Queer InFocus is a bimonthly roundup of queer news in India.
A 21-year-old queer student dies in Goa. Homophobia triggered her suicide, say friends
15th May, 2020
A few days before the nationwide lockdown began, Anjana Harish, a 21-year-old openly queer person from Kerala shared a live video on Facebook accusing her family of physical and mental abuse, including solitairy confinement inside a cell in a mental health centre to cure her bisexuality. On may 13th, she was found hanging from a tree in Goa. Her friends, whom she travelled to Goa with before the lockdown, claimed that she was depressed and had suicidal thoughts for a long time and had been subjected to domestic abuse and mental torture.
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Johnson & Johnson India includes family benefits for same gender partners
15th May, 2020
Johnson & Johnson announced same-gender partner Mediclaim benefits, as well as inclusion in other family benefits like holiday plan, relocation policy, refundable medical advance and adoption leave, on the occasion of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB).
Emrana Sheikh, the head of HR, Johnson & Johnson, India said, “We believe in making inclusion real and are offering equal benefits for LGBTQ employees to include various family benefits including Mediclaim cover to same-gender partners. This comes at a time when such coverage is difficult for a standalone LGBTQ+ customer, it becomes much easier if the company takes the responsibility.
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As celebrations take Covid-19 hit, transgender community faces dark times
13th May, 2020
As Covid -19 takes a toll on the economy, the transgender community is particularly affected.
Over 150 transgenders in Ludhiana have not been able to earn for months as economic activities have come to a standstill. With the absence of social events, the ones who got money from begging at traffic signals, performing in melas, marriages and celebration of childbirth have no means to earn and are on the verge of starvation.
“Though the state government is distributing ration, our community has not got much. We also need government support as we are going through a very difficult phase in our lives and our survival has become difficult”, said Aaina Mahant, a 27-year -old transgender person.
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Please take a look at our article on what we can do as queer allies during COVID-19.
Published by The Pink List India, here’s a list of organisations working towards providing immediate relief for the queer community across the country.
Haima Simoes is the Outreach Officer at the Queer Resource Centre, One Future Collective.