimpat. As she is facing difficulties to join hand and mouth, she is hopeful that situation will be better off once lockdown is lifted.  It has been more than one and half month since the government imposed lockdown to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Nritagayna Lama’s food storage went dry in the first week of lockdown. Since then, she is having meal in her friend’s room. She frequently goes to Inclusive Galaxy Restaurant, a restaurant operated Bishworaj Adhikari, for the dinner. Mr. Adhikari is a first winner of Mr. Gay Handsome competition.  With extended lockdown, members of LGBTI who are away from their families, are facing difficulties to secure daily meal.

Members of this community are employed in unorganized sector so they are in vulnerable situation. Members of this community are always in vulnerable situation, the coronavirus has added more difficulties to them. Jawala Thapa of Sindhupalchowk district is also having the difficulties. He used to earn money through stage show which has been stopped now. “There are not any foods in the room, how to survive?” she asked.

Sushma Rijal who identifies herself as a sex worker is also facing difficulties. “Coronavirus has put us in a very difficult situation. Some of my friends are providing meal to me,” Rijal said. It is very difficult for them to go in friends’ room to get food because tenants put them pressure not to go outside the home with a fear of spread of Coronavirus.  Sudip Gautam says, “Sometimes, tenants close the door when we return room after having meal in friends’ room.” Other members of this community also shared the same difficulties.

Government has requested the tenants not to take rents from during the lockdown. However, some tenants are warning the members of this community to expel from home if they fail to pay on time. Sex worker Rijal said her tenants has warned her if she fails to pay rent. Rijal is paying seven thousand monthly. Rijal fears that tenants could expel her if she fails to pay rent. Not only Rijal, almost all members of this community are facing the same problem.

After the lockdown, local governments and other social organizations are distributing relief. But, there is discrimination to this community. Members of LGBTI community say they have not received from local government. To get the relief, it is mandatory to show the citizenship certificate but most of the members of this community do not have citizenship as per their gender identity. So, they are not getting relief from local government.

Another problem faced by this community is health problem. Members of this community who are taking medicine are facing difficulties. Sudip Gautam who is taking hormone for the long time has not been able to get it. Transgender male get hormone through syringes and transgender women take the medicine of hormone.

Due to lack of medicine, they are facing various health hazards, some of them are suffering from depression. Similarly, HIV infected people have not received medicine. Though sexual and gender minority are facing a lot of difficulties, local governments have not taken any initiatives to address the problem faced by this community.