LGBTQ+ Community in Hyderabad Calls for Increased Political Representation

Hyderabad: Transgender persons and members of other LGBTQ+ communities are seeking increased political representation to help eradicate the stigma from society and help members of their community come out.

Asking for increased recognition, they said that the political fraternity delivers amazing speeches in their support but then consigns their support just to the records, without actually doing anything about it.

Citing the lack of a ticket from any political party for the upcoming Assembly elections, LGBTQ+ members alleged discrimination against 15,000 members, including 8,000 in Hyderabad, of their community. Further, they alleged that around 10,000 people are afraid to come out due to the social stigma.

Asifa Nisha, a transgender person, who is also a legal advisor for the community, said, “National parties should step forward and make sure that our community is given ticket for the elections in all states. This will change the perspective of other regional parties, as well the voters.”

“The state government in Telangana, which promised portal cards and gender identification certificates, failed to deliver. This process stared in 2021 but has made no progress, despite clearly setting a 41-day period for delivering cards after applications are made,” Nisha said.

Chinnappa Jacob, who heads a transgender-associated organisation, said: “This community has always been discriminated. Now that they are here for equal rights, political parties should make sure to provide them tickets and give them the opportunity to contest.”

V. Aarthi Yadav, a transgender activist, said: “We have seen the society closely, we know most of the problems what the middle class and the downtrodden are facing. Political parties should come forward to give us the opportunity to contest this Assembly elections.”

“If we reach the Assembly, we will have the opportunity to represent our community and resolve many problems,” Yadav said.