Lalitpur (Pahichan) December 3 – Teachers of Lalitpur District have expressed commitment to make homosexual, transgender and inter-sex friendly educational environment. They also made commitment that they would create awareness in their community about homosexual, transgender and inter-sex.  

At a program organized by Blue Diamond Society at Rudrayani Secondary School and Prativa Bidhya Mandir, teachers and students said no one shall be denied from education irrespective of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Principal of Rudrayani Secondary School who is also Chairman of National Teachers Association Baburam Thapa said many illusions about this community have been removed after the program organized by BDS.  “One student used derogatory language when I got information that BDS is visiting us, now it has been clear that we should not use such words,” said Thapa adding that there would not be any discriminations to homosexual and transgender students in the school.

He expressed commitments not to discriminate the students of this community. The program was organized by Blue Diamond Society and UNESCO Office Kathmandu provided assistances. BDS has launched Purple My School campaign and students also made commitments not to discriminate the members of this community in the school.

Principal of Yuba Prativa Bidhya Secondary School Yagyarak Dahal expressed happiness stating that he got the chance to understand this community. “If discrimination has happened in the future, now that should be corrected,” said Dahal.

UNESCO Kathmandu Office Representative Christian Manhart said there should be proper environment of study for a student that has different sexual orientation.  “The members of this community are still denied from education, such discrimination should be ended,” said Manhart.

Chairman of BDS Pinki Gurung said they have initiated a campaign of homosexual, transgender and inter-sex friendly environment in the school. Gurung said, “Members of this community are facing psychological and physical discrimination,” Gurung said. According to her, there are the people in the society who do not want to understand about this community or there are some people who pretend that they do not know about this community.

Sanjaya Sharma, Day Project Coordinator of BDS said even in the ancient times, the homosexual, transgender and people with inter-sex used to have an identity.  Sharma said being the member of this community is not a sin.

Transgender rights activists Bhumki Shrestha said transgender students are being denied from completing their school level education. Shrestha said there should be an environment where there would not be discrimination to the members of this community.

Stating that negative mindset of society should be transformed into positivism; Shrestha said teachers and student should know about this community. “In the grade 6,7 and 8 curricula, there is a something about our community,” said Shrestha. Transgender female Akanshya Timsena and Transgender Male Elan Bhandari the discrimination of teachers should be ended.

Bharat Shrestha of UNDP said the role of teacher and student is vital one to end the negative attitude of society to the members of this community.  In the campaign, teachers and student signed a paper expressing commitment that they would not engage in any discrimination.