Prominent transgender and sexual minorities rights activist Akkai Padmashali wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking her intervention to eradicate stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ persons by ensuring the community’s representation within political structures. The letter was written on Wednesday, May 17, on the occasion of International Day against Transphobia, Homophobia, and Biphobia.
Referring to the Union government’s opposition to marriage equality at the Supreme Court, she said that the government’s repeated assertion that the issue should be decided by the Parliament was shocking, considering the fact that the legislative body does not have a single LGBTQIA+ member. “If the Union of India argues that Parliament should decide what rights LGBTQIA+ individuals should have, the government must take steps to ensure that LGBTQIA+ individuals are represented in Parliament. It is a fundamental principle of democracy that no decision about us can be made without our participation. Keeping in mind this enormous deficiency in our democracy, we urge you to take action to ensure that the vibrant and diverse Indian democracy will also begin to reflect the rainbow colours of the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said.
“For a community that some studies have estimated to comprise approximately 10% of the population, this total absence of a voice in the institutions of Indian democracy reveals a serious deficiency in Indian democracy. This lack of representation of a substantial portion of Indian society in all its rainbow hues does not appear to trouble the government,” she said, adding that the President should ensure that LGBTQIA+ community is represented in the world of politics.