On February 3, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) adopted a special resolution demanding more jobs and educational opportunities for transgender people and for the repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexuality.
“It is a crime to remain silent,” said Abhoy Mukherjee, the DYFI national general secretary, “members of the transgender community in India – 56 percent of whom are illiterate and 26 percent belong to scheduled castes and tribes- should enjoy the same rights that the Constitution gives to others.”
The resolution’s origin can be traced to student activism in the affiliated Student’s Federation of India (SFI). In 2013, Gourab Ghosh of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) became SFI’s first gay candidate for a student union election. Since then, the SFI added an ‘others’ gender option on its membership form and launched a targeted membership outreach to the LGBTIQ community.
The work of LGBTIQ activists within political parties and in government is critical to the fight for policies like these. Increasing the number of LGBTIQ elected officials can make these resolutions a reality.
Victory Institute has partnered with several organizations around the world with the aim of increasing the number of out LGBTIQ elected and appointed officials internationally. You can learn more about our efforts with Solidarity Foundation, our partners in India here.
