Sujuta lama/kathmandu (Pahichan) January 26  – Parichaya Samaj held a press conference on 25^th January, 2015 at Gusingal, Lalitpur. The main purpose of the press meet was to aware public about the issues and programs of the organization through media. The representatives of the organization Manoranjan Kumar Baidhya shed lights on the agendas of the press meet which are to inform about the upcoming programs against the sexual and gender violence and to appeal government to provide facilities for the victims of sexual and gender violence through media. These programs will be conducted in the month of February, 2015.

The project manager of the organization Manoranjan Kumar Baidhya shared about the issues the LGBTI community has faced since it was introduced. Peeking back at the time he mentioned that the LGBTI community was hiding in the shadows until Sunil Babu Panta who is the founder of Blue Diamond Society introduced about it around the year 2001. He conducted counseling sessions to help others identify their gender. After that they have been fighting for their identity in the legal system.

They continued their fight in the non-violence way. They’ve had few successes as the Supreme Court approved of the gender identity in the citizenship in 2064 BS. But the journey of getting one has not been an easy path. The LGBTI community has been facing gender discrimination from the society and people from time to time though there are few people and societies that have accepted them for who they are.

They also have problem regarding the employment because employers often hesitate and discriminate the LGBTI community to give a single job. The issue gets more complex when the government servants, Police officers discriminated some gay members of the organization by supporting the person offending them on the basis of their gender. The police even supported the offender file a case against the gay members without any solid reason. With this case it is clear to say that even though the government has formulated a law for gender identity but it still lacks a proper and effective implementation.

Prem Pakhrin who identified himself as a gay person is a member of the organization and has been actively participating in the activities of the organization.  He also shared the problems he faced during his field visits and how he was offended by the society. He seeks and wants his ethnic Tamang community to support these issues and identify LGBTI and support them.

He also appealed the government to provide quotas for LGBTI members as they have been facing unemployment problems. At last the organization shared a message to the public to understand and support the issues of LGBTI community. They also quoted that “If u can, love. If not, don’t hate them”.

Kadambari Memorial College of Science and Management

Buddhanagar, Kathmandu